Is Tap Water Safe to Drink in Milwaukee?
Yes, tap water in Milwaukee is safe to drink today. The city experienced the largest documented waterborne disease outbreak in U.S. history in 1993, which led to major treatment upgrades that make its system one of the most rigorously monitored today.
Water Source
Milwaukee Water Works draws from Lake Michigan, treating it with a multi-barrier process that now includes ozone disinfection, added after the 1993 outbreak.
EPA Compliance Status
Meets all federal Safe Drinking Water Act standards; treatment substantially upgraded since 1993, including added ozone disinfection.
Notable Contaminants & Context
- •The 1993 cryptosporidium outbreak, linked to agricultural runoff overwhelming filtration at the time, sickened an estimated 400,000 people, the largest documented waterborne disease outbreak in U.S. history
- •No significant ongoing compliance concerns; current multi-barrier treatment is considered a national model
How It Compares
Milwaukee's response to the 1993 outbreak, including added ozone treatment and some of the most extensive water testing in the country, is frequently cited as a case study in water utility resilience and modernization.
Tips
- •Milwaukee Water Works publishes some of the most detailed public water testing data of any U.S. utility
- •Current tap water is safe and well within all EPA standards
- •No need for bottled water around the city
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & References
The safety rating and guidance on this page draw on the following sources. See our full methodology.
- •US EPA Safe Drinking Water Act regulations
- •EWG Tap Water Database
- •The utility's most recent Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
- •WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality