Drinking water quality · 2025
· Verified
What's in Lincoln, NE tap water
15 contaminants were measured in the Lincoln, NE water system's 2025 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit.
- Reporting year
- 2025
- Contaminants measured
- 15
- Over federal limit
- 0
- Approaching the limit
- 0
- Service area
- NE
PFAS — EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025)
1 PFAS compound detected in Lincoln, NE
The EPA finalized the first-ever federal drinking-water limits for six PFAS compounds in April 2024. These numbers come straight from EPA's UCMR5 lab dataset — every U.S. system serving more than 3,300 people tested every PFAS sample at an entry point to its distribution system. PFAS not listed below were either tested and not detected, or not yet sampled.
Lithium
● Detected (no federal limit)below national p90 (76.59999999999991 mg/L across detecting U.S. systems)
Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Lincoln, NE's drinking water comes from ground water, drawn from 45 sources.
Source
- WELL · 41
- COLLECTOR · 4
Treatment
- TREATMENT PLANT 001 - EAST
- TREATMENT PLANT 003 - WEST
Distribution
Historical readings · EPA Six-Year Review (2012–2019)
21 historically-detected contaminants in Lincoln, NE
Every U.S. public water system reports compliance-monitoring data to EPA. The Six-Year Review releases the 2012–2019 window as a single dataset — here's what your system reported, year by year. Values shown are the highest detection per analyte per year, compared to the federal MCL.
| Contaminant | Worst detection | EPA limit | Years (2012–2019) |
|---|---|---|---|
ARSENIC worst: 2015 | 0.00975 mg/L 98% near national p90 | 0.01 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
TTHM worst: 2015 | 0.0504 mg/L within | 0.08 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
HAA5 worst: 2019 | 0.0352 mg/L within | 0.06 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
BROMATE worst: 2013 | 0.0042 mg/L within | 0.01 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
NITRATE NITRITE worst: 2018 | 3.13 mg/L within | 10 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
FLUORIDE worst: 2015 | 1.04 mg/L within | 4 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
RADIUM 226 228 worst: 2015 | 1.04 pCi/L within below national p90 | 5 pCi/L | '15 |
ATRAZINE worst: 2016 | 0.00043 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.003 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'19 |
SELENIUM worst: 2016 | 0.00661 mg/L within | 0.05 mg/L | '16 |
ANTIMONY worst: 2016 | 0.000672 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.006 mg/L | '16 |
BARIUM worst: 2016 | 0.154 mg/L within near national p90 | 2 mg/L | '13'16'19 |
CHROMIUM worst: 2013 | 0.00142 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.1 mg/L | '13 |
COPPER worst: 2013 | 0.964 mg/L above national p90 | — | '13'16'19 |
LEAD worst: 2013 | 0.00863 mg/L | — | '13'16'19 |
DBAA worst: 2012 | 0.00291 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
DCAA worst: 2012 | 0.0106 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
TCAA worst: 2012 | 0.00673 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
BROMODICHLOROMETHANE worst: 2012 | 0.0139 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
BROMOFORM worst: 2012 | 0.00243 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
CHLOROFORM worst: 2012 | 0.0153 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
DIBROMOCHLOROMETHANE worst: 2012 | 0.0094 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
Radionuclides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross AlphaGross alpha particle activity — a combined measure of alpha-emitting radioactive substances. | 11MaximumTest Result | 15MCL | Within the limit |
+By source (2)— Test Result, of Test Results
| |||
| Combined RadiumCombined radium-226 and radium-228 — naturally occurring radioactive elements. | 1.05–2Rangeof Test Results | 5MCL | Within the limit |
+By source (2)— of Test Results, Test Result
| |||
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChloramineA longer-lasting disinfectant made by combining chlorine with ammonia. | 2.44Running annual avgSystem-wide | 4MRDL | Within the limit |
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TurbidityA measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. | 0.16Highest single sampleSystem-wide | 95Treatment technique | Within the limit |
Microbial
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total ColiformA group of bacteria used as an indicator of overall water-system sanitation. | 1Highest single sampleMonthly Positive Coliform Samples | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
People also ask about Lincoln, NE's water
+Is Lincoln, NE tap water safe to drink in 2025?
Every one of the 15 contaminants measured in Lincoln, NE's 2025 Consumer Confidence Report is below its federal limit. "Safe" under the EPA's drinking-water standards is health-based, not aesthetic — but by those standards, no measured contaminant in this report exceeds its enforceable threshold. Individual health concerns (e.g. immunocompromised, infant, pregnancy) may warrant additional filtering regardless of compliance.
+What contaminants are in Lincoln, NE tap water?
15 contaminants were measured in Lincoln, NE's 2025 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning metals, disinfection byproducts, and radionuclides. 11 have an enforceable federal limit; the rest are detected but unregulated. Every measured value, in the utility's own units, is on this page.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from Lincoln, NE's 2025 Consumer Confidence Report — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. public water utility is required by federal law to publish. The original source document is archived and viewable on this site. A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
+How often is Lincoln, NE's water quality data updated?
Each U.S. public water utility publishes one Consumer Confidence Report per year, covering the prior calendar year's measurements. This page reflects the 2025 report; a new report will replace it once the utility publishes its next annual update.