Madison Water Utility
EPA ID: WI1130224 · 272,000 people served · 42 ZIP codes
Where compliant utilities carry no open actions, Madison Water Utility shows 4 active EPA violations in the federal database for a service population of approximately 272,000.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Compliance Trajectory
Worsening · Risk tier: High · 95% chance of violation in next 12 months
Violations went from 1 (2021) to 88 (2024). The pattern suggests growing compliance challenges.
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Madison Water Utility Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade C
Service Area Demographics
The Madison Water Utility serves a community with a median household income of $93,561 and an estimated 479,583 residents across its service area. Approximately 54% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
💧 Where Does Your Water Come From?
Madison Water Utility's water is pumped from underground aquifers. Groundwater is naturally filtered through rock and soil, but it can be vulnerable to PFAS contamination, nitrates from agriculture, and industrial chemicals that seep into the water table.
About 1% of homes in Dane County, Wisconsin rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.
Superfund Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 70th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites. Groundwater sources near contaminated sites may face elevated risk from industrial chemicals.
Infrastructure Risk
Detected Contaminants
How Madison Water Utility compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
Surface Water Treatment Rule at 4 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Stage 2 DBP Rule at 3 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Lead and Copper Rule at 2 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Stage 1 DBP Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
PFAS Detected in Service Area
PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 36 detections recorded.
Comparable Water Systems
Similar-sized systems in Wisconsin
Estimated Remediation Costs
Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system
Based on national averages for common remediation projects. Actual costs vary by property. Only issues flagged by EPA, FEMA, or state data for each ZIP code are included.
System Overview
Madison Water Utility (EPA ID: WI1130224) is a community water system in Wisconsin that serves approximately 272,000 people from groundwater sources.
This system provides water to 42 ZIP codes across 8 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: C (59/100)
Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.
Violation History
Recent Violations
| Date | Contaminant | Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2025 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| October 17, 2024 | Stage 2 DBP Rule | Health-based | Resolved |
| October 17, 2024 | Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| October 17, 2024 | Stage 2 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| July 1, 2024 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| January 1, 2024 | Stage 1 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| April 1, 2023 | Gross Beta | Health-based | Unresolved |
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Failure | 4 | No |
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 3 | Yes |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Failure | 2 | No |
| Gross Beta | Radionuclides | 1 | Yes |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 1 | No |
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:
| ZIP Code | Lead Level | Exceeds Limit | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 53701 | 0.0018 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 53702 | 0.0018 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 53703 | 0.0018 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 53704 | 0.0018 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 53705 | 0.0018 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 53706 | 0.0018 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 53707 | 0.0018 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 53708 | 0.0018 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 53711 | 0.0018 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 53713 | 0.0018 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 53714 | 0.0018 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 53715 | 0.0018 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 53716 | 0.0018 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 53717 | 0.0018 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 53718 | 0.0018 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 53719 | 0.0018 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 53725 | 0.0018 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 53726 | 0.0018 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 53744 | 0.0018 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 53774 | 0.0018 mg/L | No | N/A |
Radon Risk in Service Area
Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 1 (High Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Need help with your water quality?
Typical cost: Water test: typically $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400
Find the Right Water FilterFree tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.
ZIP Codes Served
Coverage: 21 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 21 additional ZIPs inferred from SDWIS registry data. The EPA-confirmed set is the most reliable; SDWIS-inferred entries may be narrower than the real deployment area.
This system serves 42 ZIP codes:
53532 · 53558 · 53562 · 53575 · 53590 53593 · 53597 · 53701 · 53702 · 53703 53704 · 53705 · 53706 · 53707 · 53708 53711 · 53713 · 53714 · 53715 · 53716 53717 · 53718 · 53719 · 53725 · 53726 53744 · 53774 · 53777 · 53778 · 53779 53782 · 53783 · 53784 · 53785 · 53786 53788 · 53789 · 53790 · 53791 · 53792 53793 · 53794
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Madison Water Utility (WI1130224) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Madison Water Utility water safe to drink?
Madison Water Utility has recorded 3 health-based violations in the past 5 years. While the system is required to treat water to meet federal standards, you may want to consider additional precautions such as a certified water filter.
How many people does Madison Water Utility serve?
Madison Water Utility serves approximately 272,000 people across 42 ZIP codes in Wisconsin.
Where does Madison Water Utility get its water?
The primary water source is groundwater.
Contact Your Water Utility
Public-record contact information for the water utility serving this system. Use these channels to request water quality reports, ask about service, or report issues directly.
Contact information from Madison Water Utility Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility, does not act as its agent, and does not provide customer support for it. Contact details shown are public-record information from CCR filings. For service issues, contact the utility directly using the information above.
Water Source & Treatment
Where this water originates and how it's treated before reaching your tap.
Source: Madison Water Utility Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.
Madison's drinking water comes from a deep sandstone aquifer that sits hundreds of feet below the city. The water originates as rain or snow that slowly soaks into the ground and is filtered through layers of soil and rock, producing excellent quality water. The system consists of 21 active wells and over 920 miles of interconnected pipes.
Treatment regime
How this utility classifies its treatment process and what each reported treatment chemical does.
Treatment chemicals and what each one does
Chemical names are reported verbatim by the utility. Purpose categories are ZipCheckup annotations based on standard drinking-water treatment practice.
Watershed exposure sources reported
Land-use and natural conditions identified in the utility's source-water assessment as potential contamination sources upstream of treatment.
Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from Madison Water Utility Consumer Confidence Report.
Treatment intensity is a ZipCheckup-derived classification based on the chemicals and processes the utility reports. Chemicals and contamination sources are taken verbatim from the utility's CCR filing. Routine federal monitoring and contaminant testing shown elsewhere on this page determine whether the water meets safety standards, not the treatment classification.
Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Detected
This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). PFAS compounds were detected below the current state-enforceable MCL.
Current MCL reflects the lowest state-enforceable limit (NYS 10 ppt for PFOA/PFOS, effective August 2020). The federal final MCL of 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS (EPA April 2024 rule) is not enforceable until April 2029. Detections above 4 ppt but below 10 ppt are below current MCL but above the future federal limit.
Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) — per-system federal sampling, 2023–2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program →
PFAS Substances Detected in This System
This water system's Consumer Confidence Report disclosed the following PFAS compounds. Levels are from the utility's most recent reporting cycle.
In April 2024, EPA finalized the first National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for six PFAS. Public water systems have until 2029 to comply. EPA — PFAS regulation overview →
Source: Consumer Confidence Report disclosed by Madison Water Utility.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. PFAS detection data is sourced from public Consumer Confidence Reports filed by the utility itself.
Madison Water Utility's landmark Lead Service Replacement Program removed nearly 8,000 lead pipes between 1995 and 2011. As of December 31, 2025, there are no known lead service lines connected to the system; however, pipe material data is partly based on historic records and minor inaccuracies may exist, and previously unknown lead lines may occasionally be discovered.
Lead Service Line Replacement Tracker
This water utility's lead service line (LSL) replacement program is tracked from public Consumer Confidence Report filings. Email signup notifies subscribers when the utility files an updated replacement plan or progress milestone.
Madison Water Utility
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. LSL replacement-program data is sourced from public CCR filings published by the utility. Subscription notifications are based on automated parsing of subsequent CCR releases.
Learn more about Lead and Copper Rule replacement requirements →
Lead Service Line Inventory
Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:
Federal LCRI rule (effective October 2024) requires every public water system to inventory its service lines and complete lead-line replacement within 10 years.
Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Service Line Inventory (Phase 2) · Submitted 2026
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with the utility or state agency. Inventory figures render verbatim from the public LCRI submission cited above; ZipCheckup does not perform inspections or replacements.
Notable events and violations
This section summarizes events the utility chose to disclose in its most recent Consumer Confidence Report, plus any federal compliance violations the utility recorded against itself. Both lists are utility-authored — ZipCheckup does not audit, judge, or reorder them.
Notable events from the utility's CCR
These bullet entries are the utility's own narration of operational, regulatory, or infrastructure events during the reporting period.
- A PFAS removal system went online at Well #15 in September 2025, the first of its kind for a Wisconsin drinking water utility.
- Arsenic was detected at high levels in three samples but upon resampling fell below detection; lab error suspected; all results below MCL.
- Radium 226+228 detected at 2.6–4.6 pCi/L across five wells, below the 5 pCi/L MCL.
- As of December 31, 2025, no known lead service lines connected to the Madison water system; landmark Lead Service Replacement Program removed nearly 8,000 lead pipes between 1995 and 2011.
ZipCheckup note: items above reflect what the utility published in its most recent CCR. Federal violation records are also tracked separately by the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) — the SDWIS record is the authoritative federal source for any specific regulatory action.
How Water Systems Appear in Rankings
Water systems are evaluated by violation history, contaminant detections, and service population. Larger systems with more service connections appear in more rankings.
- #61 / 100 Highest Exposure Burden (U.S.)
- #33 / 50 Most Disadvantaged Populations Served (Wisconsin)
- #2 / 50 Highest Exposure Burden (Wisconsin)
Frequently Asked Questions
What You Can Do
Test your water
Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter →
Check your specific ZIP code
Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →
Contact your utility
Madison Water Utility (EPA ID: WI1130224) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.