PFAS in Pewaukee Drinking Water
Pewaukee PFAS · City of Pewaukee Water Utility, July 2026
What the July 2026 notice says: Well #8 exceeded PFHxS and the Hazard Index
The Pewaukee PFAS notice landed in mailboxes across the city, and Well #8 came back over the limit. Here is what those numbers mean — and the one step that tells you exactly what is in the water your family drinks.
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47.0 ppt
PFHxS
Maximum contaminant level: 10.0 ppt
4.7
Hazard Index
Limit: 1.0
4 of 6
Measures above the limit
Sampled July 7, 2026
What did the July 2026 Pewaukee PFAS notice say?
The City of Pewaukee Water Utility sampled on July 7, 2026. As a result, the Wisconsin DNR required a Tier 2 public notice under s. NR 809.950(3)(c)5, Wis. Adm. Code. These are the utility’s own published results:
| Chemical | Sampled value | Maximum Contaminant Level | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFOA | 6.2 ppt | 4.0 ppt | Above limit |
| PFOS | 5.8 ppt | 4.0 ppt | Above limit |
| PFHxS | 47.0 ppt | 10.0 ppt | Above limit |
| HFPO-DA (GenX chemicals) | No detect | 10.0 ppt | Not detected |
| PFNA | No detect | 10.0 ppt | Not detected |
| Mixture of two or more: PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA, PFBS | 4.7 Hazard Index | 1.0 Hazard Index | Above limit |
The City of Pewaukee is not in violation of drinking water standards. The notice says these results “do not constitute the issuance of an MCL violation at this time.” A violation would follow only if the running annual average still exceeds the MCL after April 26, 2029.
PFHxS is one of the PFAS “forever chemicals,” and the Hazard Index scores four of them together against their health-based levels — 1.0 is the limit. In the utility’s own words, long-term exposure above these levels may increase the risk of effects on the immune system, liver, thyroid, cardiovascular system, cholesterol and development during pregnancy and childhood.
Does a water softener remove PFAS?
No — and it is not designed to.
In short, a softener takes out hardness minerals. However, it is not certified for PFAS reduction. If you own one in Pewaukee it is doing its job on hard water and nothing about the compounds in that notice — two different jobs, two different pieces of equipment.
What actually reduces PFAS in home drinking water?
The City’s notice and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services point to the same two certified technologies:
Granular activated carbon
Certified to ANSI/NSF Standard 53
PFAS adsorb onto the carbon as water passes through.
Reverse osmosis
Certified to ANSI/NSF Standard 58
In addition, Wisconsin DHS notes RO “may more efficiently remove PFAS” than carbon alone, and that an RO system should include a GAC component.
Boiling your water does not remove PFAS. The City’s notice says so directly — as a result, boiling leaves the PFAS behind and slightly concentrates them.
Why the Kinetico K5 fits Pewaukee PFAS reduction
Water Doctors is an independent Kinetico dealer. For a Pewaukee home on city water we point to the Kinetico K5® Drinking Water Station with VOC Guard — the only configuration we sell and install. Specifically, it is reverse osmosis with carbon filtration, exactly the combination the City’s notice and Wisconsin DHS describe.
Our recommendation
Kinetico K5® Drinking Water Station with VOC Guard
- Certified by WQA to NSF Standards 53 and 58
- Certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 58 to remove PFOA/PFOS from water
- Reduces more than 70 contaminants, including PFAS
- Exclusive seven-stage protection — reverse osmosis with carbon filtration
- Metered filters, changed on actual water use rather than a calendar guess
- Water-On-Water™ (WOW) tank for strong flow at the tap
- Installed and serviced by our own trained technicians
WQA Gold Seal
Tested and certified under industry standards by the Water Quality Association.
Certification and performance claims as published by Kinetico.
In practice, a certification only covers the contaminants listed on the product’s performance data sheet. So ask anyone quoting you a system to show you that sheet — here is ours. You can also compare our other drinking water systems.
Do Pewaukee homes need a whole-house PFAS filter?
In practice, for most Pewaukee homes a point-of-use reverse osmosis system at the kitchen sink handles the exposure that matters most, because the primary route is ingestion — the water you drink and cook with. It is also by a wide margin the more cost-effective of the two.
A whole-house system is the right answer when you want treated water at every tap in the house rather than one. Sized and specified correctly for PFAS reduction it is a larger investment, and it needs to be built around your actual water chemistry and your home’s flow rate — not sold off a shelf. If you want that option priced, we will price both and let you choose.
How do we find the right drinking water solution for your family?
First, you do not need to pay anyone to test your water for PFAS. The City of Pewaukee already did that, and the results are published above. Instead, what we do at your kitchen table is a total dissolved solids (TDS) test — a total count of everything dissolved in the water coming out of your tap.
Then we read that number alongside the City’s published PFAS results and the hardness and iron we see across Pewaukee, and we can size the right drinking water system for your household. About an hour, free, and nobody will pressure you.
1
We run a TDS test at your kitchen tap and show you the reading.
2
Next, we read it against the City’s published results and what we see across Pewaukee.
3
Then we recommend the system that fits your family, with a fixed price.
4
Finally, you decide. No obligation.
Find out what is in your Pewaukee water
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Common questions from Pewaukee homeowners
Is the City of Pewaukee in violation of drinking water standards?
No. In fact, the July 2026 notice states that the results “do not constitute the issuance of an MCL violation at this time.” A violation would be issued only if the running annual average continues to exceed the applicable maximum contaminant level after April 26, 2029. The Tier 2 public notice is a required notification, not a citation.
Which Pewaukee well had the PFAS exceedance?
Well #8. Specifically, the July 2026 notice is titled for that well exceeding PFHxS and the Hazard Index. The City of Pewaukee Water Utility can tell you which wells currently serve your address.
Will a pitcher filter or refrigerator filter reduce PFAS?
Some do and many do not. The deciding factor is certification: look for ANSI/NSF Standard 53 printed on the filter or its packaging, and check that PFAS reduction is actually among its listed claims. Plenty of pitchers and fridge filters are certified for taste, chlorine or lead and say nothing about PFAS.
Above all, the practical difference is coverage and consistency. A certified pitcher treats one container at a time and depends on someone remembering to refill it and change the cartridge on schedule. A plumbed-in system treats every glass you pour, every pot you fill, and the ice maker, without anyone thinking about it.
Do you test for PFAS in my home?
No. PFAS testing is a certified laboratory procedure, and the City of Pewaukee has already done it — those results are published above. Instead, our free in-home test is a total dissolved solids (TDS) test, a total count of what is dissolved in your water. Read alongside the City’s numbers, it tells us what your water is carrying and which drinking water system fits your family.
How much does a Pewaukee PFAS system cost?
Of course, it depends on which system your results call for and how your home is plumbed, so we do not publish a single number that would be wrong for most people. Still, what we will commit to is this: the test is free, the quote is fixed before any work starts, and you will not get a different number on installation day.
Sources: City of Pewaukee Water Utility, “Important Information About Your City of Pewaukee Drinking Water — Well #8 Exceeds PFHxS and Hazard Index,” July 2026 update, sampled July 7, 2026. Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Filtering PFAS from Drinking Water (P-03012). Wis. Adm. Code s. NR 809.
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