Grand Island
Grand Island, NE water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
grand island, city of
groundwater (wells) · local government · PWSID NE3107902
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
Grand Island, NE is a small but growing city, with a population near 51,440 and the 4th-largest community in Nebraska. Like much of Nebraska, Grand Island draws its water primarily from Ogallala/High Plains aquifer and Platte River.
Grand Island's water outlook is shaped most by groundwater depletion — the issue that dominates planning across Nebraska. Sits atop the largest share of the Ogallala Aquifer; managing that resource for irrigation is the central water question.
Grand Island sits in a state that reuses roughly 6% of treated wastewater (developing programs) and currently experiences exceptional drought.
For the bigger picture, see the Nebraska state water profile and the related issues below.
Hall County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~51,440 (4th-largest in Nebraska)
- Primary sources: Ogallala/High Plains aquifer and Platte River
- Drought: exceptional conditions
- State reuse rate: ~6% of wastewater
Statewide drought history
% of Nebraska in severe+ drought (Exceptional (D4) now).
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Grand Island?
Grand Island's largest water system, GRAND ISLAND, CITY OF, serves about 51,478 people. EPA records show 2 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 2 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Grand Island get its water?
GRAND ISLAND, CITY OF draws primarily from groundwater (wells), part of Nebraska's supply from Ogallala/High Plains aquifer, Platte River.
Related water issues
Groundwater Depletion
Aquifers from the Central Valley to the Ogallala are being pumped faster than they recharge, causing land subsidence and threatening long-term supply.
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.
ExploreDrought
Much of the American West is in a multi-decade dry period that researchers describe as the most severe in over a millennium, reshaping how communities plan for water.
Explore