Aiken County, South Carolina: drinking water report. Aiken County serves about 170,000 residents in western South Carolina.
Aiken County serves about 170,000 residents in western South Carolina. The City of Aiken and Aiken County draw water from the Savannah River and local groundwater. The county borders the Savannah River Site (SRS), a Department of Energy nuclear weapons production complex that operated from the 1950s through the early 1990s.
The Savannah River Site's legacy is the defining environmental factor in Aiken County. SRS produced plutonium and tritium for nuclear weapons, and decades of operations contaminated groundwater and surface water on the 310-square-mile reservation. While drinking water intakes are monitored to ensure safety, the DOE's ongoing cleanup – one of the largest environmental remediation programs in the world – underscores the long-term contamination picture.
UCMR5 data shows PFAS detections in some county systems. According to the South Carolina DHEC, the Savannah River at Aiken County's intake has met drinking water standards, though SRS operations have historically contributed radionuclides and industrial chemicals to the river.
Aiken County's proximity to SRS makes monitoring uniquely important. DOE publishes annual environmental monitoring reports for the site.
Check your water for data specific to your area. Reverse osmosis handles the broadest range of contaminants. Our water filter guide covers options. Pull your detailed report, and visit our South Carolina page for statewide data.