We read 25 results from City of Lincoln’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 6 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 292,000 people · Water system ID NE3110926 · Read the district’s 2025 report (opens in a new tab)
Open this district in the water lookupCompare with your own test results, see the district map and get matched filters.
Results from the 2025 report
Each number is copied from the district’s report and links to the page it’s printed on. Where the report lists several plants, wells or purchased water, the highest is shown.
| Contaminant | Result | Health goal | Legal limit | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bromatehighest running annual average · range ND to 2.8 · Treatment plant · 2025 report, page 11 | 0.57 ppb | 0.1 ppb | 10 ppb | Above the health goal5.7x the health goal |
| Copper90th percentile of 55 homes tested, 0 over the action level · Customer taps (55 homes) · 2025 report, page 10 | 0.84 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Above the health goal2.8x the health goal |
| Gross alpha (radioactivity)highest measured · range 6.58 to 11 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 10 | 11 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 15 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Lead90th percentile of 55 homes tested, 1 over the action level · Customer taps (55 homes) · 2025 report, page 10 | 3.4 ppb | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Above the health goal17x the health goal |
| Radium (combined 226 + 228)highest measured · range 1.05 to 2 · sampled 2024 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 10 | 2 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 5 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Total coliform bacteriahighest month · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 11 | 0.6 % positive | 0 % positive | 5 % positive | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Bariumhighest measured · range 0.12 to 0.13 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 9 | 0.13 ppm | 2 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Chloraminehighest running annual average · range 0.02 to 3.77 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 11 | 2.44 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| Chlorideaverage · range 21 to 23 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 12 | 22 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)highest running annual average · range ND to 33.4 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 11 | 19.8 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)highest running annual average · range 19 to 49 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 11 | 32.4 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Fluoridehighest measured · range 0.73 to 0.76 · Treatment plants, highest of 2 sources · 2025 report, page 9 | 0.76 ppm | 1 ppm | 4 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Ironaverage · printed as ND ppb · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 12 | Not detected | — | 0.3 ppm guideline | Not detected |
| Manganeseaverage · range 0.0009 to 0.0027 · printed as 1.9 ppb ppb · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 12 | 0.0019 ppm | — | 0.05 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Nitrate (as N)highest measured · range 0.42 to 0.91 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 9 | 0.91 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| pHaverage · range 7.72 to 7.98 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 12 | 7.85 | — | — | Normal range |
| Seleniumhighest measured · range 4.57 to 7.27 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 9 | 7.27 ppb | 30 ppb | 50 ppb | Below the health goal |
| Sulfateaverage · range 65 to 75 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 12 | 69 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Total dissolved solidsaverage · range 284 to 354 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 12 | 329 ppm | — | 500 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Turbidity (cloudiness)highest measured · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 10 | 0.16 NTU | None set | 1 NTU | Below the legal limit |
| Alkalinityaverage · range 160 to 180 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 12 | 164 ppm | None set | None | No health limit |
| Calciumaverage · range 50 to 59 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 12 | 53 ppm | None set | None | No health limit |
| Hardnessaverage · range 10.5 to 13.8 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 12 | 11.2 gpg (192 ppm) | — | — | Very hard |
| Lithiumaverage · range 19.7 to 23.7 · sampled 2023 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 10 | 20.9 ppb | None set | None | No health limit |
| Sodiumaverage · range 28.2 to 30.7 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 12 | 29 ppm | None set | None | No health limit |
Utility results describe the whole system, measured where water enters the pipes, not your tap. Your home’s plumbing can add lead or copper. 1 number we weren’t sure about is held back until a person checks.
EPA testing for PFAS and lithium
EPA’s own nationwide testing (UCMR 5) found these in City of Lincoln’s water between Mar 2023 and Dec 2023. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- Lithium23.7 ppbFound in 6 of 6 samples · highest resultAbove EPA’s health reference level of 10 ppb (a guide, not a legal limit)
Source: EPA UCMR 5 occurrence data. The highest single result is shown; one high sample doesn’t mean every glass is that high.
What you can do
Nothing here is an emergency notice: if the district has a violation, it must tell customers directly. If you’d like to lower these at your tap, these are the treatments that remove them, and the catalog shows the models certified for each. Ranking is by certified removal; commissions never change the order.
Lead
Found: Copper, Lead
What removes it: Reverse osmosis or Certified carbon block or RO.
Radium and uranium
Found: Gross alpha (radioactivity), Radium (combined 226 + 228)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
Bacteria and viruses
Found: Total coliform bacteria
What removes it: UV purification (and tell your utility).
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