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What Homeowners Need to Know

Water Quality in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin

Water Quality in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin – Essential Guide for Homeowners

Whether you’re on city water or a private well, understanding Oconomowoc’s water quality is key to protecting your home, health, and appliances. Oconomowoc draws its water from seven deep groundwater wells, using treatment methods like chlorination, fluoridation, aeration, and phosphate addition to minimize corrosion and bacteria.

But despite meeting federal safety standards, the city’s water is known for its high hardness and mineral content, and EWG testing shows a number of contaminants exceeding health-based guidelines.

Common City Water Complaints:

  • Hard water scale on fixtures and dishes

  • Chlorine taste and odor

  • Iron staining on plumbing and laundry

  • Concerns about PFAS and other industrial contaminants

Let’s explore what’s really in the water—and how Oconomowoc homeowners can fix it.

Water Quality in Oconcomowoc, Wisconsin
Know what’s in your Cedarburg WI tap water – EWG water quality awareness graphic

Contaminants of Concern in Oconomowoc’s Water

Oconomowoc City Water – EWG Contaminants Overview

According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), Oconomowoc Waterworks (PWS ID WI2680227) reported:

🔬 23 total contaminants detected
🚩 10 contaminants exceed EWG health guidelines

These contaminants include industrial chemicals, disinfection byproducts, and naturally occurring heavy metals.

Top 10 Contaminants Detected Above EWG Guidelines

Contaminant Detected Level
Arsenic 1.83 ppb
Bromodichloromethane 2.27 ppb
Dibromoacetic acid 0.432 ppb
Nitrate 1.63 ppm
Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) 0.142 ppt
Total PFOS + PFOA 1.45 ppt
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) 10.9 ppb
Trichloroacetic acid 1.22 ppb
Barium 129.5 ppb
Bromoform 0.232 ppb

Source: EWG Tap Water Database – Oconomowoc Waterworks

EWG.org 53066

Solutions to Common Issues

Choosing the Right Water Treatment for Your Home

Not all water is the same and neither are the solutions. Whether your water comes from a city supply or a private well, it can carry different minerals, chemicals, or contaminants that affect your home and health.

That’s why it’s important to look at all four key options:

Water softeners for hard water problems

Whole house filters for chlorine, odors, and sediment

Reverse osmosis systems for safe, great-tasting drinking water

Iron filters for rust stains and rotten egg smells

Your water source and the issues it brings will help determine which system (or combination) is right for you.

Water Softener

Hard water has minerals like calcium and magnesium that cause issues around your home. A water softener removes them for cleaner, better-feeling water.

Hard water can:

  • Leave spots on dishes
  • Make soap and shampoo less effective
  • Cause buildup on faucets and showerheads
  • Shorten the life of appliances
  • Dry out your skin and hair

A water softener:

  • Removes hard minerals
  • Helps soap work better
  • Protects appliances
  • Makes water feel soft on skin

If you see signs of hard water, a softener is a smart fix.

Water Softeners

Drinking Water System

Even if your tap water looks clean, it can still contain dissolved solids, chemicals, or contaminants you don’t want to drink. Reverse osmosis gives you highly purified water, right at the tap.

Unfiltered drinking water can have:

  • Chlorine, lead, or other chemicals
  • Nitrates, fluoride, or heavy metals
  • Cloudiness or bad taste
  • Pollutants from old pipes or plumbing

A reverse osmosis system:

  • Removes up to 99% of contaminants
  • Improves taste, clarity, and odor
  • Gives you bottled-quality water at home
  • Fits neatly under the kitchen sink

If you want cleaner, safer, better-tasting drinking water, RO is the gold standard.

Drinking Water Systems

Need an Iron Filter

If your water leaves orange stains or smells like metal or rotten eggs, iron could be the problem. An iron filter removes it before it damages your home.

Iron in water can:

  • Leave orange or brown stains in sinks, tubs, and toilets
  • Make water smell metallic or like rotten eggs (if sulfur is present)
  • Clog plumbing and damage appliances
  • Affect the taste of your water and food
  • Turn laundry yellow or dingy

An iron filter:

  • Removes iron, manganese, and sulfur odors
  • Protects pipes, water heaters, and fixtures
  • Stops staining and metallic smells
  • Keeps water clear and fresh

If your water looks rusty or smells off, an iron filter can make a big difference.

Whole House Water Filter

Tap water can carry things you don’t want—like chlorine, sediment, rust, or even odd tastes and smells. A whole house filter cleans the water before it reaches any faucet.

Unfiltered water can:

  • Smell or taste bad
  • Leave stains in sinks, tubs, and toilets
  • Carry chlorine or other chemicals
  • Irritate skin or worsen allergies
  • Let sediment build up in pipes and appliances 

A whole house filter:

  • Removes chlorine, rust, dirt, and odors
  • Improves water taste and smell
  • Protects pipes, fixtures, and appliances
  • Provides clean water from every tap
Iron Filters & Whole Home Systems
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Expert Advice, Exacting Science.

Get a Free Water Test in Oconomowoc

Wondering what’s in your water? Schedule a free in-home water test and get professional insight into your home’s water quality. Our local team will test your water and recommend the right solution based on your results.

No pressure. Just clear answers and better water.

Call (262) 549-7733 or use our easy online scheduler now!

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