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Water Quality Technical Report — DELLS CLUB CONDO ASSOC 3, WI

PWSID
WI7010425
Population
75
Source
Groundwater
Data Period
Last Updated
Wisconsin Dells Water Quality Overview

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Summary

DELLS CLUB CONDO ASSOC 3 serves approximately 75 people in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. Based on contaminant analyses from WQP, EPA ECHO, the most recent monitoring readings are within federal EPA standards (MCL), but this system has active MCL violations on record for 4 contaminants. 2 contaminants exceed health-based guidelines. The most significant finding is Copper (90th Percentile) at 4.55 mg/L, which is 15.2x the health guideline. Data is drawn from source-level compliance monitoring and covers 2002 through 2025. Results reflect conditions at the point of collection (wells, treatment plants), not necessarily at the tap.

Key Findings

Understanding the two thresholds

EPA Legal Limit (MCL)

The highest level of a contaminant allowed by federal law. Utilities that exceed this threshold face enforcement action. Limits balance health risk against the cost of treatment, so they are not always set at levels considered safe by independent researchers.

Health Guideline

The level below which independent researchers (CalEPA, WHO, EWG) believe there is no known health risk. Guidelines are not legally enforceable but are typically stricter than legal limits — often by 10x or more for contaminants like arsenic and lead.

A reading can be below the EPA limit (legally compliant) while still exceeding health guidelines (above levels considered safe by independent researchers).

EPA Violation Records

The following violation records exist in EPA's federal compliance database for this system. We do not have corresponding monitoring data for these contaminants in our database.

Combined RadiumHistorical

Recorded: 7/1/2023 — 9/30/2023

4100Historical

Recorded: 7/1/2023 — 9/30/2023

Combined RadiumHistorical

Recorded: 4/1/2023 — 6/30/2023

Combined RadiumHistorical

Recorded: 1/1/2023 — 3/31/2023

Combined RadiumHistorical

Recorded: 10/1/2022 — 12/31/2022

Combined RadiumHistorical

Recorded: 7/1/2022 — 9/30/2022

Combined RadiumHistorical

Recorded: 4/1/2022 — 6/30/2022

Radium 228Historical

Recorded: 1/1/2022 — 3/31/2022

Combined RadiumHistorical

Recorded: 1/1/2022 — 3/31/2022

Radium 228Historical

Recorded: 10/1/2021 — 12/31/2021

Combined RadiumHistorical

Recorded: 10/1/2021 — 12/31/2021

Radium 228Historical

Recorded: 7/1/2021 — 9/30/2021

Combined RadiumHistorical

Recorded: 7/1/2021 — 9/30/2021

Gross AlphaHistorical

Recorded: 7/1/2021 — 9/30/2021

Radium 228Historical

Recorded: 4/1/2021 — 6/30/2021

Combined RadiumHistorical

Recorded: 4/1/2021 — 6/30/2021

Radium 228Historical

Recorded: 1/1/2021 — 3/31/2021

Combined RadiumHistorical

Recorded: 1/1/2021 — 3/31/2021

Gross AlphaHistorical

Recorded: 1/1/2021 — 3/31/2021

Combined RadiumHistorical

Recorded: 10/1/2020 — 12/31/2020

Radium 228Historical

Recorded: 10/1/2020 — 12/31/2020

Exceeds Health Guidelines

These contaminants were detected below the EPA legal limit but above a health-based guideline from a public health agency (CalEPA OEHHA, WHO, or similar). Health guidelines are non-enforceable research-backed targets that are often stricter than the legal limit.

Detected contaminants
ContaminantResultUnitHealth GuidelineEPA Legal LimitSourceSample Date
Copper (90th Percentile)
Gastrointestinal distress at high levels. Long-term exposure can cause liver or kidney damage.
4.55mg/L0.31.3EPA ECHO(5+ years ago)
Lead (90th Percentile)
Developmental delays in children, kidney damage, high blood pressure. There is no safe level of lead exposure.
652ng/L20015000
Pending rule: LCRI 2024Action level drops from 15 → 10 µg/L effective 2027; full lead service line replacement within 10 years (EPA Lead & Copper Rule Improvements, October 2024)
EPA ECHO

PFAS

No PFAS testing data is available for this system in the government data sources we access (EPA UCMR5, Wisconsin DNR). This does not mean PFAS is absent — it means this system has not been tested for PFAS in our data sources, or results have not yet been published.

Microplastics

Microplastics have been documented in raw and treated drinking water worldwide, but federal regulations do not currently require testing — so there is no data specific to this system. Standardized methods and rules are in progress.

Other Regulated Contaminants

These contaminants were detected within federal standards (EPA Maximum Contaminant Levels). They are presented for transparency.

Detected contaminants
ContaminantResultUnitHealth GuidelineEPA Legal LimitSourceSample Date
Fluoride (natural)
Bone disease, mottled teeth in children
80ug/L40004000WQP(2+ years ago)
Arsenic
Skin damage, circulatory problems, increased risk of cancer
680ng/L410000WQP(2+ years ago)
Barium
Increase in blood pressure
23.6ug/L10002000WQP(2+ years ago)
Chromium (total)
Note: total chromium includes the harmless trivalent form (Cr-III). The toxic hexavalent form (Cr-VI) has no federal MCL; California set a 10 µg/L Cr-VI MCL in 2014.
Allergic dermatitis
3ug/L100100WQP(2+ years ago)
Nitrate (as N)
Blue baby syndrome in infants
1.68mg/L1010(as N)WQP(11+ years ago)

Other Potential Contaminants

Not detecting a contaminant does not prove it isn't present — it only means the laboratory didn't test for it, or tested below the reporting limit. Many substances of emerging concern are not routinely monitored because federal regulations haven't caught up to the science.

Compliance History

Formal EPA and DNR compliance events on record for this utility. Includes all events from the last 10 years plus any unresolved violations regardless of age. Health-based violations are legally enforceable thresholds that were exceeded; procedural events are monitoring or reporting lapses that don't indicate contamination by themselves.

24 health-based3 procedural
Combined Radium (226+228)5.61 PCI/LHealth-based
MCL Violation

Jul 1, 2023 – Sep 30, 2023

Combined Radium (226+228)6.02 PCI/LHealth-based
MCL Violation

Jul 1, 2023 – Sep 30, 2023

Contaminant 410052.48 PCI/LHealth-based
MCL Violation

Jul 1, 2023 – Sep 30, 2023

Combined Radium (226+228)6.37 PCI/LHealth-based
MCL Violation

Apr 1, 2023 – Jun 30, 2023

Combined Radium (226+228)5.61 PCI/LHealth-based
MCL Violation

Apr 1, 2023 – Jun 30, 2023

Combined Radium (226+228)9.05 PCI/LHealth-based
MCL Violation

Jan 1, 2023 – Mar 31, 2023

Combined Radium (226+228)6.65 PCI/LHealth-based
MCL Violation

Jan 1, 2023 – Mar 31, 2023

Combined Radium (226+228)8.37 PCI/LHealth-based
MCL Violation

Oct 1, 2022 – Dec 31, 2022

Combined Radium (226+228)7.42 PCI/LHealth-based
MCL Violation

Jul 1, 2022 – Sep 30, 2022

Combined Radium (226+228)7.51 PCI/LHealth-based
MCL Violation

Apr 1, 2022 – Jun 30, 2022

Radium 2286.6 PCI/LHealth-based
MCL Violation

Jan 1, 2022 – Mar 31, 2022

Combined Radium (226+228)8.99 PCI/LHealth-based
MCL Violation

Jan 1, 2022 – Mar 31, 2022

Radium 2286.36 PCI/LHealth-based
MCL Violation

Oct 1, 2021 – Dec 31, 2021

Combined Radium (226+228)9.02 PCI/LHealth-based
MCL Violation

Oct 1, 2021 – Dec 31, 2021

Radium 2287.09 PCI/LHealth-based
MCL Violation

Jul 1, 2021 – Sep 30, 2021

Combined Radium (226+228)9.9 PCI/LHealth-based
MCL Violation

Jul 1, 2021 – Sep 30, 2021

Gross Alpha16.81 PCI/LHealth-based
MCL Violation

Jul 1, 2021 – Sep 30, 2021

Radium 2287.03 PCI/LHealth-based
MCL Violation

Apr 1, 2021 – Jun 30, 2021

Combined Radium (226+228)9.86 PCI/LHealth-based
MCL Violation

Apr 1, 2021 – Jun 30, 2021

Radium 2287.86 PCI/LHealth-based
MCL Violation

Jan 1, 2021 – Mar 31, 2021

+ 7 older events in the 10-year window not shown

Source: EPA ECHO enforcement and violation records (via Envirofacts / SDWIS Federal Reports).

Action Steps

This system has contaminants above a legal limit or multiple health guidelines. The following steps are concrete things a homeowner or facility operator can do right now — starting with the most important non-commercial options.

  1. Request the utility's Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). The CCR compares utility-reported readings to the federal legal limits and is independent of this site. Utilities must make it available on request. EPA CCR search.
  2. Get a certified tap test. A state-certified laboratory can test your tap for a specific contaminant or a broader panel. A single-contaminant test runs in the low tens of dollars; a comprehensive panel runs several hundred. Ask for the EPA-certified lab list from Wisconsin DNR. Wisconsin DNR lab certification.
  3. Consider point-of-use filtration. For the specific contaminants detected in this system, the exceedance sections above list the technology categories (reverse osmosis, granular activated carbon, ion exchange, etc.) that target each class. Those are category-level descriptions — the right choice depends on the contaminant profile, budget, and installation constraints.
  4. Contact the utility directly. Ask about the specific contaminants you're concerned about and request the most recent sampling data. The EPA SDWIS portal lists utility contact details. EPA SDWIS system lookup.
  5. Check the utility's lead service line inventory. Under the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR, 2024), utilities must publish a service line inventory identifying lines flagged as lead, galvanized-requiring-replacement, or unknown material. If your service line is flagged or unknown, the utility is required to replace it on a scheduled timeline. EPA Lead and Copper Rule Improvements.

Frequently Asked Questions

What contaminants are in Wisconsin Dells water?

Based on available public monitoring data, 2 contaminants have been tested in Wisconsin Dells's water supply. 2 were detected above reporting limits. The most notable detections include Fluoride (natural), Arsenic, Barium. This data comes from source-level compliance monitoring at wells and treatment plants.

Does Wisconsin Dells water meet EPA standards?

The most recent monitoring readings are within federal EPA standards (MCL), but this system has active MCL violations on record for 4 contaminants. MCL violations can result from compliance calculations (averaging across wells or quarters) that differ from individual sample readings. See the Compliance History section for details.

Is Wisconsin Dells WI water safe to drink?

Based on source-level compliance monitoring, the most recent readings are within federal standards, but this system has active MCL violations on record for 4 contaminants. However, compliance monitoring tests water at wells and treatment plants, not at individual taps. An on-site test is the only way to know what reaches your tap, as conditions can vary based on plumbing, blending, and distribution.

Does Wisconsin Dells water have lead?

No. Wisconsin Dells's most recent Lead and Copper Rule testing found a 90th-percentile lead level of 0.0006515 mg/L, which is below the EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L. That means at the systemwide level, lead is not exceeding the enforcement threshold. Lead levels can still vary significantly by individual building — older homes and schools with legacy plumbing can have much higher readings than the system average.

Cross-check against the official record

This report is our read of the public monitoring data. Every Wisconsin utility also publishes an annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) — a plain-language summary written by the utility itself, usually mailed with a water bill or posted on the utility's website. If anything in this report surprises you, request DELLS CLUB CONDO ASSOC 3's latest CCR directly from the utility, or browse the underlying compliance data on the Wisconsin DNR portal.

Data Sources and Methodology

Water Quality Portal

Cooperative service by USGS, EPA, and NWQMC. Regional groundwater monitoring data from nearby wells — may not reflect this specific utility.

EPA ECHO Lead & Copper Rule

90th percentile measurements from EPA Enforcement and Compliance History Online. Based on tap-level sampling at high-risk sites.

Definitions

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL)
The highest level of a contaminant allowed in drinking water, set by the EPA. MCLs are legally enforceable standards.
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG)
The level of a contaminant below which there is no known or expected health risk. MCLGs are non-enforceable public health goals.
Action Level
The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements. Used for lead and copper.
Health Advisory
Non-enforceable guidelines set by the EPA providing information on contaminants that can cause health effects at certain exposure levels.
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
A measure of all dissolved minerals, salts, and organic matter in water, expressed in mg/L (ppm). Not a health hazard but affects taste and indicates overall mineral content.
PFAS
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. A group of manufactured chemicals that do not break down in the environment. The EPA set enforceable limits for several PFAS compounds in 2024.
Non-Detect (ND)
The contaminant was tested for but not found above the laboratory's reporting limit. This does not mean zero — it means below the detection threshold.
VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds)
Chemicals that evaporate easily and can contaminate groundwater. Sources include gasoline, industrial solvents, and dry cleaning fluids. Some are regulated by the EPA; many are monitored but not yet regulated.

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Cite This Report

WaterAdvantage. "Water Quality Technical Report: Wisconsin Dells, WI (WI7010425)." WaterAdvantage.org, 2026-04-14. https://www.wateradvantage.org/report/WI7010425/detail

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