Milwaukee, WI: 84 Health Violations — 77/100 (2026)
42 ZIP codes · 10 water systems · Updated 2026-06-03
Milwaukee tap water earns a high safety grade — above-average compliance with WI and federal standards.
How Milwaukee Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
Water Quality Map: Milwaukee, WI
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Score Distribution
Safety grade breakdown for Milwaukee's 42 ZIP codes.
Key Facts for Milwaukee Residents
- Your city's water systems recorded 1722 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0053 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 85% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,433 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.11 — above typical levels.
Milwaukee's Water Providers
Residential addresses in Milwaukee, WI are served by 3 primary water providers out of 10 systems in federal records. Each system maintains separate infrastructure and files its own EPA compliance reports, so service conditions are not uniform across the city.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 42 ZIP codes in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, covering 10 community water systems serving approximately 785,981 people.
42 of 42 ZIP codes (100%) have recorded EPA violations. 84 health-based violations documented.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Milwaukee: B (77/100)
The score combines three factors:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| Lead Levels | 90th percentile lead concentration vs EPA action level |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
Water Sources
Milwaukee water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0053 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 ZIP codes exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 42 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 0 ZIP codes
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting | 645 | 42 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Technique | 344 | 42 |
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Technique | 258 | 42 |
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 172 | 42 |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 129 | 42 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53201 | B | 41 | 2 | Milwaukee Waterworks |
| 53202 | B | 41 | 2 | Milwaukee Waterworks |
| 53203 | B | 41 | 2 | Milwaukee Waterworks |
| 53204 | B | 41 | 2 | Milwaukee Waterworks |
| 53205 | B | 41 | 2 | Milwaukee Waterworks |
| 53206 | B | 41 | 2 | Milwaukee Waterworks |
| 53207 | B | 41 | 2 | Milwaukee Waterworks |
| 53208 | B | 41 | 2 | Milwaukee Waterworks |
| 53209 | C | 41 | 2 | Milwaukee Waterworks |
| 53210 | B | 41 | 2 | Milwaukee Waterworks |
All ZIP Codes in Milwaukee
- 53201 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53202 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53203 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53204 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53205 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53206 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53207 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53208 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53209 [C] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53210 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53211 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53212 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53213 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53214 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53215 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53216 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53217 [C] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53218 [C] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53219 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53220 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53221 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53222 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53223 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53224 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53225 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53226 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53227 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53228 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53233 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53234 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53237 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53244 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53259 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53263 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53267 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53268 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53274 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53278 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53288 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53290 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53293 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
- 53295 [B] — 41 violations ⚠
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
Updated daily.
Milwaukee Community Health Snapshot
Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). Water contamination can correlate with respiratory and chronic health conditions.
Compared to National Average
Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national
What's in Milwaukee's Water?
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Milwaukee Infrastructure Age
With 85% of homes built before 1986, lead solder in plumbing is a potential concern. The EPA banned lead solder in 1986, but many older homes retain original plumbing.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
Viewed through the lens of construction era, Milwaukee is predominantly an older city — a median build year of 1944 puts most of the residential inventory in the range where pre-1986 plumbing materials were the standard.
Over half of homes in Milwaukee were built before 1986, when lead solder was banned. Older plumbing may leach lead into drinking water, especially with corrosive water chemistry.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
How Remediation Costs Compare in Milwaukee
The household financial perspective in Milwaukee reflects a moderate cost-to-value ratio — an equity share that is not trivially small but remains within the range where most homeowners can address documented water and safety issues by treating the expense as a real line item in property planning rather than a discretionary one.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Milwaukee. The estimated $1,570–$3,481 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 15% below the Wisconsin average.
Milwaukee: Lead Risk & Vulnerable Populations
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states there is no safe level of lead exposure for children. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
Practically, the structural drivers in Milwaukee — 85% pre-rule stock and citywide monitoring at or beyond the regulatory benchmark — make an in-home draw the practical way to translate aggregate averages into the specific conditions at one address.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Milwaukee: Flood History & Water Damage Risk
Across the multi-decade NFIP program, Milwaukee has logged 2362 filed flood claims — a tally that corresponds with 67% of local ZIP codes carrying FEMA flood zone designations. For water quality, the implications extend beyond property damage: when flooding reaches the magnitude this area's record implies, water supply systems face compounding stress. Treatment plants handling contaminated floodwater intake face sharply elevated contaminant loads. Private wells in low-lying FEMA zones are vulnerable to surface infiltration during each major event. Distribution networks can experience pressure-inversion backflow, drawing untreated water back into the supply. These are not remote possibilities at this exposure level.
Milwaukee has a significant flood history with 2,362 FEMA flood insurance claims on record, averaging $16,546 per claim. With 67% of ZIP codes in FEMA-designated flood zones, flood risk is a major concern for homeowners and water quality.
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. Flood damage can add significantly to the estimated <strong>$2,433</strong> remediation cost per household.
Residents in flood-prone areas should consider flood insurance even outside FEMA zones — over 25% of flood claims come from low-to-moderate risk areas. After any flood event, test your water before drinking.
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data, FEMA flood zone designations.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Milwaukee, WI