States › Michigan

Michigan Tap Water Quality 2026

EPA drinking water data for 1,181 cities across Michigan — covering lead levels, violation history, and compliance status.

Systems tracked: 790 Cities covered: 1,181 Updated: 2026 Q2
A

Michigan earns an A for overall water quality

1181 communities across 83 counties and 790 water systems. 97.7% have no open violations.

Median lead where detected: 2.00 ppb
33.9% of systems report lead as not detected — a state filing convention, not a water quality measure
PFAS tested at 37.8% of communities; 14 above the federal limit
Lead reported for 91.5% of communities
97.7% of communities have no open violations
Water Systems
790
Active community systems
Median Lead Level
2 ppb
13% of EPA action level
Fully Compliant
97.7%
of systems — no active violations
How we grade states Grades are based on actual EPA enforcement data — MCL violations and lead levels measured against the 15 ppb federal action level. We do not use MCLG-based detections, which are aspirational zero-tolerance goals that would make nearly every state look dangerous. Read our full methodology →

Best & Worst Cities in Michigan

✓ Cleanest Water
Calvin
Cass County
0.0 ppb B
Bronson
Branch County
2.0 ppb B
Rutland charter
Barry County
3.0 ppb A
Au Gres
Arenac County
4.0 ppb B
Lincoln
Arenac County
4.1 ppb B
Wilmot
Cheboygan County
0.0 ppb B
⚠ Needs Attention
Meyer
Menominee County
29.0 ppb D
Albee
Saginaw County
1.0 ppb D
Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo County
5.3 ppb D
Kalamazoo charter
Kalamazoo County
5.3 ppb D
Parchment
Kalamazoo County
5.3 ppb D
Cooper charter
Kalamazoo County
5.3 ppb D

Water Quality by County

83 of 83
Sort:
CountySystemsLead LevelViolationsGrade
Oakland County 51 3.1 ppb 0 A
Wayne County 42 6.0 ppb 0 A
Kent County 33 2.6 ppb 0 A
Berrien County 30 1.5 ppb 0 A
Genesee County 29 3.0 ppb 0 A
Allegan County 28 2.0 ppb 0 A
Saginaw County 27 1.9 ppb 0 A
Washtenaw County 24 4.1 ppb 0 A
St. Clair County 24 2.3 ppb 0 A
Macomb County 24 1.7 ppb 0 A

About Michigan Drinking Water

Michigan is served by 790 community water systems covering 1181 communities across 83 counties. 97.7% have no open violation on record.

Lead was detected in 715 communities, with a median of 2.00 ppb — 13% of the federal action level. A further 366 reported none detected. That share is a state reporting convention rather than a measure of water quality, so it is stated separately rather than averaged in.

PFAS has been tested at 37.8% of communities here, and 14 are above the limits EPA set in 2024. Coverage matters: states that test more find more, so this figure is not comparable with a state that has tested less.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Michigan tap water safe to drink? ▼
97.7% of communities have no open violation on record. 14 have PFAS above the federal limit set in 2024, which is the main open concern.
Does Michigan have a lead problem? ▼
54 water systems report a 90th-percentile lead result at or above the 15 ppb action level. The action level is a treatment trigger, not a legal maximum, and 366 communities report no detection at all.
How complete is the data for Michigan? ▼
Lead results are reported for 91.5% of communities and PFAS for 37.8%. Where a figure is missing it is shown as not reported rather than assumed safe.
How does Michigan compare with other states? ▼
We do not rank states against each other. Lead reporting completeness ranges from under 20% to 100% depending on the state, so a national ranking would compare filing practice rather than water quality.