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MPS Drinking Water Updates

Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) has a comprehensive program to ensure its drinking water is safe for all students, staff, and community members. 

This program has been active since 2016 and was developed collaboratively with the City of Milwaukee, utilizing Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines.

This effort was solely a precaution to ensure families and community have confidence in the safety of drinking water in MPS schools. MPS is not required by state or federal law to test drinking water.

In 2016, the district undertook a proactive effort to evaluate the safety of drinking water in the district. In conjunction with the Milwaukee Health Department, the district tested the drinking water in all drinking fountains, water dispensers, faucets, and other water fixtures. Nearly 12,000 samples were tested.

Key points:

  • There are no lead lines leading from the city of Milwaukee's water service into MPS school buildings.
  • Test results by independent state-certified laboratories showed that 94% of the more than 3,000 water fountains tested met EPA standards. Any water fixture that tested above EPA standards for lead because of parts containing lead was immediately turned off back in 2016 and ultimately replaced.

In addition, MPS decided to place water filtration units on drinking fountains throughout the district regardless of the sample results obtained from the original sampling and testing program.

In 2023, MPS converted all existing filtered drinking fountains and bottle filling stations to the Zurn Elkay filtration system, which continues to use the same high industry standards.

Approximately 600 drinking fountains were upgraded to bottle filling stations districtwide. An additional 100 drinking fountains will be upgraded to bottle filling stations through 2026.

Since the filtering program began, all MPS drinking fountains have utilized filtration systems that are tested and certified to NSF/ANSI 42 and 53 to reduce harmful contaminants.

All MPS drinking-water filters are replaced at least yearly, regardless of usage. Water filters installed on drinking fountains with a high rate of usage are replaced per manufacturer recommendations.

MPS Educator Resources

Family Resources

More Information

For the latest reports on lead and for information on keeping your family safe from lead at home, please visit the Milwaukee Health Department website.