01The verdict: is Madison water safe?
Madison's tap water meets most EPA standards but has areas that warrant attention. With a grade of A- (85.7/100), some contaminant levels or compliance issues suggest that residents may benefit from additional filtration. The city's 1 water system serves approximately 554 residents using surface water (rivers, lakes, or reservoirs).
1 unresolved violation on record
EPA records show an open compliance item for this system. Most are administrative, but unresolved items are worth watching.
See what was cited ↓Lead is well under the limit
90th-percentile lead is 2.0 ppb — beneath the 15 ppb federal action level and under the 5 ppb watch threshold.
See the trend ↓Check back after the next refresh
EPA data updates on a rolling basis; we fold in new samples and violations every month.
Get alerts ↓Madison's drinking water received a grade of A- (85.7 out of 100), indicating good water quality. The city's 1 water system serves approximately 554 residents using purchased surface water.
Lead levels were measured at 2.0 ppb (90th percentile), well within EPA limits. This system has not yet been tested for PFAS under the EPA UCMR 5 program. The system has 1 violation on record, including 0 health-based violations. 1 remains unresolved.
Madison ranks #206 out of 487 cities in Missouri for water quality, placing it mid-range 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, Madison may have fewer resources for advanced treatment technologies and infrastructure upgrades compared to larger utilities.
02What's in Madison's water
Every contaminant flagged in Madison, 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.
Full contaminants report
| Contaminant | Detected Level | EPA Limit | Unit | Category | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lead (90th percentile) LeadHeavy Metal A toxic heavy metal that can leach into drinking water from older pipes, solder, and fixtures. No amount of lead in water is considered safe. Health EffectsBrain and nervous system damage in children, kidney damage, high blood pressure, and reproductive problems in adults. EPA Limit15 ppb action level Common SourcesCorrosion of lead pipes, lead solder, brass faucets, and household plumbing. | 2.0 | 15 | ppb | Inorganic | Safe |
Cities ranked by 90th-percentile lead PF PFAS in Missouri
Cities ranked by compounds detected Cu Copper in Missouri
Cities ranked by 90th-percentile copper
03Madison'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 1 violation on record, including 0 health-based violations. 1 remains unresolved.
All ten of the last ten years were clean — no EPA violations recorded for Madison.
▼ Down 52 ppb since 1993. Latest reading: 2.0 ppb (2025) — 13% of the action level. Sampled at higher-risk homes (90th percentile).
04Where Madison's water comes from
Madison's drinking water comes primarily from surface water sources such as rivers, lakes, or reservoirs.
Purchased Surface Water
Rivers, lakes, or reservoirs — more exposed to runoff, agriculture, and seasonal swings than groundwater.
Wholesale supplier
Multi-barrier treatment: coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection to meet EPA standards.
1 system
1 water system, operated under local government ownership.
554 people
Residents served across Madison'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 554 people through 1 water system.
| System name | PWSID | Population | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| MADISON PWS | MO2010488 | 554 | Purchased Surface Water |
Water bodies near Madison
As a surface-water system, these water bodies may directly influence Madison's drinking water supply.
05Pressure on Madison'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.
Flood & storm history
2 federal disaster declarations on record for Monroe County. Flooding and severe storms can overwhelm treatment plants, cause sewage overflows, and push runoff into supplies.
06How Madison compares
Scores for nearby Missouri cities on one line, with the average marked.
dashed line = Missouri average (67/100)
Madison scores 85.7/100 — above the Missouri average of 67/100. It outscores 8 of 10 nearby cities. Full Missouri rankings →
74.8 / 100BKansas City, MO
79.2 / 100FSpringfield, MO
37.1 / 100CColumbia, MO
61.4 / 100FO Fallon, MO
43.4 / 100FDes Peres, MO
36.6 / 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 Madison's water — not generic advice.
A basic carbon filter still helps
Madison'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 Madison 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 Madison, MO tap water safe to drink?
Madison's water quality earned a grade of A- (85.7/100). The water generally meets EPA standards and is considered safe for consumption. The city ranks #206 out of 487 cities tested in Missouri.
What contaminants are in Madison's water?
Lead was measured at 2.0 ppb (90th percentile). 1 violation is on record.
How is Madison'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 Madison?
Based on current data, basic filtration should suffice for additional peace of mind.
Where does Madison's water come from?
Madison's water is sourced from Purchased surface water. The city has 1 water system serving approximately 554 residents.
How does Madison's water compare to other cities?
Madison ranks #206 out of 487 cities in Missouri (better than 58% of state cities) and #5164 out of 15382 cities nationally (66th percentile). The grade of A- reflects the combined assessment of violation history, lead and copper levels, PFAS contamination, and regulatory compliance.
Does Madison's small water system affect quality?
Madison's system serves approximately 554 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 1 violation on record.