Health Concerns Found SCHOOL DISTRICT LEAD EXCEEDS LIMIT

Lead Exceeds EPA Limit in 2 Areas - Milwaukee School District (WI)

31 ZIP codes · 15 water systems · 824,005 people served

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA drinking-water data for Milwaukee School District: 26 unresolved violations in the water systems serving this district.

Data: ZipCheckup Home Safety Score model 4.0.0, EPA SDWIS and UCMR 5, EPA radon zones, EPA AirData, NCES

B · 82
Avg Safety Score (29 ZIP)
31
ZIP Codes
15
Water Systems
46
Violations (5yr) (29 ZIP)
0.0069 mg/L
Avg Lead Level
2
ZIPs Over Lead Limit (29 ZIP)
Zone 1
Radon Risk (31 ZIP)

Why School Water Quality Matters

Children drink 2–4× more water per pound of body weight than adults, making them more vulnerable to contaminants. School water quality affects students for hours every weekday.

Home Safety and Water Evidence Overview

The Milwaukee School District in Wisconsin spans 31 ZIP codes. This materialization has canonical Home Safety Scores for 29 ZIP records and typed EPA water violation counts for 29 ZIP records. Missing evidence is not treated as zero.

The deduplicated primary-system served-population sum is 824,005 across 8 water systems. This is not the district resident population.

The average Home Safety Score under model 4.0.0 across 29 scored ZIP records is B (82/100)

  • with the lowest-scoring area at 67/100 .

Water quality in this district ranks better than 67% of ZIP codes nationally.

Why This Matters for Children

Children are more vulnerable to water contaminants than adults. The EPA and CDC identify these key risks:

  • Lead exposure - Even low levels of lead can affect brain development, reduce IQ, and cause behavioral problems in children. There is no safe level of lead for children.
  • PFAS ("forever chemicals") - Linked to immune system effects and developmental delays in children. Children drink more water relative to body weight than adults.
  • Nitrate - Dangerous for infants (can cause "blue baby syndrome"). Agricultural areas often have elevated nitrate.
  • Disinfection byproducts - Long-term exposure may increase cancer risk. School water fountains often have stagnant water that concentrates these compounds.

Lead Levels in the District

Metric Value EPA Threshold
Average lead level (90th percentile) 0.0069 mg/L 0.015 mg/L
Highest lead level 0.016 mg/L 0.015 mg/L EXCEEDS
ZIP records exceeding EPA action level 2 of 29 with known status -
Lead action level exceeded in 2 of 29 ZIP records with known status. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that water in schools contain no more than 1 ppb (0.001 mg/L) of lead - 15 times stricter than the EPA action level. Consider requesting lead testing at your child's school.

EPA Violation History

5 health-based violations recorded across 29 ZIP records with known health counts in the past 5 years. 7 of 29 ZIP records with known total counts have at least one violation. 26 violations remain unresolved.

Contaminants of Concern

Contaminant Category Violations Health-Based ZIPs Affected
Lead and Copper Rule Treatment Technique 16 No 4
Stage 1 DBP Rule Treatment Technique 15 Yes 2
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Disinfection Byproducts 4 No 4
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection Byproducts 4 No 4
Consumer Confidence Report Rule Reporting 4 No 4
Stage 2 DBP Rule Treatment Technique 3 Yes 3

Radon Risk

Dominant radon zone: Zone 1 (High risk)

1 of 31 ZIP records with known zones is in EPA Radon Zone 1. The zone is not a building measurement; homes and school buildings should be tested directly.

Water Facts and Home Safety Score by ZIP Code

ZIP Code City Home Safety Score EPA Violations Health Lead Level Exceeds?
53217 Milwaukee C (67) 17 2 0.01605 mg/L Yes
53211 Milwaukee C (67) 16 2 0.01605 mg/L Yes
53154 Oak Creek B (81) 4 1 0.002 mg/L No
53221 Milwaukee B (81) 4 0 0.0077 mg/L No
53220 Milwaukee B (83) 2 0 0.0053 mg/L No
53228 Milwaukee B (83) 2 0 0.00033 mg/L No
53207 Milwaukee B (83) 1 0 0.0077 mg/L No
53202 Milwaukee B (83) 0 0 0.0053 mg/L No
53203 Milwaukee B (83) 0 0 0.0053 mg/L No
53204 Milwaukee B (83) 0 0 0.0053 mg/L No
53205 Milwaukee B (83) 0 0 0.0053 mg/L No
53206 Milwaukee B (83) 0 0 0.0053 mg/L No
53208 Milwaukee B (83) 0 0 0.0084 mg/L No
53209 Milwaukee B (83) 0 0 0.011 mg/L No
53210 Milwaukee B (83) 0 0 0.0084 mg/L No
53212 Milwaukee B (83) 0 0 0.011 mg/L No
53213 Milwaukee B (83) 0 0 0.0084 mg/L No
53214 Milwaukee B (83) 0 0 0.0084 mg/L No
53215 Milwaukee B (83) 0 0 0.0053 mg/L No
53216 Milwaukee B (83) 0 0 0.0053 mg/L No
53218 Milwaukee B (83) 0 0 0.0053 mg/L No
53219 Milwaukee B (83) 0 0 0.0053 mg/L No
53222 Milwaukee B (83) 0 0 0.0084 mg/L No
53224 Milwaukee B (83) 0 0 0.0021 mg/L No
53225 Milwaukee B (83) 0 0 0.0084 mg/L No
53226 Milwaukee B (83) 0 0 0.0084 mg/L No
53227 Milwaukee B (83) 0 0 0.0024 mg/L No
53233 Milwaukee B (83) 0 0 0.0053 mg/L No
53295 Milwaukee B (83) 0 0 0.0053 mg/L No
53223 Milwaukee N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
53235 Saint Francis N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

What Parents Can Do

  1. Request lead testing at your child's school - The EPA's 3Ts program (Training, Testing, Taking Action) provides guidance for schools. Ask your school board about their water testing schedule.
  2. Review the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) - Your water utility publishes this annually. It details all detected contaminants.
  3. Consider a water filter for your home - NSF/ANSI 53 or NSF/ANSI 58 (reverse osmosis) filters are certified to remove lead. This is especially important for infant formula preparation.
  4. Pack water from home - If you're concerned about school water quality, send your child with a water bottle filled at home (filtered if possible).
  5. Stay informed - Bookmark this page to check for updates on water quality in your school district.

Need help with school water quality?

Typical cost: Water test: typically $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400

Find the Right Water Filter

Free tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the water safe in Milwaukee School District schools?

EPA system-level records associated with Milwaukee School District show 5 health-based violations across 29 ZIP records with known health counts and 2 of 29 ZIP records with known status above the EPA lead action level. These records do not measure individual school taps. Parents should request current building-level testing results from the school district.

Does Milwaukee School District test for lead in school water?

Federal law does not require schools to test for lead in drinking water (except in some states with specific mandates). The EPA's voluntary 3Ts program encourages testing. Contact your school district office to ask about their testing schedule and results.

What level of lead is safe for children?

There is no safe level of lead for children, according to the CDC. The EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L (15 ppb) triggers corrective action for water systems, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that school water contain no more than 0.001 mg/L (1 ppb).

Data Sources

Updated daily.

Home → School Districts → Wisconsin → Milwaukee School District

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Lead Exceeds EPA Limit in 2 Areas - Milwaukee School District (WI). https://zipcheckup.com/schools/milwaukee-school-district-wi/
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  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Lead Exceeds EPA Limit in 2 Areas - Milwaukee School District (WI)}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/schools/milwaukee-school-district-wi/}
}
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