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Milwaukee’s recognition as a national leader in water quality is based on its vigilant water quality monitoring program and pure, safe drinking water.
The Milwaukee Water Works (MWW) is a national leader in providing pure and safe drinking water and monitoring water quality. Crystal-clear Milwaukee water is available fresh and pure 24-hours-a-day. The utility treats Lake Michigan water with ozone disinfection, biologically active filtration, and chloramine disinfection. Since 1993, the Milwaukee Water Works has invested $362 million in its infrastructure, as reported to the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, to ensure a reliable supply of high quality drinking water. While contributing to a high quality of life, the utility provides an abundant, reliable supply of high-quality water at a low price and high value to water-intensive and water technology business, industry, and research. The City of Milwaukee-owned utility provides water to 16 communities: Milwaukee, Brown Deer, Butler, Franklin, Greendale, Greenfield, Hales Corners, Menomonee Falls, Mequon, New Berlin, Shorewood, St. Francis, Thiensville, Wauwatosa, West Allis, and West Milwaukee. The MWW sells water to the Milwaukee County Grounds on a wholesale basis. Water quality and operations are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Rates are regulated by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC). Milwaukee’s treated drinking water quality meets or exceeds all EPA and DNR standards. The Milwaukee Water Works has expanded its water quality monitoring and screening activities to include organisms and contaminants that are not yet regulated but considered of “emerging concern.” The utility tests source and treated drinking water for over 500 contaminants even though the EPA requires tests for only 90. The monitoring is conducted as a precaution to ensure safe water, to collect baseline data for study, and to meet future regulations. The expense of testing for unregulated compounds provides customers with added assurance and confidence in Milwaukee water quality and service. Milwaukee’s recognition as a national leader in water quality is based on its vigilant water quality monitoring program: • The Milwaukee Water Works was one of the first utilities in the U.S. to begin testing source and treated drinking water for endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) (2004) and for pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) (2005). Neither testing nor disclosure of these results from voluntary testing is required under the Safe Drinking Water Act. • Milwaukee was cited as one of only 28 major utilities in the U.S. to test source and treated water for emerging contaminants such as EDCs and PPCPs (Associated Press, 2008). • The Milwaukee Water Works was the first U.S. utility to post the test results for emerging contaminants on the Internet. The Milwaukee Water Works makes this information readily available to demonstrate a commitment to water quality and transparency in its information. • Milwaukee's water quality monitoring system was in full compliance five years ahead of time with EPA regulations to control disinfection byproducts, the result of rigorous water quality monitoring and investment in water treatment and distribution systems. • The Milwaukee Water Works began monitoring for chromium-6 (cr-6) in January 2011 as federal regulators and the drinking water industry research how much, if any, cr-6, or hexavalent chromium, might pose a health risk in drinking water. There are no requirements to test for cr-6 in drinking water. Scroll down for monitoring results and more information. • The Milwaukee Water Works is monitoring EPA and the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services (HHS) research into reducing the amount of fluoride added to drinking water to prevent dental cavities. MWW will continue to follow the requirements of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services which regulates fluoride in municipal drinking water in Wisconsin. Read more below. The Milwaukee Water Works provides information to customers about emerging contaminants, water treatment and water quality monitoring through customer service representatives and on its website, www.milwaukee.gov/water, through the Milwaukee Health Department, and the news media. The EPA-required annual consumer confidence report is mailed each spring to MWW customers.
No water utility has the resources to test for the thousands of substances in the environment, many occurring naturally, that are now able to be detected by new scientific methods at extremely low levels in drinking water. Science has not demonstrated any impact on human health at the trace levels these compounds are being discovered. Therefore, the Milwaukee Water Works continues to support drinking water research by the EPA, the Water Research Foundation (WRF), and other government and scientific organizations. The Milwaukee Water Works is a member of the American Water Works Association, the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, the WRF, and the Wisconsin Water Association. The Milwaukee Water Works has been recognized by the EPA for its interagency relationships with local, state, and national health and environmental agencies in a program of enteric disease surveillance and response. The MWW routinely consults with the Milwaukee Health Department on water quality and public health issues.
chromium-6 -- The Milwaukee Water Works conducts quarterly monitoring for chromium-6 as federal regulators and the drinking water industry research how much, if any, chromium-6 (also referred to as hexavalent chromium) might pose a health risk in drinking water. Chromium-6 is a naturally occurring contaminant and an industrial chemical that has been linked to cancer. The City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) determined there is no evidence of an imminent public health risk or threat of acute illness as a result of MWW monitoring results. Currently, there are no regulations or requirements to test for chromium-6 in drinking water. The Milwaukee Water Works is voluntarily following an EPA guidance statement of Jan. 11, 2011 that recommends surface water systems sample the source water, plant treated water, and water in the distribution system on a quarterly basis. The EPA is developing a risk assessment for ingestion of chromium-6. The assessment will form the basis of any regulations that may be developed for this element. The Milwaukee Water Works is prepared to respond, as it did by immediately ordering tests for chromium-6, to protect public health and meet federal and state water quality standards. The progress on research into chromium-6 made news Dec. 20, 2010 when an environmental advocacy group said it had found chromium-6 in the water of 31 cities, including Milwaukee, and urged the EPA to adopt new rules.
Fluoride in Drinking Water -- The U.S. government is considering reducing the amount of fluoride added to drinking water to prevent dental cavities. Read more. Consumer Confidence Report Public water systems are required by the EPA to provide an annual Consumer Confidence Report (2011) (Spanish translation) to all customers. The report is intended to improve public health protection by providing educational material to allow consumers to make educated decisions regarding any potential health risks pertaining to the quality, treatment, and management of their drinking water supply. Milwaukee's report is mailed to customers with their second quarter bills. Read the EPA guidelines for consumer confidence reports.