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City water profile

Milwaukee water quality

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

Median indexed hardness

243PPM

22 indexed ZIPs

Range 243–254 PPM

State comparison
45 PPM below
State hardness rank
#384 of 479
Matched utilities
2
Active health records
0

City summary

What the indexed records say

Milwaukee has 22 published ZIP profiles across Milwaukee County. The indexed median is 243 PPM, compared with 288 PPM across Wisconsin.

Among the 479 Wisconsincities with an indexed median, Milwaukee ranks #384from highest to lowest. Across all 556 state ZIP profiles, available estimates run from 41.3to 467 PPM.

The 243–254 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 hard22 ZIPs

22 of 22 ZIP profiles have a hardness estimate. Bars count ZIP profiles, not households or laboratory samples.

Evidence quality

Distance, dates, and confidence

Median nearest distance
4.1 miles
Profiles with evidence
22/22

Confidence labels

High: 0Moderate: 22Low: 0

Observation window: Apr 12, 2016 to Jun 10, 2026.

ZIP directory

Water reports in Milwaukee

Open a ZIP for site-level provenance and measurements.

ZIP code

53202

Very Hard

254 PPM

Nearest site
1.8 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

53203

Very Hard

254 PPM

Nearest site
1.2 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

53204

Very Hard

248.5 PPM

Nearest site
1.5 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

53205

Very Hard

254 PPM

Nearest site
2.7 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

53206

Very Hard

243 PPM

Nearest site
3.9 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

53207

Very Hard

243 PPM

Nearest site
3.4 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

53208

Very Hard

243 PPM

Nearest site
3.8 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

53209

Very Hard

243 PPM

Nearest site
7.6 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

53210

Very Hard

243 PPM

Nearest site
4.9 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

53211

Very Hard

254 PPM

Nearest site
4.1 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

53212

Very Hard

254 PPM

Nearest site
3.5 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

53215

Very Hard

243 PPM

Nearest site
2.8 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

53216

Very Hard

243 PPM

Nearest site
5.8 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

53218

Very Hard

243 PPM

Nearest site
7.8 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

53219

Very Hard

248.5 PPM

Nearest site
5.2 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

53221

Very Hard

243 PPM

Nearest site
5.4 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

53222

Very Hard

243 PPM

Nearest site
7.9 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

53223

Very Hard

243 PPM

Nearest site
10.5 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

53224

Very Hard

243 PPM

Nearest site
12 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

53225

Very Hard

243 PPM

Nearest site
9.6 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

53233

Very Hard

254 PPM

Nearest site
2 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

53295

Very Hard

248.5 PPM

Nearest site
4 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

Public water systems

Utilities associated with this city

Milwaukee Waterworks

PWSID WI2410100

Surface water
System population served
626,000
Last reported
May 29, 2026

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

Robert William Park Water Association Inc

PWSID WI2410589

Groundwater
System population served
1,065
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.

No violation records are included in the current lookback window.

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 Milwaukee

Is the water hard?

The indexed city median is 243 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.