Portage Water Quality

2 EPA violations on record (most recent 2025). Nitrate enters water mainly from fertilizer runoff, septic systems, and animal waste. High levels can interfere with the blood's ability to carry oxygen, a special danger for infants. Long-term low-level exposure has also been linked to elevated cancer risk in some studies.

1 EPA violation on record (most recent 2020). Barium dissolves into water naturally from rock and can also come from drilling and industrial discharges. Drinking elevated levels over time can raise blood pressure and stress the cardiovascular system. It is fairly common in some groundwater sources.

1 EPA violation on record (most recent 2020). Cadmium enters water from corroded galvanized pipes and from industrial and mining discharges. Long-term exposure mainly damages the kidneys and can weaken bones. It is toxic even at low levels over time.

1 EPA violation on record (most recent 2020). Arsenic is a naturally occurring element that dissolves into groundwater from rock and is also released by mining and industry. Long-term exposure is associated with several cancers and with skin, cardiovascular, and developmental harm. It is common in parts of the Southwest.

1 EPA violation on record (most recent 2020). Fluoride occurs naturally in groundwater and is also added by many utilities to reduce tooth decay. At high natural levels it can damage developing teeth and, over long exposure, weaken bones. The federal limit targets these high-level health effects rather than the low levels used for dental benefit.

1 EPA violation on record (most recent 2020). PFOA is a long-lived "forever chemical" once used to make nonstick and stain-resistant products. It builds up in the body over time and is associated with certain cancers, immune effects, and developmental harm. EPA finalized a strict drinking-water limit for it in 2024.

1 EPA violation on record (most recent 2020). Selenium is a naturally occurring element that is a necessary nutrient at trace levels but toxic in excess. Long-term high exposure can damage the nervous system, hair, and nails. It enters water from natural deposits and from irrigation drainage.

1 EPA violation on record (most recent 2020). Mercury reaches water from natural deposits, industrial runoff, and discarded products. Long-term exposure harms the kidneys and nervous system. It is tightly regulated because of its toxicity at low concentrations.

1 EPA violation on record (most recent 2020). Beta and photon emitters are radioactive contaminants that can come from natural deposits or from nuclear activity. Long-term exposure increases cancer risk. The federal limit is expressed as an annual dose rather than a simple concentration.

1 EPA violation on record (most recent 2020). Atrazine is one of the most widely used weed killers and reaches water through agricultural runoff. It is an endocrine disruptor associated with reproductive and developmental effects, and concentrations tend to spike seasonally after application. It is most common in farming regions.

1 EPA violation on record (most recent 2020). Radium is a naturally radioactive element that leaches from rock into groundwater. Long-term exposure increases the risk of bone cancer and other cancers because it concentrates in bone. The federal limit covers the combined activity of radium-226 and radium-228.

Portage's water is very hard. Hardness isn't a health risk, but it drives scale on fixtures and water heaters, shortens appliance life, and leaves skin and hair dry.