Gulfport
Gulfport, MS water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
city of gulfport
groundwater (wells) · local government · PWSID MS0240003
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
With about 71,856 residents, Gulfport ranks as the 2nd-largest city in Mississippi and a small but growing city. Water in Gulfport is sourced chiefly from Mississippi alluvial aquifer and rivers, the backbone of Mississippi's supply.
The defining water pressure here mirrors the state's: aging infrastructure. Jackson's drinking-water collapse spotlighted deep infrastructure underinvestment.
Statewide, Mississippi recycles about 3% of its wastewater with minimal reuse programs. Locally, Gulfport faces severe to extreme drought conditions.
The Mississippi state profile covers the regional supply outlook; the issues below detail what's driving Gulfport's water future.
Harrison County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~71,856 (2nd-largest in Mississippi)
- Primary sources: Mississippi alluvial aquifer and rivers
- Drought: severe to extreme conditions
- State reuse rate: ~3% of wastewater
Statewide drought history
% of Mississippi in severe+ drought (Extreme (D3) now).
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Gulfport?
Gulfport's largest water system, CITY OF GULFPORT, serves about 75,056 people. EPA records show 0 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 1.5 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Gulfport get its water?
CITY OF GULFPORT draws primarily from groundwater (wells), part of Mississippi's supply from Mississippi alluvial aquifer, rivers.
Related water issues
Aging Infrastructure
Much of America's water infrastructure is decades past its design life, leaking trillions of gallons a year and demanding hundreds of billions in reinvestment.
ExploreAgricultural Demand
Agriculture accounts for the majority of consumptive water use in the West, making farm efficiency and water markets central to any supply solution.
ExploreWater Affordability
As utilities raise rates to fund overdue upgrades, water bills are outpacing incomes — and shutoffs are hitting the most vulnerable households hardest.
ExploreLead Contamination
Millions of lead service lines still connect homes to water mains. After Flint, a national push — backed by new EPA rules — aims to rip them all out.
Explore