Watertown
Watertown, SD water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
watertown municipal utilities
groundwater (wells) · local government · PWSID SD4600356
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
Watertown, SD is a small but growing city, with a population near 22,073 and the 5th-largest community in South Dakota. Like much of South Dakota, Watertown draws its water primarily from Missouri River and aquifers.
Watertown'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.
Watertown 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.
Codington County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~22,073 (5th-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 Watertown?
Watertown's largest water system, WATERTOWN MUNICIPAL UTILITIES, serves about 23,230 people. EPA records show 1 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 Watertown get its water?
WATERTOWN MUNICIPAL UTILITIES draws primarily from groundwater (wells), 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