Water System Report WI

Onalaska Waterworks

EPA ID: WI6320327 ยท 18,000 people served ยท 4 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for Onalaska Waterworks (WI6320327): no EPA violations recorded in the last five years. Onalaska Waterworks earns a clean bill from EPA monitoring - no violations in five years across a service area of 18,000 people.

Data: EPA SDWIS

B ยท 79
Avg Safety Score
18,000
People Served
4
ZIP Codes Served
0
Violations (5yr)
Groundwater
Water Source
Zone 2
Radon Risk ยท Moderate
0
Contaminants Flagged
$284K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Onalaska Waterworks Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary - Grade B

Service Area Demographics

$88,206
Median Household Income
63,811
Service Area Population
8%
Disadvantaged Population
40th
Poverty Percentile
30th
Energy Burden Percentile
52%
Pre-1986 Housing

The Onalaska Waterworks serves a community with a median household income of $88,206 and an estimated 63,811 residents across its service area. Approximately 52% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

๐Ÿ’ง Where Does Your Water Come From?

Groundwater

Onalaska Waterworks'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.

Moderate Risk
Source Contamination Risk
40th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
50th
Superfund Site Proximity

Infrastructure Risk

45 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Copper
Pipe Material
24 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Moderate Wear
Decay Status
Installed 65% of expected lifespan used End of life

PFAS Detected in Service Area

PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 10 detections recorded. 2 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS).

State limits: PFOA: 0.02 ppt, PFOS: 0.02 ppt
Health concern: PFAS are linked to cancer, thyroid disease, immune suppression, and developmental effects. They do not break down naturally.
Recommended filter: Reverse osmosis (RO) or activated carbon filters certified for PFAS removal. Find the right filter โ†’

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Wisconsin

Ashwaubenon Waterworks
17,730 people
1 violation
Kaukauna Utilities
17,493 people
B 0 violations
Hudson Waterworks
18,558 people
3 violations
Cudahy Waterworks
18,659 people
B 0 violations
Marshfield Utilities
18,815 people
0 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Flood Insurance Radon Mitigation PFAS Treatment Water Filtration
Flood Insurance $900
Radon Mitigation $400
PFAS Treatment $400
Water Filtration $150
Total Estimated Cost $1,850

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.

Cost of Inaction

If water quality issues in this service area are not addressed, the estimated financial impact per household is:

PFAS Exposure - Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$165
10 years
$330
20 years
$660

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $1,850 (one-time) vs. $330 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Estimates based on published EPA, CDC, and peer-reviewed research. Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These are conservative lower-bound estimates intended for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

Onalaska Waterworks (EPA ID: WI6320327) is a community water system in Wisconsin that serves approximately 18,000 people from groundwater sources.

This system provides water to 4 ZIP codes across 4 communities.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: B (79/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 2 of 4 service-area ZIP codes with all required score domains observed. It is not a grade for the water utility.

Model 4.0.0 uses SDWIS identity plus accepted ECHO SDWA lifecycle-based water compliance, the UCMR 5 PFAS MCL screen, EPA radon zone, and annual EPA AirData AQI across three equally weighted domains. Missing required evidence suppresses the score.

Violation History

No accepted violation records in the 2021-2026 window - The accepted EPA ECHO 2026Q2 snapshot contains zero violation records for this system whose record year falls from 2021 through 2026, inclusive. This is not a tap-water safety guarantee.

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:

Lead Level Exceeds Action Level Sample Date
0 mg/L No N/A

No copper action-level exceedance record appears for this PWSID in the accepted LCR snapshot. This does not establish a clean copper measurement.

Radon Risk in Service Area

Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 2 (Moderate 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 $20โ€“$50 (DIY kit) ยท Professional inspection: $150โ€“$400

Find the Right Water Filter

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

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: Service area ZIP codes sourced from EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 (March 2026 release). These ZIPs reflect the actual deployment footprint recorded by WI or modeled from parcel and building-footprint data.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Onalaska Waterworks (WI6320327) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Onalaska Waterworks water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot contains zero violation records for Onalaska Waterworks in the inclusive 2021-2026 record-year window. This is a compliance-record finding, not a guarantee about water at a specific tap.

How many people does Onalaska Waterworks serve?

Onalaska Waterworks serves approximately 18,000 people across 4 ZIP codes in Wisconsin.

Where does Onalaska Waterworks get its water?

The primary water source is groundwater.

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.

Samples collected
232
Detections
2
Latest sample
7/11/2023
Highest analyte
PFBS: 4.2 ppt
Analyte Max detected Current MCL Status
PFBS 4.2 ppt โ€” โ€”

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) โ€” per-system federal sampling, 2023โ€“2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program โ†’

Understand PFAS health context and filtration โ†’

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water from Onalaska Waterworks safe to drink?
Onalaska Waterworks earns a B safety grade with 0 violations in the past 5 years. Tap water meets EPA standards for most contaminants.
Should I use a water filter?
Onalaska Waterworks meets EPA standards, but a water filter can reduce trace contaminants below detectable levels for added peace of mind.
How many people does Onalaska Waterworks serve?
Onalaska Waterworks serves approximately 18,000 people with drinking water across 4 ZIP codes.
What is Onalaska Waterworks's water source?
Onalaska Waterworks draws water from groundwater sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
What is the demographic profile of Onalaska Waterworks's service area?
The Onalaska Waterworks service area has a median household income of $88,206. Demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and EPA EJScreen.
Where does Onalaska Waterworks get its water?
Onalaska Waterworks'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. Based on available data, the source contamination risk is moderate.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Onalaska Waterworks, WI: Serves 18K People. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/wi6320327/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-wi6320327,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Onalaska Waterworks, WI: Serves 18K People}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/wi6320327/}
}
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