Wisconsin
Rhinelander
Your water system exceeds federal PFAS limits. We recommend taking action.
- Population served
- 8.2K
- Systems tested
- 1
- Compounds detected
- 29
- Above federal limits
- 1
Source: EPA UCMR 5 · Samples collected 2023–2026
What was found in Rhinelander’s water
1 PFAS compound exceeds federal drinking water limits in Rhinelander’s water supply.
RHINELANDER WATER & WASTEWATER
Serves 8.2K people · GW
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
This compound is monitored under UCMR 5 but has no enforceable EPA drinking water limit yet.
About PFAS contamination in Rhinelander
## Summary
Rhinelander's municipal water system has received a D grade for PFAS contamination, indicating that at least one chemical has been detected above federal safety limits. Testing of the Rhinelander Water & Wastewater system found PFOA — a well-studied "forever chemical" — at 6.37 parts per trillion, roughly 1.6 times the EPA's maximum allowable limit of 4 parts per trillion. Beyond PFOA, testing identified 14 additional PFAS compounds in the system, though concentrations for those were not reported in available data. Contamination is attributed to industrial and municipal sources, and the Wisconsin DNR has an active investigation underway as part of a broader statewide PFAS cluster.
## What the data shows
Rhinelander's single water system, Rhinelander Water & Wastewater, serves the city's approximately 7,700 residents and is the source of the D grade. PFOA is the only compound with a confirmed concentration on record — 6.37 parts per trillion against a federal limit of 4 parts per trillion. Fourteen other PFAS compounds were detected but lack reported concentration figures, meaning the full scope of contamination is not yet clear from publicly available data. No second water system exists in this dataset to compare against.
## What residents should know
Residents concerned about their tap water should consider using a certified water filter — NSF/ANSI Standard 58 reverse osmosis systems and NSF/ANSI Standard 53 activated carbon filters are both effective at reducing PFAS levels. The Wisconsin DNR investigation is ongoing, so conditions may change; residents should contact Rhinelander Water & Wastewater directly for the most current testing results and any utility-level guidance.
About this summary: Narrative text on this page was drafted by an AI model (claude-sonnet-4-6) from EPA UCMR 5 data and reviewed before publication. The numeric data above is reported by water utilities directly to the EPA. If you spot an error, email data@checkyourwater.org.
What Rhinelander residents can do
Rhinelander's water exceeds federal PFAS limits. We recommend residents take action:
- Install a reverse osmosis (RO) or activated-carbon water filter certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 or 58 for PFAS reduction. RO systems remove the widest range of PFAS compounds.
- Do NOT boil your water to remove PFAS — boiling concentrates them.
- Request your most recent Consumer Confidence Report from your utility and ask when PFAS treatment will be installed.
- Contact your local elected officials and water utility board to demand a remediation timeline.
- Get independent water testing through services like Tap Score (mytapscore.com) if you want to verify your in-home levels.
- Talk to your healthcare provider about PFAS exposure — especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or have young children.
Primary contamination source: Industrial/municipal sources
Settlement information: Active WI DNR investigation; part of statewide PFAS cluster
How Rhinelander compares
Rhinelander is one of 2 communities we track in Wisconsin where PFAS levels exceed federal limits.
Where this data comes from
- Testing program: EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle (UCMR 5)
- Testing period: 2023–2026
- Federal limits: EPA Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) finalized April 2024
- Methodology: Read how we calculate grades
- Raw EPA data: EPA UCMR Occurrence Data
This data reflects EPA testing. Your water utility may have more recent results — contact them directly for the most current information.