Gwinnett Water Resources just earned the kind of ranking most government departments never see: the highest customer-satisfaction score of any large water utility in the South, according to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Water Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study released this year. The county department posted a score of 569 out of 1,000 in the study's South Large region — the top mark among the eight large and midsize water utilities JD Power ranked across the South.
A Score That Stands Out Nationally
The study, now in its 11th year, surveyed 34,164 residential water customers nationwide between March 2025 and March 2026, covering 92 utilities that each serve populations of at least 400,000. Nationally, overall satisfaction climbed 8 points this year to 523 out of 1,000, with JD Power crediting clearer billing communication and better customer service — not lower costs — for the gain. Utilities were scored across eight dimensions, led by information provided, trust, and quality and reliability, down through total monthly costs, people, problem resolution and digital channels. Gwinnett's 569 beat the South Large regional benchmark comfortably and landed the department among the strongest scores of any region in the country.
The Fourth Time Atop the Rankings
This is not Gwinnett Water Resources' first time in the top spot. The department has now ranked No. 1 in customer satisfaction four times since JD Power began including it in the study: in 2018 (in the broader South region, before JD Power split it into size categories), and again in 2020, 2024 and now 2026 in the South Large segment. Few utilities anywhere in the country can point to that kind of consistency across nearly a decade of surveys.
What County Leaders Are Saying
"Access to clean water is essential to the health, safety and quality of life for every resident in Gwinnett," said Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson, who called the ranking "a perfect example of our promise to deliver superior services every day" and said she's proud of the Water Resources team's dedication to maintaining and exceeding what county officials call the Gwinnett Standard.
Gwinnett Water Resources Director Rebecca Shelton credited the department's staff directly. "It is an honor to be recognized by our customers for our service, reliability and quality," Shelton said, adding that the department is "constantly evaluating our system and processes to find better ways to serve." She said crews "work around the clock to protect public health" across the county's water, wastewater and stormwater systems.
Behind the Score: 25 Billion Gallons a Year
The ranking covers a utility operating at serious scale. Gwinnett Water Resources treats and distributes more than 25 billion gallons of clean water annually to over a million residents, drawing from Lake Lanier through its Lanier Filter Plant and Shoal Creek Filter Plant, both of which use ozone and biofiltration treatment and have recorded zero Safe Drinking Water Act violations. On the wastewater side, the department's F. Wayne Hill Water Resources Center, Yellow River Water Reclamation Facility and Crooked Creek Water Reclamation Facility have earned a reputation as a model for the industry, returning some of the highest-quality treated effluent of any wastewater system in the country. The department also manages stormwater service countywide.
For anyone weighing a move to Gwinnett, it's an easy detail to overlook — until you're the one filling a glass from the tap. A county that keeps winning national marks for its drinking water, with no violations on record, is one less thing to worry about when you're deciding where to put down roots.