What was found in La Crosse's water
The level at the city's main supplier, the highest level anywhere in the city, the EPA limit for each, and where every figure comes from.
| Contaminant | Level vs EPA limit | Suppliers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 4888 µg/L 49% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2019 | 11/11 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 4520 µg/L 45% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2017 | 11/11 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 1043 µg/L 26% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 1180 µg/L — SHELBY TN OF SD 2 SKYLINE · 156 people · 2019 | 11/11 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 752.2 µg/L 58% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2017 | 11/11 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 116.8 µg/L 5.8% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2017
Highest in the city: 165.08 µg/L — SHELBY TN OF WEDGEWOOD VLY · 1,020 people · 2017 | 11/11 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 29.325 µg/L 37% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 31.8957 µg/L — SHELBY TN OF WEDGEWOOD VLY · 1,020 people · 2019 | 5/11 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 31.8 µg/L 3.2% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: ISLAND ESTATES · 50 people · 2018 | 2/11 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 9.29 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 28.51 µg/L — SHELBY TN OF WEDGEWOOD VLY · 1,020 people · 2019 | 5/11 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 22.0841 µg/L 37% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2019 | 5/11 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 19.4 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2019 | 5/11 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 10.735 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2019 | 4/11 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 4.72 pCi/L 31% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2014
Highest in the city: 10.4637 pCi/L — ST JOSEPH SAN DIST 1 · 503 people · 2017 | 11/11 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 6.656 µg/L 44% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2017
Highest in the city: 10.3625 µg/L — SHELBY TN OF SD 2 ARBOR HL · 231 people · 2017 | 11/11 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 7.89 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2019 | 5/11 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 1.98 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 6.837 µg/L — SHELBY TN OF SD 2 ARBOR HL · 231 people · 2019 | 3/11 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 2.082 pCi/L 42% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2017
Highest in the city: 4.855 pCi/L — SHELBY TN OF WEDGEWOOD VLY · 1,020 people · 2017 | 11/11 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 3.979 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2019 | 1/11 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 3.85 µg/L 39% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2017
Highest in the city: 3.9 µg/L — ISLAND ESTATES · 50 people · 2018 | 2/11 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 2.3785 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 2.4822 µg/L — SHELBY TN OF WEDGEWOOD VLY · 1,020 people · 2019 | 4/11 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 1.94 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2019 | 1/11 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 1.6 µg/L 3.2% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2017 | 4/11 | SYR4 |
| Tetrachloroethylene | 1.551 µg/L 31% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2019 | 1/11 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroethylene | 1.0675 µg/L 21% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2019 | 1/11 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 1.06 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: SHELBY TN OF SD 2 ARBOR HL · 231 people · 2019 | 1/11 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 0.5900 µg/L 2% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2017
Highest in the city: 0.9200 µg/L — BLUFFVIEW COMMONS · 140 people · 2018 | 6/11 | SYR4 |
| 1,1-Dichloroethylene | 0.4537 µg/L 6.5% of the EPA limit 7 µg/L Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2019 | 1/11 | SYR4 |
| cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene | 0.4530 µg/L 0.6% of the EPA limit 70 µg/L Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2019 | 1/11 | SYR4 |
| 1,1,2-Trichloroethane | 0.1950 µg/L 3.9% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2019 | 1/11 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0109 mg/L 73% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: LA CROSSE WATERWORKS · 53,000 people · 2025 | 11/11 | LCR |
Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is
well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the
limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there
means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a
running annual average while the figure is the 95th percentile of the
system's samples — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a
violation.
Formal violations are listed separately.
These are the utilities' own EPA-reported results, not a city-wide
average. A detection means the lab measured the
substance — it isn't the same as exceeding a legal limit. Hover a source
tag to see the EPA program and years behind each figure.
Water suppliers serving La Crosse
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| LA CROSSE WATERWORKS | 53,000 |
| SHELBY TN OF WEDGEWOOD VLY | 1,020 |
| ST JOSEPH SAN DIST 1 | 503 |
| LA CROSSE ESTATES LLC | 351 |
| BROOKVIEW MHP | 300 |
| SHELBY TN OF SD 2 ARBOR HL | 231 |
| SHELBY TN OF SD 2 SKYLINE | 156 |
| BLUFFVIEW COMMONS | 140 |
| GOLDEN VALLEY MOBILE HOME PARK | 80 |
| ISLAND ESTATES | 50 |
| COULEE MANOR TRAILER PARK | 39 |
Frequently asked questions about La Crosse tap water
Is La Crosse tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 29 contaminants in the water serving La Crosse. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most detected levels are within federal limits. Check the level and source for each contaminant above, and your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for the official compliance status.
How many water suppliers serve La Crosse?
11 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for La Crosse, Wisconsin to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in La Crosse's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in La Crosse include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Fluoride, Copper, Barium. The full list, with the level at the main supplier and the data source, is in the table above.
Where does this data come from?
Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.