Water Quality: Buffalo, OK
2 water systems • 1,398 people served
Multiple Health ViolationsWater Quality Summary
Buffalo is served by 2 public water systems with a combined service population of 1,398 people, and has 417 EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record. Critically, 8 of those are health-based violations, meaning one or more contaminants were detected above EPA-established safe levels — a serious public health concern. Buffalo's violation count is 58% above the national average for Oklahoma. Contaminants associated with violations include Gross Alpha, Nitrate.
Contaminants Found
Alpha-emitting radioactive particles increase cancer risk, particularly from bone and other internal cancers.
Common source: Natural uranium and radium in geological formations
EPA limit: 15 pCi/L (excluding radon and uranium)
Causes methemoglobinemia (blue baby syndrome) in infants, reducing the blood's ability to carry oxygen.
Common source: Fertilizer runoff, septic systems, animal feedlots, natural deposits
EPA limit: 10 mg/L (as nitrogen)
Water Systems Serving Buffalo
| System Name | PWSID | Source | Population | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUFFALO | OK2003003 | Groundwater | 1,200 | 5 |
| HARPER CO RWD #1 | OK2003001 | Groundwater | 198 | 412 |
Concerned About Your Water?
A home water filter can remove common contaminants. NSF-certified filters are tested against EPA standards.
Consider a reverse osmosis system for comprehensive filtration or a carbon filter for basic improvement.
Other Cities in Oklahoma
Data Sources
Drinking water violation data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). Data includes all recorded violations for active community water systems.