Water Quality: Wausau, WI
6 water systems • 46,787 people served
Multiple Health ViolationsWater Quality Summary
Wausau is served by 6 public water systems with a combined service population of 46,787 people, and has 75 EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record. Critically, 5 of those are health-based violations, meaning one or more contaminants were detected above EPA-established safe levels — a serious public health concern. Wausau's violation count is 129% above the national average for Wisconsin. Contaminants associated with violations include Chlorine, Disinfection Byproducts, Stage 2 DBP.
Contaminants Found
Eye and nose irritation at high levels; long-term exposure above the MCL may cause liver and kidney damage.
Common source: Water treatment disinfectant added to kill harmful microorganisms
EPA limit: 4.0 mg/L (MRDL — Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level)
Broad category of chemicals formed during disinfection, associated with increased cancer risk and adverse reproductive effects.
Common source: Reaction of disinfectants (chlorine, ozone, chloramines) with organic matter
Trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids that increase cancer risk and may cause adverse reproductive outcomes.
Common source: Chlorine disinfection reacting with natural organic matter in source water
EPA limit: TTHM: 0.080 mg/L; HAA5: 0.060 mg/L
Water Systems Serving Wausau
| System Name | PWSID | Source | Population | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WAUSAU WATERWORKS | WI7370102 | Groundwater | 39,994 | 0 |
| RIB MOUNTAIN WATER UTILITY | WI7370660 | Groundwater | 6,398 | 3 |
| MAINE WATER UTILITY | WI7370107 | Groundwater | 271 | 37 |
| PRAIRIE MEADOW ESTATES 1 | WI7720537 | Groundwater | 50 | 8 |
| EDGEWOOD COUNTRY ESTATES | WI7371500 | Groundwater | 49 | 17 |
| PRAIRIE MEADOW ESTATES 2 | WI7720535 | Groundwater | 25 | 10 |
Concerned About Your Water?
A home water filter can remove common contaminants. NSF-certified filters are tested against EPA standards.
Consider a reverse osmosis system for comprehensive filtration or a carbon filter for basic improvement.
Other Cities in Wisconsin
Data Sources
Drinking water violation data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). Data includes all recorded violations for active community water systems.