Owensboro
Owensboro, KY water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
owensboro municipal utilities
groundwater (wells) · local government · PWSID KY0300336
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
Owensboro is a small but growing city and the 7th-largest in Kentucky, home to roughly 59,042 residents. Owensboro's drinking water comes largely from the same regional sources that serve Kentucky: Ohio River, Kentucky River, and reservoirs.
As elsewhere in Kentucky, the central challenge is aging infrastructure. Plentiful surface water; the main issue is aging distribution systems and rural access.
Kentucky reuses an estimated 3% of its treated wastewater and maintains minimal reuse programs; Owensboro tracks moderate to severe drought conditions on the U.S. Drought Monitor scale.
Explore the Kentucky profile for statewide context, or dig into the water issues shaping Owensboro below.
Daviess County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~59,042 (7th-largest in Kentucky)
- Primary sources: Ohio River, Kentucky River, and reservoirs
- Drought: moderate to severe conditions
- State reuse rate: ~3% of wastewater
Statewide drought history
% of Kentucky in severe+ drought (Severe (D2) now).
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Owensboro?
Owensboro's largest water system, OWENSBORO MUNICIPAL UTILITIES, serves about 60,473 people. EPA records show 0 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 0 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Owensboro get its water?
OWENSBORO MUNICIPAL UTILITIES draws primarily from groundwater (wells), part of Kentucky's supply from Ohio River, Kentucky River, reservoirs.