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City water profile

Appleton water quality

Compare local ZIP estimates, evidence quality, associated public systems, and compliance history for Appleton, Wisconsin.

Median indexed hardness

236PPM

4 indexed ZIPs

Range 235–289 PPM

State comparison
52 PPM below
State hardness rank
#398 of 479
Matched utilities
3
Active health records
0

City summary

What the indexed records say

Appleton has 4 published ZIP profiles across Outagamie County and Calumet County. The indexed median is 236 PPM, compared with 288 PPM across Wisconsin.

Among the 479 Wisconsincities with an indexed median, Appleton ranks #398from highest to lowest. Across all 556 state ZIP profiles, available estimates run from 41.3to 467 PPM.

The 235–289 PPM range shows how much the available ZIP estimates vary within the city label.

Hardness distribution

How local ZIP estimates compare

Soft0 ZIPs
Moderately hard0 ZIPs
Hard0 ZIPs
Very hard4 ZIPs

4 of 4 ZIP profiles have a hardness estimate. Bars count ZIP profiles, not households or laboratory samples.

Evidence quality

Distance, dates, and confidence

Median nearest distance
23 miles
Profiles with evidence
4/4

Confidence labels

High: 0Moderate: 4Low: 0

Observation window: Jan 8, 2016 to Jun 10, 2026.

ZIP directory

Water reports in Appleton

Open a ZIP for site-level provenance and measurements.

ZIP code

54911

Very Hard

236 PPM

Nearest site
21.4 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

54913

Very Hard

235 PPM

Nearest site
19.1 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

54914

Very Hard

236 PPM

Nearest site
24.9 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

54915

Very Hard

289 PPM

Nearest site
23 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

Public water systems

Utilities associated with this city

Appleton Waterworks

PWSID WI4450333

Surface water
System population served
74,511
Last reported
May 29, 2026

A municipal system, in-state city, and served county all agree with this Census ZCTA.

Darboy Sanitary Dist 1

PWSID WI4450117

Groundwater
System population served
13,024
Last reported
May 29, 2026

The system names this served city; Census place overlap links the city to this ZCTA.

Maplewood Village

PWSID WI4450421

Groundwater
System population served
225
Last reported
May 29, 2026

The system names this served city; Census place overlap links the city to this ZCTA.

Compliance history

What EPA records show

No active health-based violation appears among the associated systems in the represented EPA reporting quarter. This does not mean every contaminant was tested at every tap.

RecordSystemPeriodStatus
Revised Total Coliform RuleWI4450421Feb 1, 2026Resolved
Public NoticeWI4450117Oct 17, 2024Resolved
Consumer Confidence RuleWI4450333Jul 1, 2023Resolved
Consumer Confidence RuleWI4450333Jul 1, 2023Resolved

Practical next steps

Move from index to evidence

  1. 1. Open your ZIP. Check distance, dates, confidence, and the associated utility.
  2. 2. Read the current CCR. Confirm source water, detections, limits, ranges, and notices.
  3. 3. Test the tap when needed. Confirm health concerns or treatment sizing with the right method.

Questions people ask

About water in Appleton

Is the water hard?

The indexed city median is 236 PPM. Open the ZIP report to verify the distance and confidence behind that estimate.

Is the tap water safe?

Compliance history is utility-wide and cannot guarantee conditions at every tap. Check current notices and test when address-specific evidence is needed.

Do I need treatment?

Choose treatment only after confirming the problem at the property. A softener targets hardness; contaminant treatment requires a matching, verified performance claim.