Federal monitoring data for Wausau puts the city in WI's lower safety tier - exceedances show up in multiple utility districts, several systems have met thresholds requiring public notification under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the compliance deficit has persisted across more than one consecutive reporting cycle, with no clear reversal visible in the most recent data available.

Data: EPA SDWIS

Overview

We track home safety data for 3 ZIP codes in Wausau, Wisconsin, covering 3 community water systems serving approximately 56,406 people. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 2 of 3 ZIP codes.

1 of 2 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (50%) have recorded EPA violations. The available record reports no health-based violations for this measured scope.

Home Safety Score

Average Home Safety Score for Wausau: D (50/100)

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

Wausau water systems draw from: Groundwater.

Lead & Copper

• Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0058 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
• 0 of 2 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level

Radon Risk

Dominant radon zone: Zone 1 (High Risk)

• Zone 1 (High): 3 ZIP codes
• Zone 2 (Moderate): 0 ZIP codes
• Zone 3 (Low): 0 ZIP codes

The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.

Top Contaminants

Areas with Most Violations

Areas with No Violations

All ZIP Codes in Wausau

• 54401 [D]
• 54402
• 54403 [D] - 1 violation

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.

Housing Age Profile

The lead that enters tap water in older homes often comes not from the municipal supply but from the home's own plumbing - from solder used in copper joints before the 1986 federal ban, or from lead pipes installed before 1970. In Wausau, where the median build year is 1964, these older materials are widespread. More than half the residential stock predates the 1986 solder ban, and a significant fraction predates 1970 as well. For residents in those homes, the city-wide water quality picture is a less relevant frame than the specific materials inside their own walls and under their own street.

1964

Median Year Built

73%

Pre-1986 (Lead Paint Risk)

43%

Pre-1970 (Lead Pipes Risk)

Pre-1970 (43%) 1970–1986 (30%) Post-1986 (27%)

Over half of homes in Wausau 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.

Wausau: Remediation Cost in Perspective

Although the Wausau remediation share is moderate, it remains reachable for most homeowners who plan for the expense in advance.

Median Home Value

$186,100

Est. Remediation

$3,067

Remediation as % of home value 1.7%

Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Wausau. The estimated $1,983–$4,333 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 19% below the Wisconsin average.

Protecting Children from Lead in Wausau

73%

Homes Built Before 1986

0.0058

mg/L Avg Lead (Limit: 0.015)

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.

Locally, 73% of Wausau homes carry interior plumbing from the era when lead solder was still permitted in new builds, and citywide monitoring approaches or crosses the EPA action benchmark. Households can find a draw-test kit and certified filtration through verified retailers.

Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.

Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Wausau

37

Total FEMA Flood Claims

$9,368

Avg Reported Sum With Payment Data

100%

A/V Share of Claim-Record ZIPs

Historical NFIP data for Wausau contains 37 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $9,368. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 100% 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 <strong>$3,067</strong> 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.