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2024 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report
The City of Oshkosh Water Utility (Oshkosh Waterworks, Public Water
System ID: 47104574) is pleased to provide you with the Annual Water
Quality Report. This report is designed to inform you about the quality of
the Oshkosh municipal water supply. Our goal is to provide safe and
reliable drinking water to the residents and businesses of Oshkosh,
Wisconsin. The Water Utility is owned by the City and operated by the
Public Works Department and oversees drawing water from Lake
Winnebago, as well as treating and distributing it to over 66,000 residents.
The Water Utility Division is committed to providing high-quality water at
reasonable rates, while protecting public health and the environment.
Este informe contiene información importante acerca de su agua potable. Haga que alguien lo
traduzca para usted, o hable con alguien que lo entienda.
Dlaim ntawv tshaabzu nuav muaj lug tseemceeb heev nyob rua huv kws has txug cov dlej mej haus.
Kuas ib tug paab txhais rua koj, los nrug ib tug kws paub lug thaam.
Safe Drinking Water Act
The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) was established to protect the quality of drinking water in the U.S.
This law focuses on all waters actually or potentially designated for drinking use, whether from above
ground or underground sources.
Drinking water standards are regulatory limits which the United
States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets to control the
level of contaminants in the nation’s drinking water. These
standards are part of the Safe Drinking Water Act’s “multiple
barrier” approach to drinking water protection and limits the
amounts of certain contaminants present in water provided to
consumers by public water systems. This approach includes
assessing and protecting drinking water sources, protecting wells
and collection systems, making sure water is treated by qualified
operators, ensuring the integrity of distribution systems, and making
information available to the public regarding the quality of their drinking water. These multiple barriers
ensure the tap water in the United States and its territories is safe to drink. Partners in this pursuit include:
the EPA, states, tribes, drinking water utilities, communities, and citizens.
All drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small
amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate the
water poses a health risk. In most cases, the EPA delegates responsibility for implementing drinking
water standards to state and tribal regulators. More information about contaminants and potential
health effects can be obtained by calling the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.
Source Water
Oshkosh receives its water from Lake Winnebago, which is supplied by
a five thousand seven hundred (5,700) square mile watershed
extending from the Wolf River area northwest of the City and from the
Fox River area to the southwest. The Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources (WDNR) has assessed the source of Oshkosh’s drinking water
and determined it to be of good quality normally, but regularly
degraded as a result of various events (such as heavy precipitation and
spring thawing). These events cause contaminants to drain into the
Wolf and Upper Fox Rivers and enter Lake Winnebago.
The sources of drinking water, both tap water and bottled water, include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds,
reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it
dissolves naturally-occurring minerals; in some cases, this includes radioactive material. Traveling water
can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity.
Contaminants that may be present in source water include:
Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria; these may come from sewage treatment
plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife.
Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals; these can be naturally occurring or result from
urban storm water runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production,
mining, or farming.
Pesticides and herbicides; these may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban
storm water runoff, and residential uses.
Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals; these are
byproducts of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations,
urban storm water runoff, and septic systems.
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Radioactive contaminants; these can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas
production and mining activities.
Health Information
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water
than the general population. Immuno-compromised people include
individuals with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, those who have
undergone organ transplants, those with HIV/AIDS or other immune system
disorders, some elderly people, and infants. People who qualify as immuno-
compromised can be particularly at risk from infections and should seek
advice about drinking water from their health care providers. EPA/CDC
(Center for Disease Control) guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the
risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbiological contaminants are available from the
EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.
Lead can cause serious health effects in people of all ages, especially pregnant women, infants (both
formula-fed and breastfed), and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and
parts used in service lines and in home plumbing. Oshkosh Water Utility is responsible for providing high-
quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in the plumbing in your home.
Because lead levels may vary over time, lead exposure is possible even when your tap sampling results
do not detect lead at one point in time. You can help protect yourself and your family by identifying
and removing lead materials within your home plumbing and taking steps to reduce your family's risk.
Using a filter, certified by an American National Standards Institute accredited certifier to reduce lead,
is effective in reducing lead exposures. Follow the instructions provided with the filter to ensure the filter
is used properly. Use only cold water for drinking, cooking, and making baby formula. Boiling water
does not remove lead from water. Before using tap water for drinking, cooking, or making baby
formula, flush your pipes for several minutes. You can do this by running your tap, taking a shower,
doing laundry or a load of dishes. If you have a lead service line or galvanized requiring replacement
service line, you may need to flush your pipes for a longer period. If you are concerned about lead in
your water and wish to have your water tested, contact the Water Utility at (920) 236-5165. Information
on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available
at https://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
Water Filtration Plant
The Water Filtration Plant incorporates the latest technology in drinking water
treatment. This includes dual-media filtration, ozonation, and treatment with
granular-activated carbon. Filtration removes the suspended solids while
ozone breaks down dissolved materials and provides disinfection. The
granular-activated carbon removes tastes, odors, and dissolved organics.
The addition of chlorine is the final disinfection process completed prior to
water leaving the plant. The treatment capacity of the Water Filtration Plant
is sixteen (16) million gallons per day with an average daily pumping rate of
approximately six (6) million gallons per day. The Utility also has four (4)
elevated storage tanks (towers) and a booster station to meet water usage
demands and pressure requirements.
Monitoring Water Quality
The drinking water quality is monitored daily at the
Water Filtration Plant by our certified drinking-water laboratory to ensure its
safety for consumption. The tables in this report reflect the quality of Oshkosh
water compared with the State of Wisconsin and
EPA standards. Monitoring of most constituents is
required annually; and if no date is indicated, the
test was completed in 2024. However, monitoring of
some constituents is required once every two (2) or
three (3) years and the date in the table will reflect
when those water quality samples were taken.
Turbidity Monitoring
Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of water. In
accordance with Wisconsin Administrative Code
§NR810.29, the treated surface water is monitored for turbidity to confirm the
filtered water is less than or equal to 0.3 NTU in 95% of all samples, and always
less than 1.0 NTU. Turbidity is a good indicator of the effectiveness of our filtration system. During the
year, all of the turbidity measurements were below 0.1 NTU, with the highest daily measurement of
0.054 NTU. All 2024 samples were within required limits.
Oshkosh’s
Water Filtration Plant
constructed in 1999
Page 3 of 6
Definitions
Term Definition
AL Action Level: The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment
or other requirements which a water system must follow.
CCS Corrosion Control Study.
HA Health Advisory: An estimate of acceptable drinking water levels for a chemical
substance based on health effects information. Health Advisories are determined by EPA.
HAL Health Advisory Level: A concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, poses a
health risk and may require a system to post a public notice. Health Advisory Levels are
determined by EPA.
MCL Maximum Contaminant Level: The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in
drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available
treatment technology.
MCLG Maximum Contaminant Level Goal: The level of a contaminant in drinking water below
which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.
NTU Nephelometric Turbidity Units.
ppm parts per million, or milligrams per liter (mg/l).
ppb parts per billion, or micrograms per liter (ug/l).
ppt parts per trillion, or nanograms per liter.
SMCL Secondary drinking water standards or Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels for
contaminants that affect taste, odor, or appearance of the drinking water. The SMCLs do
not represent health standards.
UCMR
4
The fourth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule was published on December 20,
2016. UCMR 4 required monitoring for 30 chemical contaminants between 2018 and 2020
using analytical methods developed by the EPA and consensus organizations.
UCMR
5
Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5: Required drinking water testing for several
PFAS compounds, as well as lithium.
Detected Contaminants
Your water was tested for many contaminants. The following tables list only those contaminants which
were detected in your water. Not all tests are required to be performed with the same frequency. If
a contaminant was detected last year, it will appear in the tables without a sample date. If the
contaminant was not monitored last year, but was detected within the last five (5) years, it will appear
in the tables along with the sample date.
The Water Utility recently completed a Corrosion Control Study (CCS) to ensure our corrosion control
treatment practices were optimized. The CCS collected water samples from different locations around
the city and analyzed them for multiple indicators of corrosion and water quality. All sample results
came back within safe ranges for contaminants already included in this document. While the results
of this study reinforced the safety of our water, it also highlighted steps that could be taken to improve
how we treat our water to control corrosion in the distribution system. We have recently completed
treatment upgrades at our facility to maximize our corrosion control practices. This study, and
subsequent upgrades, are examples of the many efforts we make to continually improve the quality
and safety of the water we provide.
Disinfection Byproducts
Contaminant
(units) Site MCL MCLG Level
Found Range Violation Typical Source of
Contaminant
BROMATE (ppb) 10 10 0 0 - 1 No By-product of drinking
water disinfection
HAA5 (ppb) D-2 60 60 5 3 - 7 No By-product of drinking
water chlorination
TTHM (ppb) D-2 80 0 11.2 0.5 - 20.9 No By-product of drinking
water chlorination
HAA5 (ppb) D-20 60 60 6 4 - 7 No By-product of drinking
water chlorination
TTHM (ppb) D-20 80 0 12.3 1.5 - 21.7 No By-product of drinking
water chlorination
HAA5 (ppb) D-26 60 60 5 4 - 6 No By-product of drinking
water chlorination
TTHM (ppb) D-26 80 0 10.4 0.9 - 20.0 No By-product of drinking
water chlorination
HAA5 (ppb) D-49 60 60 7 6 - 7 No By-product of drinking
water chlorination
TTHM (ppb) D-49 80 0 11.3 1.7 - 20.6 No By-product of drinking
water chlorination
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Inorganic Contaminants
Contaminant
(units) MCL MCLG Level
Found Range
Sample
Date (if prior
to 2024)
Violation Typical Source of
Contaminant
BARIUM
(ppm) 2 2 0.017 0.017 4/17/2023 No
Discharge of drilling
wastes; Discharge from
metal refineries; Erosion of
natural deposits
FLUORIDE
(ppm) 4 4 0.6 0.6 4/17/2023 No
Erosion of natural
deposits; Water additive
which promotes strong
teeth; Discharge from
fertilizer and aluminum
factories
NITRATE (N03-
N) (ppm) 10 10 0.57 0.57 No
Runoff from fertilizer use;
Leaching from septic
tanks, sewage; Erosion of
natural deposits
NITRITE (N02-
N) (ppm) 1 1 0.049 0.049 4/17/2023 No
Runoff from fertilizer use;
Leaching from septic
tanks, sewage; Erosion of
natural deposits
SODIUM
(ppm) n/a n/a 24.00 24.00 No n/a
PFAS Contaminants with a Recommended Health Advisory Level
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of human-made chemicals that
have been used in industry and consumer products worldwide since the 1950’s. The following table
lists PFAS contaminants which were detected and have a Health Advisory Level (HAL). There were no
detections of contaminants that exceed the HAL. The HALs are levels at which concentrations of the
contaminant present a health risk and are based on guidance provided by the Wisconsin Department
of Health Services.
Contaminant (units) HAL
(PPT)
Level
Found Range
Sample Date
(if prior to
2024)
Typical Source of
Contaminant
PFBS (ppt) 450,000 0.67 0.67 2/7/2023 Drinking water is one way
that people can be
exposed to PFAS. In
Wisconsin, PFAS can come
from discharges at
manufacturing,
distribution, or storage
facilities, or from hazardous
and municipal waste
landfills and other waste
handling or treatment
facilities; or at airports,
military bases and fire
training facilities
PFHXS (ppt) 40 0.47 0.47 2/7/2023
PFOS (ppt) 20 1.00 1.00 2/7/2023
PFOA (ppt) 20 0.97 0.97 2/7/2023
PFHXA (ppt) 150,000 1.10 1.10 2/7/2023
PFOA AND PFOS TOTAL
(ppt) 20 1.97 1.97 2/7/2023
Radioactive Contaminants
Contaminant
(units) MCL MCLG Level
Found Range
Sample
Date (if
prior to
2024)
Violation Typical Source of
Contaminant
COMBINED
URANIUM
(ug/l)
30 0 1.0 1.0 4/15/2020 No Erosion of natural deposits
Synthetic Organic Contaminants including Pesticides and Herbicides
Contaminant
(units) MCL MCLG Level
Found Range
Sample
Date (if
prior to
2024)
Violation Typical Source of
Contaminant
ATRAZINE
(ppb) 3 3 0.0 0.0 -
0.0 7/18/2023 No Runoff from herbicide used on
row crops
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Lead and Copper
Contaminant
(units)
Action
Level MCLG
90th
Percentile
Level
Found
Range # Of
Results Violation Typical Source of
Contaminant
COPPER
(ppm) 1.3 1.3 0.1600 0.0040 -
0.2100
0 of 60
results
were
above
the
action
level.
No
Corrosion of
household
plumbing systems;
Erosion of natural
deposits;
Leaching from
wood
preservatives
LEAD (ppb) 15 0 7.50 0.00 -
18.00
1 of 60
results
were
above
the
action
level.
No
Corrosion of
household
plumbing systems;
Erosion of natural
deposits
Contaminants with a Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level
The following table lists contaminants which were detected and have a Secondary Maximum
Contaminant Level (SMCL). There were no detections of contaminants that exceed Secondary
Maximum Contaminant Levels. Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels are levels that do not
present health concerns but may pose aesthetic problems such as objectionable taste, odor, or color.
Contaminant
(units)
SMCL
(ppm)
Level
Found Range Sample Date (if prior to
2024) Typical Source of Contaminant
CHLORIDE
(ppm) 250 20.00 20.00 8/18/2020
Runoff/leaching from natural
deposits, road salt, water
softeners
IRON (ppm) 0.3 0.01 0.01 8/18/2020 Runoff/leaching from natural
deposits, industrial wastes
SULFATE
(ppm) 250 37.00 37.00 4/17/2023 Runoff/leaching from natural
deposits, industrial wastes
Unregulated Contaminants
Unregulated contaminants are those for which EPA has not established drinking water standards. The
purpose of unregulated contaminant monitoring is to assist EPA in determining the occurrence of
unregulated contaminants in drinking water and whether future regulation is warranted. EPA required
us to participate in this monitoring. All contaminants that were being tested for under UCMR 5 were at
such low concentrations that they were not able to be detected using the EPA lab methods.
UCMR 4
The UCMR 4 Sample events spanned across 2019 and 2020. The table below reflects all detected
contaminants and omits all non-detected contaminants.
Contaminant (units) Site Range Typical Source of Contaminant
Manganese EP81 0.6-1.3 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits, industrial
wastes
HAA5 (ug/L) D10 5.2-9.6
By-product of drinking water chlorination
HAA6Br (ug/L) D10 1.1-2.9
HAA9 (ug/L) D10 6.3-11.4
HAA5 (ug/L) D12 4.9-10.9
HAA6Br (ug/L) D12 1.2-2.9
HAA9 (ug/L) D12 6.2-12.7
HAA5 (ug/L) D19 5.0-10.1
HAA6Br (ug/L) D19 1.2-2.8
HAA9 (ug/L) D19 6.2-11.9
HAA5 (ug/L) D2 4.8-8.6
HAA6Br (ug/L) D2 1.0-1.9
HAA9 (ug/L) D2 5.8-9.7
HAA5 (ug/L) D26 4.8-9.5
HAA6Br (ug/L) D26 1.0-2.0
HAA9 (ug/L) D26 5.9-11.0
Page 6 of 6
UCMR 4 (continued)
Contaminant (units) Site Range Typical Source of Contaminant
HAA5 (ug/L) D34 4.9-9.8
By-product of drinking water chlorination
HAA6Br (ug/L) D34 1.1-2.3
HAA9 (ug/L) D34 6.0-11.2
HAA5 (ug/L) D49 5.0-9.7
HAA6Br (ug/L) D49 1.1-2.8
HAA9 (ug/L) D49 6.0-11.5
Service Line Materials Inventory
As part of the Revised Lead and Copper Rule, we were required by the EPA and WDNR
to develop an initial inventory of service lines connected to our distribution system by
October 16, 2024 and to make the inventory publicly accessible. You can access the
service line inventory by clicking here, scanning the QR code to the right, or from
Oshkoshwater.com.
Actions Taken
Even though our initial service line materials inventory was developed and submitted on time, the
inventory has not yet been reviewed and verified by the governing agencies before the publication
of this Consumer Confidence Report. This results in an unresolved violation and is noted below. Once
our inventory is reviewed and verified to meet federal requirements, the violation will be removed for
our water system.
Other Drinking Water Regulations Violations
Additional Lead and Copper Information
Exposure to lead in drinking water can cause serious health effects in all age groups. Infants and
children can have decreases in IQ and attention span. Lead exposure can lead to new learning and
behavioral problems or exacerbate existing learning and behavioral problems. The children of women
who are exposed to lead before or during pregnancy can have increased risk of these adverse health
effects. Adults can have increased risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney or nervous system
problems.
Copper is an essential nutrient, but some people who drink water containing copper in excess of the
action level over a relatively short amount of time could experience gastrointestinal distress. Some
people who drink water containing copper in excess of the action level over many years could suffer
liver or kidney damage. People with Wilson’s Disease should consult their personal doctor.
Opportunity for Input on Decisions Affecting Your Water Quality
City Common Council meetings are held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays each month at 6:00 pm in Room
406 of City Hall at 215 Church Avenue.
If you have any questions about this report or your water,
please contact the Water Filtration Plant Manager, Brad Rokus at (920) 236-5165.
Description of Violation Date of
Violation
Date Violation
Resolved
Failed to develop an initial inventory for service line materials
that meets federal requirements 10/17/2024