We read 27 results from La Crosse Waterworks’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 11 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 53,000 people · Water system ID WI6320309 · Read the district’s 2025 report (opens in a new tab)
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenichighest measured · range 1 to 1 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report, page 5 | 1 ppb | 0.004 ppb | 10 ppb | Above the health goal250x the health goal |
| Copper90th percentile of 31 homes tested · listed as a violation in the report · Customer taps · 2025 report, page 4 | 0.83 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Above the health goal2.8x the health goal |
| Gross alpha (radioactivity)highest measured · range 0.5 to 5.9 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2020 · Wells · 2025 report, page 5 | 5.9 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 15 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Lead90th percentile of 31 homes tested, 2 over the action level · listed as a violation in the report · Customer taps · 2025 report, page 4 | 10.9 ppb | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Above the health goal55x the health goal |
| Manganesehighest measured · range ND to 0.25 · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report, page 3 | 0.25 ppm | — | 0.05 ppm guideline | Above the guideline5x the guideline (taste, odor or stains; not a health limit) |
| PFOA (a PFAS)highest measured · range 5.1 to 5.1 · sampled 2023 · Wells/distribution · 2025 report, page 5 | 5.1 ppt | 0.007 ppt | 70 ppt (Wisconsin) now; 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the federal limit that takes effect in 20291.3x the 4 ppt federal limit that takes effect in 2029; below the 70 ppt Wisconsin limit (for the PFOA and PFOS combined; moving to the federal 4 ppt limits)Not a violation yet: EPA's 4 ppt limit is final, but water systems don't have to meet it until 2029. |
| PFOS (a PFAS)highest measured · range 5.5 to 5.5 · sampled 2023 · Wells/distribution · 2025 report, page 5 | 5.5 ppt | 1 ppt | 70 ppt (Wisconsin) now; 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the federal limit that takes effect in 20291.4x the 4 ppt federal limit that takes effect in 2029; below the 70 ppt Wisconsin limit (for the PFOA and PFOS combined; moving to the federal 4 ppt limits)Not a violation yet: EPA's 4 ppt limit is final, but water systems don't have to meet it until 2029. |
| Radium (combined 226 + 228)highest measured · range 2.22 to 2.22 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2020 · Wells · 2025 report, page 5 | 2.22 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 5 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Tetrachloroethylene (PCE)as reported · range 1.8 to 1.8 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report, page 5 | 1.1 ppb | 0.06 ppb | 5 ppb | Above the health goal18x the health goal |
| Thalliumhighest measured · range 2 to 2 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report, page 5 | 2 ppb | 0.1 ppb | 2 ppb | Above the health goal20x the health goal |
| Uraniumhighest measured · range 0.4 to 0.8 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2020 · Wells · 2025 report, page 5 | 0.8 ppb | 0.6 ppb | 30 ppb | Above the health goal1.3x the health goal |
| Aluminumhighest measured · range 0.18 to 0.19 · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report, page 3 | 0.19 ppm | — | 0.2 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Antimonyhighest measured · range ND to 1 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report, page 5 | 1 ppb | 1 ppb | 6 ppb | Below the health goal |
| Bariumhighest measured · range 0.06 to 0.12 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report, page 5 | 0.12 ppm | 2 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Berylliumhighest measured · range 0.16 to 0.16 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report, page 5 | 0.16 ppb | 1 ppb | 4 ppb | Below the health goal |
| Chloridehighest measured · range 37.9 to 152 · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report, page 3 | 152 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| cis-1,2-Dichloroethyleneas reported · range ND to 1.6 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report, page 5 | 0.04 ppb | 70 ppb | 70 ppb | Below the health goal |
| Fluoridehighest measured · range 0.1 to 0.7 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report, page 5 | 0.7 ppm | 1 ppm | 4 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Nitrate (as N)highest measured · range ND to 4.9 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report, page 5 | 4.9 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| PFHxS (a PFAS)highest measured · range 8.4 to 8.4 · sampled 2023 · Wells/distribution · 2025 report, page 5 | 8.4 ppt | None set | 10 ppt from 2029 | Below the legal limit |
| Seleniumhighest measured · range 1 to 2 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report, page 5 | 2 ppb | 30 ppb | 50 ppb | Below the health goal |
| Sulfatehighest measured · range 14.2 to 32.8 · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report, page 3 | 32.8 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Trichloroethylene (TCE)highest measured · range 0.3 to 0.3 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report, page 5 | 0.3 ppb | 1.7 ppb | 5 ppb | Below the health goal |
| Nickelhighest measured · range 5.66 to 5.66 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report, page 5 | 5.66 ppb | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFBA (a PFAS)highest measured · range 21 to 21 · sampled 2023 · Wells/distribution · 2025 report, page 5 | 21 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFBS (a PFAS)highest measured · range 15 to 15 · sampled 2023 · Wells/distribution · 2025 report, page 5 | 15 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| Sodiumhighest measured · range 11.3 to 88.1 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report, page 5 | 88.1 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. 2 numbers we weren’t sure about are held back until a person checks.
EPA testing for PFAS and lithium
EPA’s own nationwide testing (UCMR 5) found these in La Crosse Waterworks’s water between May 2023 and May 2024. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- PFOA5.1 pptFound in 3 of 20 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFOS5.5 pptFound in 2 of 20 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFHxS8.4 pptFound in 7 of 20 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
- PFBS15 pptFound in 8 of 20 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
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), Uranium
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
Sediment or cloudy water
Found: Manganese
What removes it: Oxidation filter.
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
Found: PFOA (a PFAS), PFOS (a PFAS), PFOA (EPA testing), PFOS (EPA testing)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
Industrial chemicals and pesticides
Found: Tetrachloroethylene (PCE)
What removes it: Carbon block or RO.
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