2026 WATER QUALITY RECORDS
Nebraska Water Quality: 15 Cities Ranked by the Records
Water quality across 15 cities in Nebraska, drawn from EPA drinking-water records. Each city page shows the measured contaminants and a reproducible Purity Score.
- city reports ranked
- 15
- cities with a past health-based violation
- 3
- cities with PFAS above the federal limit
- 3
- cities with lead above the action level
- 0
Nebraska cities ranked by the records
15 cities, highest Purity Score first
- 1South Sioux City98/100No PFAS detected; lead 1.1 µg/L
- 2Beatrice98/100No PFAS detected; lead 1.72 µg/L
- 3Papillion96/100No PFAS detected; lead 2.8 µg/L
- 4Scottsbluff96/100No PFAS detected; lead 3.2 µg/L
- 5Lexington96/100No PFAS detected; lead 2.95 µg/L
- 6Norfolk94/100No PFAS detected; lead 4.73 µg/L
- 7Kearney92/100No PFAS detected; lead 5.48 µg/L
- 8Fremont92/100PFAS detected below EPA limits; lead 0.93 µg/L
- 9Lincoln86/100No PFAS detected; lead 4.5 µg/L
- 10Metropolitan District84/100No PFAS detected; lead 12.3 µg/L
- 11Omaha83/100No PFAS detected; lead 12.3 µg/L
- 12Hastings50/100PFOS 6.6 ng/L, 1.6× the EPA limit
- 13Columbus50/100Past arsenic violation on record
- 14Grand Island47/100PFHxS 24.6 ng/L, 2× the EPA limit (+1 more PFAS above)
- 15North Platte40/100PFOS 17 ng/L, 4× the EPA limit
Ranked by PurityMap's Purity Score, highest first. The score is computed only from contaminants measured in the published EPA record, so this ranks the record, not which city's water is safest. How the score works.
PFAS in Nebraska tap water
In EPA's 2024 UCMR 5 testing, 3 cities of 15 had a regulated PFAS (PFOA, PFOS or PFHxS) above the new federal limit, and PFAS were detected at any level in 4.
- North PlattePFOS 17 ng/L · limit 4
- Grand IslandPFHxS 24.6 ng/L · limit 10
- HastingsPFOS 6.6 ng/L · limit 4
Lead in Nebraska tap water
Utilities report lead as the 90th-percentile result from sampled home taps. 15 of 15 Nebraska cities reported a value above zero, and 0 cities were above the 15 µg/L federal action level. Lead usually enters water from a building's own pipes, so a test at your tap is the only way to know what you drink.
Does Nebraska have hard water?Hardness comes from each utility's own annual water-quality report. PurityMap only shows it where that report is on file, so many cities have no hardness value yet.
Utility reports on file give hardness for 2 cities in Nebraska. Hardness affects scale, appliances and soap; it is not a health finding.
Nebraska counties
Largest water systems in NebraskaOrdered by population served. Each links to the city report built from that system's records.
- Metropolitan DistrictMETROPOLITAN UTILITIES DISTRICT · 660,000 people served84/100
- OmahaMETROPOLITAN UTILITIES DISTRICT · 660,000 people served83/100
- LincolnLINCOLN, CITY OF · 296,000 people served86/100
- Grand IslandGRAND ISLAND, CITY OF · 51,478 people served47/100
- PapillionPAPILLION, CITY OF · 35,000 people served96/100
- KearneyKEARNEY, CITY OF · 34,000 people served92/100
- FremontFREMONT, CITY OF · 27,230 people served92/100
- NorfolkNORFOLK, CITY OF · 26,147 people served94/100
- North PlatteNORTH PLATTE, CITY OF · 25,000 people served40/100
- HastingsHASTINGS, CITY OF · 24,927 people served50/100
What you can do next
Start with your supplier
State patterns cannot identify what reaches a specific address. Resolve your public water system before choosing treatment.
Find the system behind your tapMatch treatment to evidence
A filter is useful only when its certified claim covers the contaminant and level in your local record.
Compare treatment technologiesFilters for what’s on record in Nebraska
Matched to contaminant categories in this published record. Confirm the specific NSF/ANSI listing before you buy; recommendations follow the findings, and as an Amazon Associate PurityMap earns from qualifying purchases.
Best for a cheap, no-tools way to reduce lead and chlorine at a single faucet.
Read the analysis →Best when PFAS, lead, arsenic, nitrate, or fluoride is detected and you want the broadest reduction at a single tap.
Read the analysis →Best when chlorine taste/odor or disinfection by-products are the concern at the kitchen tap, with lead reduction on certified models.
Read the analysis →Best for a low-cost, no-install way to reduce lead and improve taste for drinking water.
Read the analysis →Follow Nebraska water records
Get Nebraska updates
We'll email you when Nebraska records change, such as new PFAS or lead results.
Double opt-in: we email a confirmation link. Unsubscribe anytime. No spam.
Frequently asked questions
How does Nebraska tap water compare across cities?
PurityMap ranks 15 cities in Nebraska by their Purity Score, computed only from contaminants measured in the published EPA record. South Sioux City has the highest published score (98/100). The ranking compares the records, not which city's water is safest, and your own tap can differ with household plumbing.
How many Nebraska cities have PFAS above the federal limit?
3 cities of 15 had at least one regulated PFAS (PFOA, PFOS or PFHxS) measured above the 2024 federal limit in EPA's UCMR 5 testing, including North Platte (PFOS 17 ng/L), Grand Island (PFHxS 24.6 ng/L), Hastings (PFOS 6.6 ng/L). PFAS were detected at any level in 4.
Is there lead in Nebraska tap water?
Utilities report lead as a 90th-percentile result from home taps. 15 of 15 Nebraska cities reported a value above zero, and none was above the 15 µg/L federal action level. Lead usually comes from a building's own pipes and fixtures, so only a test at your tap tells you what you drink.
Have Nebraska water systems had drinking-water violations?
3 cities in Nebraska have a health-based violation in the federal SDWIS record within about the last ten years. Each city report lists the contaminant, year and whether it was resolved.
Does Nebraska have hard water?
Hardness is published in utility water-quality reports for 2 Nebraska cities on record; the hardest is Lincoln at 11.2 grains per gallon. Hardness affects scale and appliances; it is not a health finding.
Limits, sources and corrections
A statewide page cannot tell you what reaches a specific address. Water quality varies by supplier, sampling period and household plumbing; open a city report for the evidence behind a local result.
Sources: EPA UCMR 5 (PFAS, 2024), SDWIS Lead and Copper Rule 90th-percentile results and health-based violations, and utility Consumer Confidence Reports where on file. Every city report links its dated source records.
Updated 2026-09-16. How PurityMap analyzes water data · Report an error