State Hub
Nebraska Water Quality
221
Utilities in database
1.6M
Residents served
0
With open violations
48
PFAS monitored
Quick Answer
Nebraska public drinking water is served by 221 EPA-tracked water systems, providing service to approximately 1.6 million residents through public utilities. No open health-based violations are currently recorded across tracked systems in the EPA federal database. 48 systems have official PFAS monitoring records from the EPA UCMR 5 program (2023–2025). About 40% of NE residents use private wells, which fall outside federal utility compliance monitoring.
No open health-based violations are currently recorded in the EPA SDWIS database for Nebraska's tracked water systems. Always verify with your utility's Consumer Confidence Report for annual test results.
Drinking Water in Nebraska
Nebraska has 221 community water systems serving approximately 1.6 million residents. Primary water sources include groundwater. The most commonly reported contaminants include disinfection byproducts, lead, nitrates. 40% of Nebraska residents rely on private wells. DHHS holds primary enforcement authority under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Safest Large Utilities
Nebraska systems with no open health violations serving 10,000+ residents.
Utilities in Nebraska
1–25 of 221Metropolitan Utilities District
NE3105507 · 660,000 served
City of Lincoln
NE3110926 · 296,000 served
City of Grand Island
NE3107902 · 51,478 served
City of Papillion
NE3115313 · 35,000 served
City of Kearney
NE3101906 · 34,000 served
City of Fremont
NE3105312 · 27,230 served
City of Norfolk
NE3111910 · 26,147 served
City of North Platte
NE3111106 · 25,000 served
City of Hastings
NE3100101 · 24,927 served
City of Columbus
NE3114110 · 24,028 served
City of Scottsbluff
NE3115716 · 14,282 served
City of South Sioux City
NE3104309 · 14,043 served
City of Beatrice
NE3106705 · 12,220 served
City of Lexington
NE3104708 · 10,348 served
City of Gretna
NE3115303 · 8,661 served
City of Gering
NE3115717 · 8,500 served
City of York
NE3118706 · 8,091 served
City of Alliance
NE3101302 · 8,070 served
City of Blair
NE3117905 · 8,000 served
City of Seward
NE3115905 · 7,700 served
City of Crete
NE3115104 · 7,566 served
City of Mccook
NE3114504 · 7,450 served
City of Nebraska City
NE3113106 · 7,414 served
City of Sidney
NE3103303 · 6,720 served
City of Plattsmouth
NE3102501 · 6,680 served
Key Contaminant Concerns in Nebraska
These contaminants appear most frequently in Nebraska utility records or pose elevated risk in this region based on EPA data.
Lead
Lead is a naturally occurring heavy metal that was widely used in plumbing infrastructure until it was banned for new installations in 1986. An estimated 9.2 million lead service lines still connect homes to public water mains across the United States, along with millions of homes with lead solder in their internal plumbing. Critically, a utility's water quality report can show zero detected lead at the treatment plant while your specific tap still delivers elevated lead — because the contamination happens inside the distribution system and your home's plumbing, not at the source.
EPA limit: 15 ppb (action level)
Nitrates
Nitrate (NO₃⁻) is a nitrogen-containing compound that forms naturally through the decomposition of organic matter. At elevated concentrations — almost always caused by human activity — nitrate is converted in the digestive system to nitrite, which then reacts with hemoglobin to form methemoglobin, a form of hemoglobin that cannot carry oxygen. In the body, nitrite also reacts with amines in food to form N-nitroso compounds (nitrosamines) — known carcinogens classified by the IARC as Group 2A (probable human carcinogens). The United States applies over 23 million tons of nitrogen fertilizer annually, making agricultural runoff the dominant source of nitrate contamination in U.S. groundwater.
EPA limit: 10 mg/L
DBPs
When utilities add chlorine to water to kill pathogens, it reacts with dissolved organic matter — leaves, algae, soil — to produce disinfection byproducts (DBPs). Over 600 DBPs have been identified. The EPA regulates two groups: total trihalomethanes (TTHMs, including chloroform) and haloacetic acids (HAA5). DBP levels tend to be highest in surface water systems and in warm months when organic matter is elevated.
EPA limit: 80 µg/L (TTHMs) / 60 µg/L (HAA5)
City Water Reports in Nebraska
Tap water quality pages for Nebraska cities — violations, PFAS records, utility profiles, and official source links.
Independent Water Testing
Find a certified lab in Nebraska
Utility compliance records show what water systems report to the EPA. An independent test from a certified laboratory confirms what's actually in your tap water. Nebraska labs can test for PFAS, lead, nitrates, bacteria, and dozens of other contaminants.
Explore Water Quality in Nebraska
Metropolitan Utilities District
Violation history, PFAS records, and official source links
City of Lincoln
Violation history, PFAS records, and official source links
City of Grand Island
Violation history, PFAS records, and official source links
PFAS monitoring records — Nebraska
48 water systems in Nebraska with EPA UCMR 5 records
Lead in Nebraska drinking water
State-specific lead data, violation utilities, and testing guidance
PFAS in Nebraska drinking water
State-specific PFAS data, MCL context, and treatment options
Certified water testing labs in Nebraska
Labs certified for PFAS (EPA 533/537.1), lead, and bacteria testing
Water treatment options
Reverse osmosis, activated carbon, and filtration guides with cost ranges
Data sources and methodology
How WaterUtilityReport.com sources and validates official EPA data
Common Questions About Nebraska Drinking Water
Does Nebraska drinking water have PFAS?
48 Nebraska water systems have EPA UCMR 5 PFAS monitoring records (2023–2025)
Which Nebraska water utilities have open violations?
Browse Nebraska utility compliance records and violation history
How do I test my water in Nebraska?
State-certified labs for PFAS (EPA 533/537.1), lead, nitrate, and bacteria testing
What treatment removes PFAS from NE tap water?
Reverse osmosis removes PFAS, lead, arsenic, and nitrates — cost, maintenance, and NSF certification explained
What do Nebraska PFAS records tell me about my water?
EPA limits, health context, and what UCMR 5 detection above MRL means for your water
How is Nebraska water quality data sourced here?
EPA SDWIS violations, UCMR 5 PFAS records, and CCR data — sources, accuracy notes, and limitations
Nebraska Water FAQs
Data sources: Utility compliance and violation data from EPA SDWIS (Safe Drinking Water Information System). PFAS monitoring records from EPA UCMR 5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5, 2023–2025). Contaminant data from EPA and ATSDR public references. This page summarizes public records — it is not a compliance determination. Methodology →
Last updated: 2026-04-22