FARMERSBURG, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)— According to a new study from UtilityRates.com, Indiana ranks #6 for the least reliable electric and public water utilities.
UtilityRates.com is an electricity and natural gas rate comparison website. To gather the data for the study, researchers analyzed water quality enforcement data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as well as power outage statistics from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Using the findings on electric utility outages and public water utility violations, they gave a score from 1 to 100 for each state, with the higher number meaning the higher the score, the less reliable.
Indiana scored #6 place with a score of 70.54. The only neighboring state of Indiana that also made the list was Kentucky at #8 with a slightly better score of 67.34. Texas ranked the worst with a score of 89.28. In 2023 alone, Texas reported 15,340 water system violations, and the average Texan went without power for a total of 584 hours over the year, equating to over 24 days without power. The news release states that these numbers show the impact that extreme weather can have on power grids and residents.
Hawaii ranked on the other end of the spectrum, having the most reliable utilities with a score of 6.09. In contrast, Hawaii in 2023 only reported two water violations across its 139 public water systems, and neither of them was health-related. The average Hawaiian also saw only 4.15 hours over the year.
Karl Trollinger, CEO of UtilityRates.com, commented on the findings:
“This study shows just how wide the gap is when it comes to electric and public water utility reliability across the U.S. In some places, like Texas, people are dealing with power outages much more often, while in Hawaii, outages are rare. It’s especially tough for people living in areas where they not only lose power frequently but also face serious issues with water quality. That combination makes life harder and can lead to higher utility costs as systems wear down and need constant repairs. Knowing where your state stands can help you make better decisions, whether you’re moving to a new place or preparing for potential service interruptions. It’s important to be ready.”
The study found that there are wide disparities in utility reliability depending on the region. Southern states tended to struggle the most, with six of the ten least reliable states located in the southern United States. On the other side, the northeastern states generally performed better, with four of the five most reliable states in that category.
Top 10 least reliable:
- Texas-89.28
- Oklahoma-83.65
- Louisiana-74.85
- West Virginia-71.26
- Arkansas-70.99
- Indiana-70.54
- Florida-67.58
- Kentucky-67.34
- Maine-67.18
- New Mexico-65.89
Top 5 most reliable:
- Hawaii-6.09
- Delaware-18.28
- Maryland-24.93
- Rhode Island-25.76
- New York-28.86
