Sioux Falls
Sioux Falls, SD water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
sioux falls
surface water (rivers/reservoirs) · local government · PWSID SD4600294
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
Sioux Falls, SD is a mid-sized city, with a population near 171,544 and the largest community in South Dakota. Like much of South Dakota, Sioux Falls draws its water primarily from Missouri River and aquifers.
Sioux Falls's water outlook is shaped most by agricultural demand — the issue that dominates planning across South Dakota. Irrigation-driven demand with the Missouri River reservoirs as the backbone.
Sioux Falls sits in a state that reuses roughly 3% of treated wastewater (minimal programs) and currently experiences severe to extreme drought.
For the bigger picture, see the South Dakota state water profile and the related issues below.
Minnehaha County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~171,544 (largest in South Dakota)
- Primary sources: Missouri River and aquifers
- Drought: severe to extreme conditions
- State reuse rate: ~3% of wastewater
Statewide drought history
% of South Dakota in severe+ drought (Extreme (D3) now).
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Sioux Falls?
Sioux Falls's largest water system, SIOUX FALLS, serves about 216,462 people. EPA records show 0 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 3 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Sioux Falls get its water?
SIOUX FALLS draws primarily from surface water (rivers/reservoirs), part of South 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