Madison, WI: 6 Health Violations - Home Safety 62/100
35 ZIP codes · 16 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Madison: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Your top priority: match a filter's certification to the violations (6 health-based violations). NSF certified filters →
Madison, WI: a C, mid-scale.
How Madison Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Water Quality Map: Madison, WI
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Score Distribution
How ZIP codes in Madison score across all safety grades.
What You Should Know About Madison Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 62 violations since 2021.
- Average of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 0.0031 mg/L.
- Estimated remediation: $786 per household.
- Health risk index (ZipCheckup composite of CDC data): 10.18.
Who Supplies Your Water in Madison
Multiple utilities show up for Madison, WI: 3 are listed here out of 16 tracked federally.
- C
- C
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 35 ZIP codes in Madison, Wisconsin, covering 16 community water systems serving approximately 308,771 people. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 14 of 35 ZIP codes.
14 of 14 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (100%) have recorded EPA violations. 6 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Madison: C (62/100)
Model 4.0.0 uses four measured components across three equally weighted domains. If a required domain is unavailable, no score is published:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| PFAS MCL Screen | UCMR 5 testing against the covered federal MCLs |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
| Annual AQI | EPA AirData county-year median with at least 90 observed days |
Water Sources
Madison water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Average of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 0.0031 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 14 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
35 of 35 ZIP records with known zones are in EPA Radon Zone 1.
The EPA recommends testing all homes regardless of radon zone. County radon zones cannot replace an in-home radon test.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Notice Rule | Reporting | 24 | 14 |
| Lead and Copper Rule Revisions | Treatment Technique | 22 | 14 |
| Consumer Confidence Rule | Reporting | 11 | 3 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 5 | 2 |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 5 | 2 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53705 | D | 37 | 2 | Madison Water Utility |
| 53717 | D | 32 | 2 | Madison Water Utility |
| 53719 | C | 9 | 2 | Madison Water Utility |
| 53704 | C | 8 | 1 | Madison Water Utility |
| 53714 | C | 8 | 1 | Madison Water Utility |
| 53718 | C | 8 | 4 | Madison Water Utility |
| 53711 | C | 3 | 1 | Madison Water Utility |
| 53713 | C | 3 | 1 | Madison Water Utility |
| 53703 | C | 2 | 1 | Madison Water Utility |
| 53706 | C | 2 | 1 | Madison Water Utility |
All ZIP Codes in Madison
- 53701
- 53702
- 53703 [C] - 2 violations ⚠
- 53704 [C] - 8 violations ⚠
- 53705 [D] - 37 violations ⚠
- 53706 [C] - 2 violations ⚠
- 53707
- 53708
- 53711 [C] - 3 violations ⚠
- 53713 [C] - 3 violations ⚠
- 53714 [C] - 8 violations ⚠
- 53715 [C] - 2 violations ⚠
- 53716 [C] - 2 violations ⚠
- 53717 [D] - 32 violations ⚠
- 53718 [C] - 8 violations ⚠
- 53719 [C] - 9 violations ⚠
- 53725
- 53726 [C] - 2 violations ⚠
- 53744
- 53774
- 53777
- 53778
- 53779
- 53782
- 53783
- 53784
- 53785
- 53786
- 53788
- 53789
- 53790
- 53791
- 53792 - 2 violations ⚠
- 53793
- 53794
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Lead/copper: EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data
- Radon: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.
Health Outcomes in Madison
Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). County health indicators are shown for context only and are not linked to this area's water records.
Compared to National Average
Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national
Top Contaminants in Madison Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Madison Homeowners
Of the three cost-context tiers - low, moderate and elevated - Madison is in the low one.
Estimated remediation costs in Madison can be compared with local home values. The $439–$1,407 estimated range can be set against the median property value; actual costs vary by home. Home values are 68% above the Wisconsin average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Madison
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states that no safe blood lead level in children has been identified. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
Available area-level lead records for Madison do not determine the lead level at an individual tap. Testing is the only way to confirm your water's lead content.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Madison
Historical NFIP data for Madison contains 112 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $18,084. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 30% have an A- or V-family dominant rated zone recorded in those historical claims. This is not a complete current FEMA property-map inventory.
How flooding affects water quality: Flood events can introduce sewage, agricultural runoff, and industrial chemicals into water supplies. Even after floodwaters recede, contamination can persist in wells and aging infrastructure. The $786 remediation estimate shown here excludes flood insurance and is not derived from NFIP claim count.
Claim count does not establish current property risk. Check the exact address in FEMA's current map and obtain a property-specific insurance quote when relevant.
Source: historical FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claim records. No current FEMA property-map designation is asserted.
What You Can Do in Madison
- Test your water at home. City-level data shows averages - your tap may differ. Check the certification, price and turnaround time of any water test kit or lab service.
- Install a certified water filter. For Public Notice Rule, listed in the water-quality records for Madison: if it is a rule or reporting requirement rather than a contaminant, ask your utility what the record involved; for bacteria, follow any boil-water notice from your utility; for a specific chemical contaminant, check whether a filter is certified to reduce it. Not every contaminant has a consumer filter certification.
- Check your home's plumbing. Homes built before 1986 may have lead solder in pipes. A licensed plumber can assess your risk.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Madison, WI