Fargo
Fargo, ND water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
fargo city of
surface water (rivers/reservoirs) · local government · PWSID ND0900336
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
Fargo is a mid-sized city and the largest in North Dakota, home to roughly 118,523 residents. Fargo's drinking water comes largely from the same regional sources that serve North Dakota: Missouri River and aquifers.
As elsewhere in North Dakota, the central challenge is agricultural demand. Energy development and irrigation drive demand; the Missouri River is the anchor supply.
North Dakota reuses an estimated 3% of its treated wastewater and maintains minimal reuse programs; Fargo tracks abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions on the U.S. Drought Monitor scale.
Explore the North Dakota profile for statewide context, or dig into the water issues shaping Fargo below.
Cass County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~118,523 (largest in North Dakota)
- Primary sources: Missouri River and aquifers
- Drought: abnormally dry to moderate conditions
- State reuse rate: ~3% of wastewater
Statewide drought history
% of North Dakota in severe+ drought (Moderate (D1) now).
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Fargo?
Fargo's largest water system, FARGO CITY OF, serves about 120,762 people. EPA records show 2 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 2.3 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Fargo get its water?
FARGO CITY OF draws primarily from surface water (rivers/reservoirs), part of North Dakota's supply from Missouri River, aquifers.
Related water issues
Agricultural 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