Water Quality

As a customer of the District, you receive a high quality product that meets every federal and state standard for drinking water.

Click here to view the most current report.

To ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the EPA prescribes regulations to limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health.

Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health risks may be obtained by calling the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline, 800.426.4791, or visiting their website.

  • Chloramines

    Chloramines, a combination of chlorine and ammonia, are used to kill potentially harmful bacteria in the water.

    Chloraminated water is safe for warm-blooded animals to drink, including humans, kidney dialysis patients, pregnant women, infants, dogs, cats and birds, because their digestive systems neutralize chloramine before it reaches their bloodstreams.

    Chloramine is toxic to cold-blooded animals, such as fish, reptiles, turtles and amphibians because it enters directly into their bloodstreams. Fish tank, aquarium and pond owners need to use filtration equipment or water treatment products to neutralize chloramines. These products are available at pet supply stores.

    Before use in a home kidney dialysis system, the water must be treated. Check with your equipment supplier and/or physician.

  • Fluoridation

    M.U.D. adds fluoride to its treated water to promote dental health.

    Fluoridation was approved by Omaha voters in 1968. In 2008, the Nebraska Unicameral passed LB 245 which requires all Nebraska cities and towns with populations over 1,000 to add fluoride to public water systems. Both the Missouri and Platte Rivers have naturally occurring fluoride in the range of 0.3 to 0.5 parts per million (ppm).

    The District adds enough fluoride to make the tap water concentration approximately 0.8 ppm, well below the federal limit of 4.0 ppm. Questions about drinking water? Call the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800.426.4791 or go to their website.

  • Lead

    Visit our lead page under Water Safety for more information.

    Customers can find out if they have a lead service line by contacting Customer Service at 402.554.6666.

    To reduce the chance of exposure to lead, only use water from the cold tap for cooking and drinking.

    If the tap has not been used in more than a half hour, flush water through the faucet for 30 seconds to a minute before using it. Also remove and clean the aerator on the faucet on a regular basis.

PFAS compounds

Since the 1940s, PFAS compounds have been widely used in the manufacturing of carpets, clothing, fabrics for furniture, paper packaging for food and other materials. They are also used for firefighting and in industrial processes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says most people are exposed to these chemicals through consumer products. Drinking water can be an additional source of exposure in communities where these chemicals have entered the water supplies. EPA is focused on a small number of these compounds that may have health effects at very low concentrations, two of which are Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS).

On June 15, 2022, EPA set new interim health advisory levels for PFOA at 0.004 parts per trillion and 0.02 parts per trillion for PFOS. These are microscopic levels. For perspective, 1 part per trillion is equal to 1 drop in 500,000 barrels of water. These new health advisories are also below current reliable detection abilities of scientific equipment (Scientists can currently detect PFAS compounds at 2 parts per trillion.)

M.U.D. does periodic monitoring for PFAS. Our water quality lab samples our source waters, the treated drinking water leaving our three treatment plants and the water distribution system.

Our most recent tests show all PFOAs were below 4 parts per trillion, which is currently accepted as the lowest level at which the PFAS compounds can be reliably detected, as described in President Biden’s EPA plan for PFAS.

We provide PFAS monitoring results in our annual consumer confidence report.

Source water assessment

The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) completed the source water assessment which includes a wellhead protection area map, potential contaminant source inventory, vulnerability rating and source water protection information. In 2013, to better protect the quality of the water in our well fields, we completed wellhead protection plans for our Platte South and Platte West well fields.

Wellhead protection is the management of the land surrounding a water supply well to prevent contamination of the water supply. The plans provide a detailed account of the potential threats to the facilities and a summary of existing and recommended management strategies.

View the source water assessment report here.

View the Platte South wellhead protection plan here

View the Platte West wellhead protection plan here.

If you have additional questions, please contact Customer Service at 402.554.6666 or e-mail [email protected].

 

Home treatment

Use of a supplemental filter is a personal preference, however it can also be harmful if not properly maintained. In selecting a filter, determine what substance(s) is/are to be removed and look for a filter that has a NSF/UL certification to remove it. Information on plumbing fixtures and in-home filters is available from the National Sanitation Foundation by calling 1.800.NSF.MARK or visiting www.nsf.org.

Does using a home water treatment device guarantee my water is safe? 

No. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency does not recommend home treatment devices as a substitute for public water treatment because of the difficulty in monitoring their performance. Home treatment devices are not tested or regulated by the federal government. Some, however, are tested by independent laboratories. If you want to use a water treatment device, carefully choose one according to the water conditions in your area. Also, be aware that a device needs to be properly maintained or it could cause water quality problems.

Water Quality Reports

2024

January

2024 – January Florence Water Quality Report
2024 – January Platte South Water Quality Report
2024 – January Platte West Water Quality Report

2023

December

2023 – December Florence Water Quality Report
2023 – December Platte South Water Quality Report
2023 – December Platte West Water Quality Report

November

2023 – November Florence Water Quality Report
2023 – November Platte South Water Quality Report
2023 – November Platte West Water Quality Report

October

2023 – October Florence Water Quality Report
2023 – October Platte South Water Quality Report
2023 – October Platte West Water Quality Report

September

2023 – September Florence Water Quality Report
2023 – September Platte South Water Quality Report
2023 – September Platte West Water Quality Report

August

2023 – August Florence Water Quality Report
2023 – August Platte South Water Quality Report
2023 – August Platte West Water Quality Report

2022

2022 Water Quality Report

2021

2021 Water Quality Report

2020

2020 Water Quality Report

2019

2019 Water Quality Report

2018

2018 Water Quality Report

Frequently Asked Questions About Water Quality

  • Why does my water look and/or taste different?

    At various times of the year, some M.U.D. customers may notice their water looks, tastes, or smells a bit different than normal. These changes occur when the Platte and Missouri River basins experience runoff of natural organic vegetation, nutrients and minerals due to weather events including snow melt, heavy rainfall and flooding.

    Weather events far to the north and west (i.e. Western Nebraska, Colorado, Montana, the Dakotas) can impact the water quality of the Platte and Missouri River Basins. This additional runoff flows from smaller tributaries into the Platte and Missouri Rivers, which provide source water for the Omaha metro area.

    M.U.D. continuously monitors source water conditions and makes needed adjustments to water treatment processes to minimize the effects of these events.

    We assure you the tap water continues to meet all state and federal standards for drinking water. Your tap water is fully safe and there is no impact to public health.

    We perform more than 1,000 water quality tests a day throughout the supply and distribution system. Tests are conducted in strict accordance with requirements set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy.

    Visit our water quality page at mudomaha.com for more information and to see the current consumer confidence report.

    If you need additional information, please call Customer Service at 402.554.6666.

  • Is there lead in M.U.D.’s water?

    No. M.U.D. conducts monthly tests for lead and it is not detected in source (raw) water, in the finished water from the District’s water treatment plants, or in the distribution system (water mains). M.U.D. produces stable, non-corrosive water. Lead is mainly a localized customer issue, which means some customers may own a lead service line or have plumbing that includes lead solder. Lead service lines may be found in areas of Omaha and other communities on our system in homes built prior to the 1930s.

  • How do I find out if I have a lead service line?

    The pipe that connects your household plumbing to the water main in the street is called a service line, which you own. M.U.D. customers can call Customer Service at 402.554.6666 to find out what the District’s records indicate about their service line material, or you can hire a licensed plumber to inspect the service line.

  • Can I get my water tested for lead?

    Yes. Customers who have partial or whole lead service lines (or the composition is unknown) installed before 1940 can request M.U.D. to test for lead. To request a test, call Customer Service at 402.554.6666. M.U.D.’s Water Quality Lab conducts the tests and submits results to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

  • If I do own a lead service line, what can I do to reduce lead exposure?

    M.U.D.’s water treatment is designed to not leach lead and copper, however there are steps you can take to further reduce the risk:

    • Only use water from the cold tap for cooking and drinking.
    • If the tap has not been used in more than a half hour, then flush water through the faucet for 30 seconds up to 2 minutes before using it.
    • Remove and clean the faucet aerators (also called screens) on a regular basis. To clean the faucet screen of debris:
    1. Unscrew the screen.
    2. Separate the individual parts.
    3. Remove any sediment (mineral or rust build up) on the screen and other parts. If necessary, soak the parts in white vinegar for a few minutes and scrub with a brush.
    4. Reassemble the screen parts and re-attach to the faucet.
  • Do I need a water filter?

    Use of a supplemental filter is a personal preference, however it can also be harmful if not properly maintained. In selecting a filter, determine what substance(s) is/are to be removed and look for a filter that has a NSF/UL certification to remove it. Information on plumbing fixtures and in-home filters is available from the National Sanitation Foundation by calling 1.800.NSF.MARK or visiting nsf.org.

  • Does the Federal government monitor water for lead?

    Yes. In 1991, the EPA published a regulation to control lead and copper in drinking water, known as the Lead and Copper Rule. The EPA revised the regulation in 2000, 2007 and in early 2021. Congress has also set limits on the amount of lead that can be used in plumbing products. These requirements were first enacted in 1986 and then reduced to lower levels in 2011.

    The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) performs all of the testing for M.U.D.’s compliance with the Lead and Copper Rule. M.U.D.’s role is to deliver the sample kits to the customer, collect them and send them to NDEE for testing. M.U.D. is required to sample for lead and copper every three years. The most recent round of lead and copper testing was completed in fall of 2022. The 90th percentile (action level) was 7.59 ppb, well below the regulatory limit of 15 ppb.

  • Where do I find more information?

    You can call the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800.426.4791 or visit their website: water.epa.gov/drink. Or, call the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy’s Division of Public Health, Office of Drinking Water, 402.471.2541.