Manganese Contamination

Manganese in Michigan Drinking Water

Ranked by max manganese detected (µg/L) · UCMR 4 data (2018–2020) · Data from EPA SDWIS & UCMR

105

Cities Tested

Over SMCL

12%

% Over SMCL

26.9 µg/L

State Avg

▼ 6% vs national

vs National

351

Health Violations

Analysis

Manganese in Michigan: what the data shows

Michigan has 105 cities with manganese data from the EPA's UCMR 4 program (2018–2020). Manganese exceeded the 50 µg/L EPA secondary MCL in 13 of those cities. The state average max detected level is 26.9 µg/L. Manganese occurs naturally in groundwater and surface water. Elevated levels are common in areas with iron-rich geology and in systems that draw from reservoirs with low dissolved oxygen. The secondary MCL of 50 µg/L is based on aesthetic concerns (taste, staining), but health-based guidelines suggest neurological effects at higher concentrations. Emerging research links chronic manganese exposure in drinking water to neurodevelopmental effects in children, including reduced IQ and behavioral issues. Oxidation filtration and water softeners are effective at removing manganese from household water.

Comparison

Cities exceeding 50 µg/L EPA Secondary MCL

Michigan

12%

13 of 105 cities

← ▼ 6% below national rate (better)

National avg

18%

729 of 4068 cities

City Map

Manganese data across Michigan

Each dot is a city with UCMR 4 manganese testing data. Cities where manganese exceeds the 50 µg/L EPA secondary MCL are highlighted. Size reflects population served.

Worst Offenders

Top 10 cities by manganese level in Michigan

Highest Manganese levels (µg/L)

All Cities

All Michigan cities ranked by manganese level

#	City	Level	Over SMCL?	Violations	Grade
1	Springfield	485.1 µg/L	Over SMCL	3	B
2	Portage	352.5 µg/L	Over SMCL	1	B+
3	Kalamazoo	261.0 µg/L	Over SMCL	37	F
4	Niles	212.0 µg/L	Over SMCL	2	C
5	Sturgis	144.0 µg/L	Over SMCL	1	A
6	Ashley	124.3 µg/L	Over SMCL	2	A
7	Ionia	122.0 µg/L	Over SMCL	3	A
8	Jackson	121.0 µg/L	Over SMCL	13	D
9	Clarkston	116.4 µg/L	Over SMCL	10	B+
10	Mt Pleasant	110.0 µg/L	Over SMCL	0	C
11	East Lansing	98.5 µg/L	Over SMCL	12	F
12	Southfield	85.1 µg/L	Over SMCL	40	F
13	Battle Creek	53.3 µg/L	Over SMCL	15	F
14	Stanton	49.6 µg/L	No	0	A-
15	Coldwater	43.6 µg/L	No	27	F
16	Highland Park	36.0 µg/L	No	3	A-
17	Milford	33.0 µg/L	No	20	D
18	Genesee	32.4 µg/L	No	0	A-
19	Paw Paw	31.9 µg/L	No	2	A-
20	Wayne	30.1 µg/L	No	0	B-
21	Cadillac	26.3 µg/L	No	1	A
22	Waterford	26.0 µg/L	No	11	B
23	Taylor	21.6 µg/L	No	2	C
24	Burton	21.6 µg/L	No	2	A
25	Northport	19.0 µg/L	No	6	A-
26	Grand Ledge	18.9 µg/L	No	2	A-
27	Ypsilanti	17.2 µg/L	No	5	B+
28	Hazel Park	12.8 µg/L	No	0	A+
29	Flint	10.6 µg/L	No	29	D
30	Eastpointe	8.9 µg/L	No	0	A
31	New Baltimore	7.5 µg/L	No	1	A
32	Brownstown Twp	6.0 µg/L	No	0	A-
33	Mount Clemens	4.8 µg/L	No	3	B+
34	Grand Blanc	4.4 µg/L	No	26	F
35	Madison Heights	3.8 µg/L	No	0	B+
36	Allen Park	3.7 µg/L	No	4	B+
37	Macomb	3.6 µg/L	No	0	A
38	Lincoln Park	3.5 µg/L	No	0	B+
39	Boyne Falls	3.2 µg/L	No	1	C+
40	Romulus	2.7 µg/L	No	0	B+
41	Woodhaven	2.6 µg/L	No	0	A
42	Marshall	2.2 µg/L	No	0	A-
43	Garden City	2.2 µg/L	No	0	B
44	Port Huron	2.1 µg/L	No	0	A-
45	Fort Gratiot	2.0 µg/L	No	1	A
46	Hamtramck	1.9 µg/L	No	2	B-
47	Canton	1.8 µg/L	No	3	A
48	Ann Arbor	1.6 µg/L	No	39	D+
49	Warren	1.6 µg/L	No	0	A
50	Grosse Pointe Park	1.5 µg/L	No	1	B+
51	Sault Ste. Marie	1.4 µg/L	No	2	B-
52	Monroe	1.3 µg/L	No	6	C
53	East China	1.3 µg/L	No	0	A
54	Mount Pleasant	1.3 µg/L	No	1	B
55	Okemos	1.3 µg/L	No	10	B-
56	Dearborn Heights	1.2 µg/L	No	2	C+
57	Riverview	1.1 µg/L	No	0	A+
58	New Boston	1.0 µg/L	No	0	A-
59	Ira	1.0 µg/L	No	0	A
60	Melvindale	1.0 µg/L	No	2	A-
61	Trenton	0.9 µg/L	No	1	A-
62	Ferndale	0.9 µg/L	No	4	B
63	Harper Woods	0.9 µg/L	No	2	B
64	Dearborn	0.8 µg/L	No	0	A-
65	Sanford	0.8 µg/L	No	3	A-
66	Sterling Heights	0.8 µg/L	No	0	A
67	Birmingham	0.8 µg/L	No	17	F
68	Utica	0.8 µg/L	No	0	B+
69	Commerce Township	0.8 µg/L	No	0	A+
70	Alpena	0.7 µg/L	No	14	C-
71	Grosse Ile	0.7 µg/L	No	1	B-
72	Wyandotte	0.7 µg/L	No	0	B+
73	Livonia	0.7 µg/L	No	0	A
74	Belleville	0.7 µg/L	No	4	D
75	South Lyon	0.7 µg/L	No	1	B
76	Lansing	0.7 µg/L	No	13	C-
77	Detroit	0.7 µg/L	No	3	B+
78	Farmington	0.7 µg/L	No	2	A
79	Wyoming	0.7 µg/L	No	2	B-
80	Northville	0.6 µg/L	No	3	B+
81	Grosse Pointe Woods	0.6 µg/L	No	0	B
82	Auburn Hills	0.6 µg/L	No	1	B+
83	Southgate	0.6 µg/L	No	0	A-
84	Ada	0.6 µg/L	No	20	B
85	Marquette	0.6 µg/L	No	4	F
86	Inkster	0.6 µg/L	No	0	B
87	Royal Oak	0.6 µg/L	No	9	B
88	Saginaw	0.5 µg/L	No	3	A-
89	Jenison	0.5 µg/L	No	0	A-
90	Roseville	0.5 µg/L	No	0	A
91	Midland	0.5 µg/L	No	3	B+
92	Norton Shores	0.5 µg/L	No	0	A
93	Berkley	0.5 µg/L	No	0	A-
94	Wixom	0.5 µg/L	No	0	A
95	L'Anse	0.5 µg/L	No	2	A-
96	St. Clair Shores	0.5 µg/L	No	1	A
97	Oak Park	0.5 µg/L	No	0	A-
98	Grand Rapids	0.4 µg/L	No	10	B-
99	Chesterfield Township	0.4 µg/L	No	0	A-
100	Byron Center	0.4 µg/L	No	0	A+
101	Traverse City	0.4 µg/L	No	12	D+
102	Grosse Pointe Farms	0.4 µg/L	No	5	A-
103	Allendale	0.4 µg/L	No	0	A-
104	Plymouth	0.4 µg/L	No	0	A-
105	St. Joseph	0.4 µg/L	No	2	A

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about manganese in Michigan

Is manganese in Michigan tap water harmful?

The EPA secondary MCL for manganese is 50 µg/L, set primarily for aesthetic reasons (taste, color, staining). 13 cities in Michigan exceed the secondary MCL. However, emerging research links chronic manganese exposure above 50–100 µg/L to neurodevelopmental effects in children, including reduced IQ.

How can I remove manganese from my drinking water?

Oxidation filtration (such as greensand or birm filters) is the most common and effective method for removing manganese from well water. Water softeners using ion exchange also work well. Standard carbon filters provide limited manganese removal. If your water has a metallic taste or brown/black discoloration, manganese may be the cause.

What causes high manganese in Michigan water?

Manganese occurs naturally in groundwater and surface water, particularly in areas with iron-rich geology. Low dissolved oxygen conditions (common in deep wells and reservoir bottom waters) increase manganese solubility. Industrial sources include mining, steel production, and battery manufacturing. Seasonal changes in reservoir water chemistry can cause manganese spikes.

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