Tap Water Quality Report
Tap water quality in WAUKESHA, Wisconsin
Tap water in WAUKESHA, Wisconsin receives a grade of F (55/100) from TapWaterSafety.org. It's served by WAUKESHA WATER UTILITY. The most significant water quality concerns are: PFAS contamination; Total PFOS and PFOA* significantly above health guideline; Arsenic significantly above health guideline; Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline. Data sources: EPA SDWIS, EPA ECHO, EWG Tap Water Database.
What's in WAUKESHA's tap water
Top water quality concerns identified by the EPA and Environmental Working Group across the utility serving WAUKESHA.
PFAS contamination
Severe concernPerfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)*, Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)* detected. PFAS are persistent chemicals linked to cancer and immune effects with no known safe exposure threshold.
Total PFOS and PFOA* significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernTotal PFOS and PFOA* detected at 3.4 ppt, 486x above the EWG health guideline of 0.007 ppt.
Arsenic significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernArsenic detected at 0.39 ppb, 98x above the EWG health guideline of 0.004 ppb.
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernTotal trihalomethanes (TTHMs) detected at 13.2 ppb, 88x above the EWG health guideline of 0.15 ppb.
Recommended filters for WAUKESHA
Filters matched to the specific contaminants in WAUKESHA's water supply.
Reverse Osmosis or NSF P473 certified carbon
$80-$750Activated carbon and RO are the only technologies proven to remove PFAS at certified levels.
Reverse Osmosis
$249-$750Arsenic is most effectively removed by reverse osmosis. Some specialized adsorptive filters also work.
Carbon block (NSF/ANSI 42 + 53)
$40-$750Activated carbon is highly effective for disinfection byproducts like TTHM and HAA5.
Disclosure: TapWaterSafety earns a commission from purchases made through these links. This does not influence our scoring methodology or filter selection.
All contaminants detected in WAUKESHA's tap water
Every contaminant identified, compared side-by-side against US EPA legal limits, the EU Drinking Water Directive (2020/2184), WHO Guidelines, and California's Public Health Goal. Why we show multiple standards →
| Contaminant | Detected | EWG US health-based |
EPA US legal |
EU DWD Europe |
WHO global |
CA PHG strictest US |
Tested sample year |
Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total PFOS and PFOA* PFAS |
3.4 ppt | 0.007 | — | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | — | 486× over |
| Arsenic Heavy metal |
0.39 ppb | 0.004 | 10.0 | 10 | 10 | 0.004 | — | 98× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
13.2 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 88× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
5.11 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 85× over |
| Radium, combined (-226 and -228) Radiological |
3.92 pCi/L | 0.05 | 5.0 | — | — | — | — | 78× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
3.84 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 64× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
2.78 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 28× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
2.67 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 27× over |
| Dibromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.651 ppb | 0.03 | — | — | — | — | — | 22× over |
| Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) PFAS |
0.019 ppt | 0.001 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | 19× over |
| Bromate* Disinfection byproduct |
1.72 ppb | 0.1 | 10.0 | 10 | 10 | 0.1 | — | 17× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent)* Heavy metal |
0.213 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 11× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
3.97 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 9.9× over |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)* PFAS |
0.675 ppt | 0.09 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | — | 7.5× over |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.753 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 7.5× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
1.23 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 6.2× over |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)* PFAS |
1.03 ppt | 0.3 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 1 | — | 3.4× over |
| Bromoform Disinfection byproduct |
0.659 ppb | 0.5 | — | — | — | — | — | 1.3× over |
| Chlorate Disinfection byproduct |
81.7 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Uranium Radiological |
0.16 pCi/L | 0.43 | 20.0 | 30 | 30 | 0.43 | — | Below guideline |
| Nitrate and nitrite Inorganic |
0.0504 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | Below guideline |
| Atrazine* Pesticide/Herbicide |
0.0195 ppb | 0.1 | 3.0 | 0.1 | 100 | 0.15 | — | Below guideline |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
0.0269 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | Below guideline |
| Antimony* Heavy metal |
0.17 ppb | 1.0 | 6.0 | 10 | 20 | 1 | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
12.4 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Barium Heavy metal |
78.7 ppb | 700.0 | 2000.0 | — | 1300 | 2000 | — | Below guideline |
| Vanadium* Other |
0.275 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
19.6 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Molybdenum Other |
0.232 ppb | 40.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Aluminum Heavy metal |
1.41 ppb | 600.0 | — | 200 | — | 600 | — | Below guideline |
| Monobromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.0394 ppb | 25.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) PFAS |
0.046 ppt | 2000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Chromium (total)* Heavy metal |
0.795 ppb | — | 100.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Fluoride Inorganic |
0.694 ppm | — | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | — | Below guideline |
All values in the unit of the detected level. Red cells indicate the detected level exceeds that standard. Some contaminants have limits in some jurisdictions but not others (shown as —). The "Tested" column shows the year each contaminant sample was collected.
Sources: US EPA, EU Drinking Water Directive 2020/2184, WHO Guidelines, California OEHHA PHGs, EWG Tap Water Database.
Treatment plant contact info
For service issues, water quality concerns, or to request a Consumer Confidence Report from WAUKESHA WATER UTILITY.