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Tap water quality report

Milwaukee, WI

EPA monitoring detected 26 contaminants across the 2 water suppliers serving Milwaukee. A detection doesn't automatically mean the water is unsafe — see the highest level found for each below, with its EPA source and period.

2
water suppliers
627,065
people served
26
contaminants found
Wisconsin rankings Lead in Wisconsin PFAS in Wisconsin

What was found in Milwaukee's water

The highest level seen across the city's suppliers, the EPA limit for each, and where the figure comes from.

ContaminantLevel vs EPA limitSuppliersSource
Fluoride
1100 µg/L 28%
of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Copper
780 µg/L 60%
of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Nitrate
400 µg/L 4%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Nitrate-Nitrite
310 µg/L 3.1%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
 1/2 SYR4
Lead
130 µg/L 867%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 15 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Barium
23 µg/L 1.2%
of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
TTHM
20.9 µg/L 26%
of the EPA limit 80 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Bromate
8.5 µg/L 85%
of the EPA limit 10 µg/L
 1/2 SYR4
Chloroform
8.2 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 SYR4
Bromodichloromethane
6.9 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 SYR4
Gross Beta Particle Activity
6.6 pCi/L
No EPA limit set
 1/2 SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
6.1 µg/L 10%
of the EPA limit 60 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Dibromochloromethane
5 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 SYR4
Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U
3.6 pCi/L 24%
of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L
 1/2 SYR4
Arsenic
3.5 µg/L 35%
of the EPA limit 10 µg/L
 2/2 SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid
2.9 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid
2.7 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 1/2 SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid
2.7 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 SYR4
Combined Radium (-226 And -228)
1.51 pCi/L 30%
of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L
 2/2 SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid
1 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 SYR4
Bromoform
0.9000 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/2 SYR4
Chromium
0.5000 µg/L 0.5%
of the EPA limit 100 µg/L
 1/2 SYR4
Antimony, Total
0.1600 µg/L 2.7%
of the EPA limit 6 µg/L
 1/2 SYR4
Xylenes, Total
0.1000 µg/L 0%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
 1/2 SYR4
Atrazine
0.0300 µg/L 1%
of the EPA limit 3 µg/L
 1/2 SYR4
Lead
0.0053 mg/L 35%
of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L
 2/2 LCR
Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a running annual average while the figure is the single worst sample on record — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a violation. Formal violations are listed separately. These are the utilities' own EPA-reported results, not a city-wide average. A detection means the lab measured the substance — it isn't the same as exceeding a legal limit. Hover a source tag to see the EPA program and years behind each figure.

Water suppliers serving Milwaukee

SupplierPopulation served
MILWAUKEE WATERWORKS 626,000
ROBERT WILLIAM PARK WATER ASSOCIATION INC 1,065

Frequently asked questions about Milwaukee tap water

Is Milwaukee tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 26 contaminants in the water serving Milwaukee. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most detected levels are within federal limits. Check the level and source for each contaminant above, and your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for the official compliance status.

How many water suppliers serve Milwaukee?

2 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Milwaukee, Wisconsin to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.

What contaminants are in Milwaukee's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Milwaukee include Fluoride, Copper, Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Lead. The full list, with the highest level found and the data source, is in the table above.

Where does this data come from?

Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.