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 16.25 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 (69 ppt), PFHxA (40 ppt), 6:2 FTS (35 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); pitchers certified to NSF-53 for PFAS like ZeroWater or PUR PLUS 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 69 ppt across 2 water systems, representing an average of 16.25 ppt across 10 detected compounds. These levels come from individual EPA UCMR 5 water samples (2023-2025). The EPA's 4 ppt limit for PFOA and PFOS is enforced on a running annual average, so a sample above it shows real exposure but is not by itself a violation.
Contamination Level: MODERATE – Moderate contamination – PFAS detected at meaningful levels; filtration recommended.
Top Detected Compounds
- PFHxS: 69 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
- PFHxA: 40 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
- 6:2 FTS: 35 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
- PFBS: 27 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
- PFPeA: 24 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
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 Lead and Copper Rule, Lead and Copper Rule Revisions, Gross Alpha (excl. radon & uranium), Combined Radium (226 + 228), Radium-228. 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 PFAS survey of US drinking water, covering about 10,000 public water systems. Population of Waukesha, WI: approximately 72,489.
ZIP Codes Served
What Waukesha, Wisconsin Residents Should Do
- Enter your exact ZIP code at knowyourexposure.com for address-level data
- If anyone in your household is pregnant or under 5, prioritize a certified PFAS filter now and consider a home test kit
- For long-term protection, an NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis system removes 94-99% of PFAS
- Read the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) your Wisconsin utility publishes each year