Is Wauwatosa, WI tap water safe?
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
No federal limits exceeded in EPA data for Wauwatosa Waterworks.
Wauwatosa Waterworks supplies Wauwatosa (49,064 people).
Water system
Wauwatosa Waterworks
49,064 people · Purchased surface water · EPA ID WI2410596
Buys treated water from Milwaukee Waterworks.
| PFAS | Highest average | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PFOA Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFOS Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| PFNA Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
ppt = parts per trillion. "Highest average" is the highest average at any of the system's entry points, the way EPA compares results with the limits.
Lead: 8.4 ppb at the 90th percentile (Sep 2023, and 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it) Below action level
Health-based violations since 2016: 0
Across Wisconsin, 18 of 196 water systems EPA tested had PFAS above a 2024 federal limit, and 4 systems were above the lead action level in results from the last five years. Wisconsin results.
Wauwatosa homes and lead pipes
Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so homes from before then are the ones to check. Renting? Ask your landlord what the service line is made of, because it's their pipe to replace. How to check your own line.
Housing: Census American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for Wauwatosa city (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee 3 mi Milwaukee Waterworks | None above limits | 5.3 ppb |
| West Allis 4 mi West Allis Waterworks | None above limits | 2.4 ppb |
| Brookfield 4 mi Brookfield Water Utility | None above limits | 1.5 ppb |
| New Berlin 8 mi New Berlin Water Utility | None above limits | 0.33 ppb |
| Menomonee Falls 8 mi Menomonee Falls Water Works – Surface Water | None above limits | 2.1 ppb |
| Mequon 10 mi Mequon Water Utility | None above limits | 0.52 ppb |
Wauwatosa ZIP codes (3)
- 53213
- 53222
- 53226
Questions
Is Wauwatosa tap water safe to drink?
Wauwatosa Waterworks has had no health-based violations since 2016. Utility data can't show lead from your own pipes: if your home was built before 1986, test your tap. Your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report is the official summary.
Who supplies water in Wauwatosa, WI?
Wauwatosa Waterworks, which serves 49,064 people.
Does Wauwatosa tap water have PFAS?
None detected above EPA's reporting limits. Wauwatosa Waterworks had no PFAS detected in EPA's 2023–2025 testing. "Not detected" means below the reporting limit (about 2 to 20 ppt), not proven zero.
Do Wauwatosa homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 82% of Wauwatosa homes as built before 1980 (Wisconsin: 57%). Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so older homes are more likely to have them. Wauwatosa Waterworks's service line inventory says what your line is made of. The only way to know for your home is to check the line where it enters the house and test your tap.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.