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What Homeowners Need to Know

Water Quality in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

Sun Prairie, WI is one of the fastest-growing communities in Dane County. The city’s drinking water comes from a network of deep wells that tap into the regional sandstone aquifer system. While the municipal water system meets federal regulations, elevated levels of radium, manganese, and iron are common and require treatment. EWG reports also raise concerns about nitrates, disinfection byproducts, and PFAS detected in recent water quality reports.

In Sun Prairie’s outskirts and rural subdivisions, many homes still use private wells. These wells may be vulnerable to agricultural runoff, arsenic, coliform bacteria, and naturally occurring heavy metals. Since well testing is not enforced unless during a home sale, residents often go years without knowing what’s in their water. Both city and well water users in Sun Prairie are encouraged to conduct regular testing and consider filtration for safer drinking water.
Water Quality in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
Know what’s in your Cedarburg WI tap water – EWG water quality awareness graphic

Contaminants of Concern in Sun Prairie’s Water

EWG.org Research (via ZIP Code for Sun Prairie, WI – 53590)

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) identifies 25 total contaminants in Sun Prairie’s municipal water supply, with 8 exceeding health-based safety guidelines. These substances include radioactive elements, chemical byproducts from treatment, and harmful trace elements.

  • Total contaminants exceeding health guidelines: 8

Top 10 Contaminants Detected (with tested levels):

  1. Radium (-226 & -228 combined) – 1.29 pCi/L (26× EWG guideline)
  2. Chromium (hexavalent) – 0.25 ppb (12×)
  3. Nitrate – 3.7 ppm (26×)
  4. Haloacetic acids (HAA5) – 8.8 ppb (88×)
  5. Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) – 20.1 ppb (134×)
  6. Bromodichloromethane – 2.0 ppb (33×)
  7. Chloroform – 5.7 ppb (19×)
  8. Vanadium – 0.29 ppb (10×)
  9. Strontium – 840 ppb (no federal limit)
  10. PFBS – 1.3 ppt (13×)
  • Key Notes on Water Findings: Sun Prairie’s tap water exceeds EWG benchmarks for radium, nitrates, and multiple disinfection byproducts. PFAS compounds and industrial trace metals have also been detected. Residents on both city water and private wells should consider filtration options for peace of mind and long-term safety.
View the EWG.org report for Sun Prairie

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:

  1. Water softeners for hard water problems
  2. Whole house filters for chlorine, odors, and sediment
  3. Reverse osmosis systems for safe, great-tasting drinking water
  4. 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

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 Sun Prairie

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!

Why Sun Prairie Homeowners Choose Water Doctors

Water Doctors proudly serves Sun Prairie, WI with free in-home water testing and expert filtration solutions. Whether your home is connected to city wells or a private system, our specialists provide certified results and targeted recommendations to reduce contaminants like radium, nitrates, PFAS, and chemical byproducts. We install softeners, RO systems, and whole-home filters tailored to the specific issues found in Sun Prairie water. Take control of your family’s water health—schedule your free water test today and get a personalized solution you can trust.
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