Lead Contamination

Lead in Nebraska Drinking Water

Ranked by 90th percentile lead level (ppb) · Data from EPA SDWIS & UCMR

196

Cities Tested

Exceeds Limit

% Exceeds Limit

2.7 ppb

State Avg

▼ 0% vs national

vs National

191

Health Violations

Analysis

Lead in Nebraska: what the data shows

Nebraska has 196 cities with lead monitoring data, with very few cities exceeding the EPA action level of 15 ppb. The state average 90th percentile lead level is 2.7 ppb, compared to 3.3 ppb nationally — better than the national average. 4 cities exceed the 15 ppb action level. High lead levels in tap water typically indicate aging infrastructure — lead service lines, lead solder in older plumbing, or lead-containing brass fixtures. There is no safe level of lead exposure for children. The 90th percentile measurement means that 90% of tap samples in a city are at or below the reported level. This is the standard EPA uses under the Lead and Copper Rule to determine if a water system needs to take corrective action. An NSF 53-certified pitcher or under-sink filter can effectively remove lead at the tap.

Comparison

Cities exceeding 15 ppb EPA Action Level

Nebraska

4 of 196 cities

← = Exactly at national rate

National avg

352 of 15325 cities

City Map

Lead data across Nebraska

Each dot is a city, colored by overall water quality grade. Cities with lead levels above the 15 ppb EPA action level are highlighted. Size reflects population served.

Worst Offenders

Top 10 cities by lead level in Nebraska

Highest Lead levels (ppb)

All Cities

All Nebraska cities ranked by lead level

#	City	Level	Exceeds?	Violations	Grade
1	Papillion	35.2 ppb	Yes	17	C+
2	Gibbon	17.9 ppb	Yes	18	B
3	Ceresco	16.0 ppb	Yes	3	B
4	Niobrara	15.1 ppb	Yes	27	C
5	Beaver City	14.4 ppb	No	2	B+
6	Omaha	12.3 ppb	No	14	C-
7	Mccook	12.1 ppb	No	35	B-
8	Waterloo	11.7 ppb	No	0	B+
9	Wisner	11.1 ppb	No	45	D+
10	Kennard	9.6 ppb	No	17	B
11	Friend	9.4 ppb	No	9	A-
12	Stromsburg	9.1 ppb	No	7	B
13	Gretna	8.1 ppb	No	30	C+
14	Juniata	7.7 ppb	No	5	B+
15	North Platte	7.6 ppb	No	36	C+
16	Chadron	7.0 ppb	No	29	D+
17	Hay Springs	6.3 ppb	No	5	B+
18	Hastings	6.0 ppb	No	14	B-
19	Superior	5.8 ppb	No	5	A
20	Pawnee City (Rr Name Pawnee)	5.2 ppb	No	4	A
21	Lincoln	5.1 ppb	No	64	C-
22	Holdrege	5.0 ppb	No	16	A
23	Falls City	5.0 ppb	No	3	A
24	Scottsbluff	4.9 ppb	No	20	A-
25	Osceola	4.7 ppb	No	2	B+
26	Peru	4.4 ppb	No	3	A-
27	Aurora	4.3 ppb	No	8	A-
28	Arapahoe	4.2 ppb	No	19	A-
29	Pawnee City	4.1 ppb	No	4	A
30	Bloomfield	3.9 ppb	No	5	A-
31	North Bend	3.8 ppb	No	3	A-
32	Franklin	3.8 ppb	No	11	A
33	Wakefield	3.5 ppb	No	7	B+
34	Ponca	3.5 ppb	No	48	C+
35	Palmyra	3.5 ppb	No	6	B+
36	Sutton	3.3 ppb	No	7	A-
37	Union	3.3 ppb	No	23	B+
38	Louisville	3.3 ppb	No	2	B
39	Elmwood	3.3 ppb	No	5	B+
40	Mitchell	3.1 ppb	No	7	A-
41	Arnold	3.1 ppb	No	3	A
42	York	3.1 ppb	No	42	C-
43	Axtell	3.1 ppb	No	28	B+
44	Syracuse	3.0 ppb	No	11	A
45	St Paul	3.0 ppb	No	3	A+
46	Dodge	3.0 ppb	No	12	A-
47	Lexington	2.9 ppb	No	31	B-
48	Neligh	2.9 ppb	No	16	A
49	Henderson	2.8 ppb	No	32	B+
50	Curtis	2.8 ppb	No	1	B+
51	Murray	2.8 ppb	No	3	A
52	Gering	2.7 ppb	No	36	B+
53	Scribner	2.7 ppb	No	1	B+
54	Oakland	2.7 ppb	No	5	B+
55	West Point	2.6 ppb	No	5	A-
56	Wausa	2.6 ppb	No	3	A
57	Sutherland	2.5 ppb	No	6	A
58	Hickman	2.5 ppb	No	13	A
59	Ravenna	2.5 ppb	No	9	A
60	Creighton	2.5 ppb	No	7	A-
61	Loup City	2.5 ppb	No	11	A
62	Alma	2.4 ppb	No	13	A
63	Genoa	2.4 ppb	No	5	A-
64	Alda	2.4 ppb	No	40	B
65	Coleridge	2.4 ppb	No	10	A-
66	Schuyler	2.3 ppb	No	21	A-
67	Wayne	2.3 ppb	No	18	A-
68	Auburn	2.3 ppb	No	14	A-
69	Pierce	2.3 ppb	No	5	A-
70	Broken Bow	2.2 ppb	No	5	A
71	Tekamah	2.2 ppb	No	10	A
72	Oxford	2.2 ppb	No	9	A
73	Cozad	2.2 ppb	No	4	A+
74	Overton	2.1 ppb	No	9	A+
75	Dorchester	2.1 ppb	No	15	A
76	Albion	2.1 ppb	No	16	B+
77	Kenesaw	2.1 ppb	No	12	A-
78	St. Edward	2.1 ppb	No	9	A-
79	Seward	2.0 ppb	No	25	A-
80	Valley	2.0 ppb	No	4	A-
81	Wymore	2.0 ppb	No	18	A-
82	Plainview	2.0 ppb	No	27	C
83	Eagle	2.0 ppb	No	12	A-
84	Randolph	2.0 ppb	No	9	A
85	Culbertson	2.0 ppb	No	11	A
86	Grand Island	2.0 ppb	No	4	B
87	Cedar Bluffs	2.0 ppb	No	12	A-
88	Atkinson	1.9 ppb	No	17	A
89	Lyons	1.9 ppb	No	4	A-
90	Dakota City	1.9 ppb	No	1	A-
91	Wilber	1.9 ppb	No	4	A-
92	Callaway	1.9 ppb	No	16	A
93	Plattsmouth	1.9 ppb	No	2	B
94	Fairbury	1.9 ppb	No	5	A-
95	Tecumseh	1.8 ppb	No	15	A-
96	Beatrice	1.7 ppb	No	15	A-
97	Milford	1.7 ppb	No	45	B
98	Blue Hill	1.7 ppb	No	4	A
99	Elm Creek	1.7 ppb	No	3	A
100	Osmond	1.7 ppb	No	33	B+
101	Ashland	1.7 ppb	No	8	B
102	Trenton	1.7 ppb	No	6	B+
103	Sidney	1.6 ppb	No	28	A
104	Shelton	1.6 ppb	No	9	A-
105	Harvard	1.6 ppb	No	3	A
106	Bassett	1.6 ppb	No	8	A
107	Crete	1.6 ppb	No	4	A+
108	Doniphan	1.5 ppb	No	5	A-
109	Bennet (Bennett)	1.5 ppb	No	13	A-
110	Waverly	1.5 ppb	No	11	A-
111	Geneva	1.5 ppb	No	1	A+
112	Hebron	1.5 ppb	No	8	A-
113	Terrytown	1.5 ppb	No	18	A-
114	Oshkosh	1.5 ppb	No	10	A
115	Arlington	1.4 ppb	No	2	A
116	Gothenburg	1.4 ppb	No	2	A-
117	Fullerton	1.4 ppb	No	14	B+
118	Norfolk	1.4 ppb	No	5	B+
119	Hartington	1.4 ppb	No	7	A
120	Hershey	1.4 ppb	No	0	A-
121	Indianola	1.4 ppb	No	30	A-
122	Columbus	1.4 ppb	No	75	F
123	Adams	1.3 ppb	No	5	B+
124	Crawford	1.2 ppb	No	14	A-
125	Central City	1.2 ppb	No	11	A-
126	Ord	1.2 ppb	No	1	A
127	Humboldt	1.2 ppb	No	122	B-
128	Burwell	1.2 ppb	No	7	A+
129	Homer	1.2 ppb	No	9	A
130	O'Neill	1.1 ppb	No	24	A-
131	Chappell	1.1 ppb	No	13	A
132	South Sioux City	1.1 ppb	No	2	B+
133	Minden	1.1 ppb	No	3	A-
134	Valentine	1.1 ppb	No	1	A
135	Laurel	1.1 ppb	No	27	A-
136	Shelby	1.1 ppb	No	9	A
137	Valparaiso	1.1 ppb	No	3	A-
138	Mead	1.1 ppb	No	5	A-
139	Hemingford	1.0 ppb	No	13	A
140	Exeter	1.0 ppb	No	1	A-
141	Madison	1.0 ppb	No	3	A+
142	Cambridge	1.0 ppb	No	37	A-
143	Rushville	1.0 ppb	No	8	A-
144	Verdigre	1.0 ppb	No	8	A
145	Sargent	1.0 ppb	No	17	A-
146	Alliance	1.0 ppb	No	24	A
147	David City	1.0 ppb	No	0	A+
148	Bertrand	0.9 ppb	No	13	A
149	Fremont	0.9 ppb	No	51	C+
150	Hooper	0.9 ppb	No	12	A-
151	Bridgeport	0.8 ppb	No	30	A-
152	Spencer	0.8 ppb	No	35	A-
153	Imperial	0.8 ppb	No	3	A+
154	Fairmont	0.8 ppb	No	4	A-
155	Howells	0.8 ppb	No	23	B+
156	Macy	0.8 ppb	No	10	B-
157	Humphrey	0.7 ppb	No	57	B
158	Weeping Water	0.7 ppb	No	7	A
159	Gordon	0.7 ppb	No	8	A
160	Ogallala	0.7 ppb	No	22	A
161	Crofton	0.7 ppb	No	53	B-
162	De Witt	0.6 ppb	No	8	A-
163	Grant	0.6 ppb	No	3	A+
164	Beemer	0.6 ppb	No	30	B+
165	Ainsworth	0.6 ppb	No	17	A
166	Springfield	0.5 ppb	No	18	A
167	Winnebago	0.5 ppb	No	22	A-
168	Nebraska City	0.5 ppb	No	6	A-
169	Benkelman	0.5 ppb	No	67	B+
170	Wahoo	0.5 ppb	No	15	B+
171	Kearney	0.0 ppb	No	45	C+
172	Blair	0.0 ppb	No	51	C+
173	Kimball	0.0 ppb	No	0	A+
174	Stanton	0.0 ppb	No	19	B+
175	Yutan	0.0 ppb	No	8	A+
176	Wood River	0.0 ppb	No	4	A-
177	Bayard	0.0 ppb	No	57	A-
178	Battle Creek	0.0 ppb	No	14	A
179	Red Cloud	0.0 ppb	No	6	A
180	Fort Calhoun	0.0 ppb	No	2	A+
181	Tilden	0.0 ppb	No	13	A-
182	Morrill	0.0 ppb	No	31	A
183	Utica	0.0 ppb	No	4	A+
184	Minatare	0.0 ppb	No	41	A-
185	Cairo	0.0 ppb	No	11	A
186	Deshler	0.0 ppb	No	9	A-
187	Bellevue	0.0 ppb	No	0	A+
188	Clay Center	0.0 ppb	No	7	A
189	Elwood	0.0 ppb	No	21	B
190	Newman Grove	0.0 ppb	No	8	A-
191	Elgin	0.0 ppb	No	16	A
192	Firth	0.0 ppb	No	9	B-
193	Clarkson	0.0 ppb	No	13	A
194	Greenwood	0.0 ppb	No	17	A-
195	Wauneta	0.0 ppb	No	30	B+
196	Cortland	0.0 ppb	No	14	A

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about lead in Nebraska

Is lead in Nebraska tap water a concern?

Yes — 4 of 196 cities with lead data exceed the EPA action level of 15 ppb. The state average is 2.7 ppb. Even below the action level, lead poses health risks especially for children and pregnant women. If your home was built before 1986, consider testing your tap water directly.

How can I reduce lead exposure from Nebraska tap water?

Use an NSF 53-certified water filter, which is specifically certified to reduce lead. Run your cold tap for 30 seconds before drinking or cooking, especially if water has been sitting in pipes for hours. Never use hot tap water for cooking or making baby formula, as heat increases lead leaching from pipes.

Which Nebraska cities have the highest lead levels?

The cities with the highest 90th percentile lead levels in Nebraska are: Papillion (35.2 ppb), Gibbon (17.9 ppb), Ceresco (16.0 ppb), Niobrara (15.1 ppb), Beaver City (14.4 ppb). See the full ranked table above.

More contaminants