01The verdict: is Deerfield water safe?
Deerfield's tap water meets most EPA standards but has areas that warrant attention. With a grade of C (61.2/100), some contaminant levels or compliance issues suggest that residents may benefit from additional filtration. The city's 1 water system serves approximately 943 residents using surface water (rivers, lakes, or reservoirs).
2 unresolved violations on record
EPA records show open compliance items for this system. Most are administrative, but unresolved items are worth watching.
See what was cited ↓Monitoring is on schedule
The system is meeting its EPA monitoring and reporting requirements — testing is happening when it should.
See the score ↓19 violations in the last five years
Recent compliance history is the best predictor of future problems — the year-by-year record is below.
See the record ↓Deerfield's drinking water received a grade of C (61.2 out of 100), indicating fair water quality. The city's 1 water system serves approximately 943 residents using surface water.
Lead data is not currently available for this system. This system has not yet been tested for PFAS under the EPA UCMR 5 program. The system has 131 violations on record, including 91 health-based violations. 2 remain unresolved.
Deerfield ranks #464 out of 513 cities in Michigan for water quality, placing it among the lowest-rated in the state. The city draws from surface water sources, which are more susceptible to seasonal runoff and agricultural contamination, requiring extensive multi-barrier treatment including coagulation, filtration, and disinfection. As a small community water system, Deerfield may have fewer resources for advanced treatment technologies and infrastructure upgrades compared to larger utilities. The system has seen 19 violations in the past five years, suggesting a pattern of compliance challenges that residents should monitor closely.
02What's in Deerfield's water
Every contaminant flagged in Deerfield, on one shared scale: distance to its own legal limit. The red line is the limit — anything past it is out of compliance, and the closer a bar gets, the less headroom the system has.
No contaminants were measured above screening thresholds in the most recent EPA sampling data for this system. The full testing table below lists everything checked.
Full contaminants report
No contaminant data available for this city.
Cities ranked by 90th-percentile lead PF PFAS in Michigan
Cities ranked by compounds detected Cu Copper in Michigan
Cities ranked by 90th-percentile copper
03Deerfield's ten-year track record
Each box is one year. A green check means no EPA violations; a numbered badge counts that year's violations — red if any were health-based, amber if they were monitoring or paperwork issues. The system has 131 violations on record, including 91 health-based violations. 2 remain unresolved.
4 of the last ten years were clean. The numbered years had EPA violations — red when any were health-based, amber when they were paperwork or missed-testing issues.
04Where Deerfield's water comes from
Deerfield's drinking water comes primarily from surface water sources such as rivers, lakes, or reservoirs.
Surface Water
Rivers, lakes, or reservoirs — more exposed to runoff, agriculture, and seasonal swings than groundwater.
Local treatment
Multi-barrier treatment: coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection to meet EPA standards.
1 system
1 water system, operated under local government ownership.
943 people
Residents served across Deerfield's service area.
Surface water systems require multi-stage treatment including coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection to meet EPA Safe Drinking Water Act standards. These sources can be impacted by seasonal changes, stormwater runoff, upstream agriculture, and industrial discharge. The system is operated by local government ownership and serves approximately 943 people through 1 water system.
| System name | PWSID | Population | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| DEERFIELD | MI0001770 | 943 | Surface Water |
05Pressure on Deerfield's watershed
Outside forces that shape what reaches the treatment plant. None of these is a verdict on the tap by itself — but each adds pressure worth knowing about.
Industrial discharge
1 facility within 10 miles reported 0 lb released to surface water in the latest EPA Toxics Release Inventory. Proximity doesn't equal tap contamination — treatment and hydrology decide — but it's pressure on the watershed.
Flood & storm history
1 federal disaster declaration on record for Lenawee County. Flooding and severe storms can overwhelm treatment plants, cause sewage overflows, and push runoff into supplies.
06How Deerfield compares
Scores for nearby Michigan cities on one line, with the average marked.
dashed line = Michigan average (70/100)
Deerfield scores 61.2/100 — below the Michigan average of 70/100. It outscores 4 of 10 nearby cities. Full Michigan rankings →
84.1 / 100BGrand Rapids, MI
70.2 / 100DAnn Arbor, MI
51.5 / 100CLansing, MI
57.3 / 100FKalamazoo, MI
35 / 100DFlint, MI
45.8 / 100
Compare all cities in the county — grades, violations, and contaminant data side by side.→
07What to do at home
Steps matched to what testing actually found in Deerfield's water — not generic advice.
A basic carbon filter still helps
Deerfield's water meets federal standards, but a simple carbon filter improves taste and adds a margin of safety against short-term issues.
Compare tested filters →Read your utility's annual report
Every utility must publish a yearly Consumer Confidence Report with its own testing results. It pairs well with the independent data on this page.
How to read a CCR →Watch for Deerfield alerts
We refresh EPA data monthly and surface new violations, advisories, and boil-water notices for your county on this page.
All water alerts →Frequently asked questions
Is Deerfield, MI tap water safe to drink?
Deerfield's water quality earned a grade of C (61.2/100). Some concerns have been identified. Consider a water filter for an extra layer of protection. The city ranks #464 out of 513 cities tested in Michigan.
What contaminants are in Deerfield's water?
131 violations are on record.
How is Deerfield's water quality grade calculated?
The grade is based on four factors: violation history (40%), lead and copper levels (25%), PFAS contamination (25%), and regulatory compliance (10%). The score is also adjusted based on how complete the available data is. See our methodology page for full details.
Do I need a water filter in Deerfield?
Based on current data, basic filtration should suffice for additional peace of mind.
Where does Deerfield's water come from?
Deerfield's water is sourced from Surface water. The city has 1 water system serving approximately 943 residents.
What health violations has Deerfield's water system had?
Deerfield has 91 health-based violations on record. The most recent violation was recorded in April 2025. Health-based violations mean the water exceeded EPA maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for a regulated substance. 2 violations remain unresolved.
How does Deerfield's water compare to other cities?
Deerfield ranks #464 out of 513 cities in Michigan (better than 10% of state cities) and #11811 out of 15382 cities nationally (23th percentile). The grade of C reflects the combined assessment of violation history, lead and copper levels, PFAS contamination, and regulatory compliance.
Does Deerfield's small water system affect quality?
Deerfield's system serves approximately 943 residents. Small community water systems (under 3,300 people) may have fewer financial resources for infrastructure upgrades and advanced treatment technologies. However, they are held to the same EPA drinking water standards as larger systems. This system has 131 violations on record.