Public water system · WI2410100

Active

Milwaukee Waterworks

At a glance

Milwaukee Waterworks (PWSID WI2410100) is an active community water system in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. It reports serving 626,000 people through 231,851 service connections. Its primary water source is surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 10 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2015.

Dataset updated October 2026 . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.

Population served

626,000

Service connections

231,851

Primary source

Surface water

System type

CWS

Community water system

System record

PWSIDWI2410100

System typeCommunity water system

Activity statusActive

Population served626,000

Service connections231,851

Primary water sourceSurface water

Owner typeLocal government

Primacy agencyWI state drinking water program

City servedMilwaukee

StateWisconsin

ZIP—

CountyMilwaukee County

How does Milwaukee Waterworks compare with other water systems in Milwaukee County?

By EPA's size categories, Milwaukee Waterworks is a very large system (more than 100,000 people). Milwaukee County has 85 active public water systems, and Milwaukee Waterworks is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 56 times the county average of 11,209 people per system, and accounts for 66% of the 952,731 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Wisconsin, the 11,056 active systems average 469 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Milwaukee Waterworks is about 93 times that figure.

What does “community water system” mean?

A community water system serves at least 15 connections used by year-round residents, or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents. Homes, apartments and mobile-home parks are served by these. Wisconsin has 1,053 active community water systems, 9.5% of the state's 11,056 active systems. Surface water means the system draws its water from rivers, lakes, streams or reservoirs. 20 Wisconsin systems (0.2%) list surface water as their primary source.

Who owns and regulates Milwaukee Waterworks?

EPA lists Milwaukee Waterworks as owned by a local government. The WI state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 26 of the 85 active systems in Milwaukee County (31%) are also owned by a local government.

Does Milwaukee Waterworks have drinking water violations?

EPA's records list 10 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2015. The violations listed here began between June 1992 and January 2015. By type: 7 monitoring and reporting, 2 public notice, recordkeeping or other and 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (2 of them). EPA lists 10 as resolved. Resolved means at least one resolving action is on record: the system returned to compliance, the rule no longer applies, or no further action was needed.

Began	Violation	Contaminant or rule	Health-based	Status
2015-01-01	Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27	Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456	No	Resolved
2015-01-01	Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27	Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950	No	Resolved
2007-09-01	Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24	Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100	No	Resolved
2007-07-01	Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27	Chlorinecode 0999	No	Resolved
2007-07-01	Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27	Chloraminecode 1006	No	Resolved
2005-07-01	Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27	Bromatecode 1011	No	Resolved
2002-10-01	Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Inadequate Reporting · code 72	Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000	No	Resolved
2002-07-01	Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71	Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000	No	Resolved
1999-09-01	Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22	Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100	Yes	Resolved
1992-06-30	Monitoring and reportingWater Quality Parameter M/R · code 53	Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000	No	Resolved

All 10 violations in EPA's records, newest first.Labels and codes come from EPA's SDWIS reference tables. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found. "Health-based" marks violations of a legal limit or required treatment.

Milwaukee Waterworks: frequently asked questions

Who runs Milwaukee Waterworks?

Milwaukee Waterworks (PWSID WI2410100) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the WI state drinking water program.

How many people does Milwaukee Waterworks serve?

Milwaukee Waterworks reports serving 626,000 people through 231,851 service connections in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin.

Where does Milwaukee Waterworks get its water?

EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as surface water. Surface water means the system draws its water from rivers, lakes, streams or reservoirs.

Does Milwaukee Waterworks have any drinking water violations?

EPA's records list 10 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2015. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found.

Is Milwaukee Waterworks' water safe to drink?

AquaCensus shows EPA compliance records, not current water test results, so it cannot say whether the water is safe at a given moment. EPA's records list 10 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2015. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the WI state drinking water program.

Where can I find Milwaukee Waterworks' water quality report?

As a community water system, Milwaukee Waterworks must deliver an annual water quality report, called a Consumer Confidence Report, to its customers by July 1 each year, covering the previous calendar year. The system can provide a copy on request.

Other water systems in Milwaukee County

Water system	County	Population served	Type	Source
West Allis Waterworks	Milwaukee	63,240	Community	Purchased surface water
Wauwatosa Waterworks	Milwaukee	49,064	Community	Purchased surface water
North Shore Water Commission	Milwaukee	35,598	Community	Surface water
Oak Creek Waterworks	Milwaukee	32,104	Community	Surface water
Franklin Water Utility	Milwaukee	22,500	Community	Purchased surface water
South Milwaukee Waterworks	Milwaukee	21,340	Community	Surface water

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About this data

Source: U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and SDWA violation records, via EPA ECHO, as published October 1, 2026 — AquaCensus refreshes it quarterly. See the methodology for how records are matched, cleaned and scored.

Cite as: AquaCensus, “Milwaukee Waterworks, PWSID WI2410100, Wisconsin”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/wisconsin/milwaukee-waterworks-wi2410100 (data as of October 1, 2026).