HAA5 Contamination

HAA5 in Michigan Drinking Water

Ranked by average HAA5 concentration (µg/L) · UCMR 4 data (2018–2020) · Data from EPA SDWIS & UCMR

138

Cities Tested

Exceeds Limit

% Exceeds Limit

14.3 µg/L

State Avg

▼ 1% vs national

vs National

344

Health Violations

Analysis

HAA5 in Michigan: what the data shows

Michigan has 138 cities with HAA5 monitoring data from the EPA's UCMR 4 program (2018–2020). Haloacetic acids (HAA5) form when chlorine-based disinfectants react with natural organic matter in water. The state average is 14.3 µg/L — better than the 15.5 µg/L national average. No cities currently exceed the 60 µg/L EPA MCL. HAA5 is a group of five chlorinated and brominated acetic acids. Long-term exposure above the MCL is associated with increased cancer risk and adverse reproductive outcomes. The EPA classifies total HAA5 as a probable human carcinogen at elevated concentrations. Activated carbon filtration (especially granular or block carbon) is effective at reducing HAA5. Running water through a refrigerator filter or letting it sit in an open pitcher for 30 minutes also helps, as some HAA5 species are volatile. Boiling does not remove disinfection byproducts and may concentrate them.

Comparison

Cities exceeding 60 µg/L EPA MCL

Michigan

0 of 138 cities

← ▼ 1% below national rate (better)

National avg

23 of 4342 cities

City Map

HAA5 data across Michigan

Each dot is a city with UCMR 4 HAA5 testing data. Cities where average HAA5 exceeded the 60 µg/L EPA MCL are highlighted. Size reflects population served.

Worst Offenders

Top 10 cities by haa5 level in Michigan

Highest HAA5 levels (µg/L)

All Cities

All Michigan cities ranked by haa5 level

#	City	Level	Exceeds?	Violations	Grade
1	Escanaba	41.7 µg/L	No	0	A-
2	Bridgeport	34.6 µg/L	No	0	A+
3	Byron Center	33.5 µg/L	No	0	A+
4	Mount Clemens	32.0 µg/L	No	3	B+
5	Allendale	31.7 µg/L	No	0	A-
6	Ada	31.5 µg/L	No	20	B
7	Ira	29.2 µg/L	No	0	A
8	Midland	29.1 µg/L	No	3	B+
9	Saginaw	27.9 µg/L	No	3	A-
10	East China	25.5 µg/L	No	0	A
11	Grandville	25.2 µg/L	No	0	A-
12	Holland	24.9 µg/L	No	20	B-
13	Jenison	24.8 µg/L	No	0	A-
14	St Joseph	24.6 µg/L	No	2	A
15	Muskegon Heights	24.5 µg/L	No	2	B+
16	Kentwood	23.8 µg/L	No	3	B
17	Sault Ste. Marie	23.7 µg/L	No	2	B-
18	Grand Haven	22.4 µg/L	No	1	A-
19	Grand Rapids	22.1 µg/L	No	10	B-
20	East Grand Rapids	21.2 µg/L	No	0	B+
21	Bay City	21.0 µg/L	No	20	B
22	L'Anse	20.2 µg/L	No	2	A-
23	Madison Heights	20.2 µg/L	No	0	B+
24	Belleville	20.1 µg/L	No	4	D
25	Muskegon	19.9 µg/L	No	3	B
26	Oak Park	19.3 µg/L	No	0	A-
27	Norton Shores	19.2 µg/L	No	0	A
28	Canton	18.9 µg/L	No	3	A
29	Bloomfield Township	18.3 µg/L	No	0	A+
30	Grand Blanc	18.2 µg/L	No	26	F
31	Ypsilanti	18.2 µg/L	No	5	B+
32	Farmington Hills	17.8 µg/L	No	86	F
33	Northport	17.7 µg/L	No	6	A-
34	Monroe	17.6 µg/L	No	6	C
35	Dearborn Heights	17.5 µg/L	No	2	C+
36	Southfield	17.3 µg/L	No	40	F
37	Romulus	17.0 µg/L	No	0	B+
38	Genesee	17.0 µg/L	No	0	A-
39	Washington	17.0 µg/L	No	0	A
40	Rochester Hills	16.9 µg/L	No	0	A-
41	Northville	16.9 µg/L	No	3	B+
42	St. Clair Shores	16.8 µg/L	No	1	A
43	Redford	16.6 µg/L	No	1	B
44	Highland Park	16.6 µg/L	No	3	A-
45	Commerce Township	16.5 µg/L	No	0	A+
46	Royal Oak	16.5 µg/L	No	9	B
47	Burton	16.3 µg/L	No	2	A
48	Macomb	16.2 µg/L	No	0	A
49	Warren	16.0 µg/L	No	0	A
50	Fraser	15.8 µg/L	No	0	A-
51	Sanford	15.6 µg/L	No	3	A-
52	Alpena	15.4 µg/L	No	14	C-
53	Farmington	15.4 µg/L	No	2	A
54	Dearborn	15.2 µg/L	No	0	A-
55	Taylor	15.2 µg/L	No	2	C
56	Wayne	15.2 µg/L	No	0	B-
57	New Baltimore	15.1 µg/L	No	1	A
58	Flint	15.1 µg/L	No	29	D
59	Kalamazoo	15.0 µg/L	No	37	F
60	Chesterfield Township	14.9 µg/L	No	0	A-
61	Sterling Heights	14.8 µg/L	No	0	A
62	Troy	14.8 µg/L	No	10	B-
63	Harrison Township	14.8 µg/L	No	0	A
64	Allen Park	14.7 µg/L	No	4	B+
65	Adrian	14.5 µg/L	No	46	F
66	Wyandotte	14.4 µg/L	No	0	B+
67	Auburn Hills	14.4 µg/L	No	1	B+
68	West Bloomfield	14.4 µg/L	No	21	F
69	Plymouth	14.3 µg/L	No	0	A-
70	Clinton Township	14.2 µg/L	No	1	B+
71	Novi	14.1 µg/L	No	9	C
72	Clawson	14.0 µg/L	No	0	B+
73	Berkley	13.9 µg/L	No	0	A-
74	Port Huron	13.8 µg/L	No	0	A-
75	Fort Gratiot	13.8 µg/L	No	1	A
76	Detroit	13.6 µg/L	No	3	B+
77	Traverse City	13.6 µg/L	No	12	D+
78	Riverview	13.5 µg/L	No	0	A+
79	Beverly Hills	13.4 µg/L	No	0	A-
80	Lake Orion	13.3 µg/L	No	0	A-
81	Trenton	13.2 µg/L	No	1	A-
82	Roseville	13.2 µg/L	No	0	A
83	Inkster	13.2 µg/L	No	0	B
84	Shelby Township	13.1 µg/L	No	6	D
85	Hazel Park	13.1 µg/L	No	0	A+
86	Utica	13.1 µg/L	No	0	B+
87	Grosse Pointe Woods	12.8 µg/L	No	0	B
88	Melvindale	12.8 µg/L	No	2	A-
89	Hamtramck	12.8 µg/L	No	2	B-
90	Pontiac	12.7 µg/L	No	2	A
91	Garden City	12.0 µg/L	No	0	B
92	Birmingham	12.0 µg/L	No	17	F
93	Livonia	11.8 µg/L	No	0	A
94	Eastpointe	11.7 µg/L	No	0	A
95	Lincoln Park	11.6 µg/L	No	0	B+
96	Woodhaven	11.6 µg/L	No	0	A
97	Ferndale	11.4 µg/L	No	4	B
98	Grosse Ile	11.3 µg/L	No	1	B-
99	Brownstown Twp	11.0 µg/L	No	0	A-
100	Wixom	11.0 µg/L	No	0	A
101	Owosso	11.0 µg/L	No	15	C+
102	Grand Ledge	10.2 µg/L	No	2	A-
103	Marquette	10.1 µg/L	No	4	F
104	Grosse Pointe Farms	9.9 µg/L	No	5	A-
105	Mount Pleasant	9.6 µg/L	No	1	B+
106	Springfield	9.4 µg/L	No	3	B
107	Coldwater	9.2 µg/L	No	27	F
108	South Lyon	9.0 µg/L	No	1	B
109	Battle Creek	9.0 µg/L	No	15	F
110	Southgate	8.6 µg/L	No	0	A-
111	Ionia	8.3 µg/L	No	3	A
112	New Boston	8.2 µg/L	No	0	A-
113	Almont	8.0 µg/L	No	1	A
114	Harper Woods	7.6 µg/L	No	2	B
115	Jackson	7.1 µg/L	No	13	D
116	East Lansing	6.7 µg/L	No	12	F
117	Ann Arbor	6.6 µg/L	No	39	D+
118	Marshall	5.4 µg/L	No	0	A-
119	Waterford	5.3 µg/L	No	11	B
120	Big Rapids	4.7 µg/L	No	3	B+
121	Okemos	4.5 µg/L	No	10	B-
122	Fenton	4.4 µg/L	No	5	D
123	Brighton	4.2 µg/L	No	25	F
124	Mt Pleasant	4.0 µg/L	No	0	C
125	Niles	3.7 µg/L	No	2	C
126	Clarkston	3.5 µg/L	No	10	B+
127	Ashley	2.9 µg/L	No	2	A
128	Grosse Pointe Park	2.6 µg/L	No	1	B+
129	Portage	2.5 µg/L	No	1	B+
130	Osceola	2.4 µg/L	No	3	A
131	Osceola	2.4 µg/L	No	3	A
132	Paw Paw	2.2 µg/L	No	2	A-
133	Lansing	2.1 µg/L	No	13	C-
134	Stanton	0.7 µg/L	No	0	A-
135	Cadillac	0.5 µg/L	No	1	A
136	Milford	0.5 µg/L	No	20	D
137	Sturgis	0.3 µg/L	No	1	A
138	Boyne Falls	0.0 µg/L	No	1	C+

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about haa5 in Michigan

What is HAA5 and why does it appear in Michigan tap water?

HAA5 (haloacetic acids) are disinfection byproducts that form when chlorine reacts with naturally occurring organic matter in source water. They are a normal byproduct of the disinfection process that makes water safe to drink. No cities in Michigan currently exceed the 60 µg/L EPA MCL. The state average is 14.3 µg/L.

How can I reduce HAA5 exposure from Michigan drinking water?

Activated carbon filters (granular or block) effectively reduce HAA5. Refrigerator filters and under-sink carbon systems are convenient options. Unlike lead or PFAS, HAA5 levels can also be reduced by letting water stand in an open container, as some species evaporate. Boiling does NOT remove HAA5 and can concentrate them by reducing water volume.

Which Michigan cities have the highest HAA5 levels?

The cities with the highest average HAA5 concentrations in Michigan are: Escanaba (41.7 µg/L), Bridgeport (34.6 µg/L), Byron Center (33.5 µg/L), Mount Clemens (32.0 µg/L), Allendale (31.7 µg/L). Note: this data is from UCMR 4 testing (2018–2020) and may not reflect current levels.

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