Waukesha, WI Water Quality Report

Is Waukesha tap water safe? See PFAS and lead contamination levels for Waukesha, Wisconsin. Compare to EPA limits and get filter recommendations.

Quick Answers

Is Waukesha, WI tap water safe to drink? Waukesha, WI tap water meets most federal EPA limits, but PFAS compounds have been detected at an average of 0.02 ppt across 10 compounds. A certified pitcher filter or reverse osmosis system is recommended for sensitive populations.

What contaminants are in Waukesha, WI water? Top PFAS compounds detected in Waukesha water: PFHxS (0.07 ppt), 6:2 FTS (0.04 ppt), PFHxA (0.04 ppt). See the full table for all monitored contaminants and comparison to EPA limits.

What filter should I use in Waukesha, WI? Match the filter to what's in Wisconsin water: reverse osmosis handles PFAS, lead, and arsenic together (90%+ removal); NSF-53 certified pitchers like Clearly Filtered or ZeroWater cover taps you drink from. A standard Brita pitcher will not remove PFAS.

Waukesha, WI Water Quality Summary

EPA testing has detected PFAS "forever chemicals" in Waukesha, WI drinking water. Recent monitoring found a peak level of 0.07 ppt across 2 water systems, representing an average of 0.02 ppt across 10 detected compounds.

Contamination Level: LOW – Low contamination – PFAS detected but at lower levels; monitoring continues.

Top Detected Compounds

  • PFHxS: 0.07 ppt
  • 6:2 FTS: 0.04 ppt
  • PFHxA: 0.04 ppt
  • PFBS: 0.03 ppt
  • PFPeS: 0.02 ppt

Lead in Waukesha, WI Water

EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing has recorded 34 lead samples for Waukesha water systems, with a 90th-percentile high of 0.01759 mg/L (above the EPA 0.015 mg/L action level). There is no safe level of lead for children; if your home was built before 1986, a certified NSF/ANSI 53 lead-removal filter is recommended.

EPA Violations in Waukesha, WI

Waukesha public water systems have 183 health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record, including Total Organic Carbon, Surface Water Treatment Rule, Gross Beta, Lead & Copper Rule. Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded its federal limit or required treatment was not applied.

About the Data

These figures come from the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5 (UCMR5) testing program, 2023-2025. UCMR5 is the most comprehensive national drinking water survey in US history, covering 66,000+ public water systems. Population of Waukesha, WI: approximately 72,489.

ZIP Codes Served

53186, 53187, 53188, 53189

What Waukesha, Wisconsin Residents Should Do

  1. Enter your exact ZIP code at knowyourexposure.com for address-level data
  2. If anyone in your household is pregnant or under 5, prioritize a certified PFAS filter now and consider a home test kit
  3. For long-term protection, an NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis system removes 94-99% of PFAS
  4. Read the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) your Wisconsin utility publishes each year