Statewide Compliance and Testing

• Overall Compliance: Nebraska now has over 1,300 public water systems, with the state’s Drinking Water Monitoring & Compliance section overseeing more than 90 regulated contaminants. Most systems meet federal Safe Drinking Water Act standards, though violations of the nitrate standard remain an ongoing concern and PFAS monitoring is still being completed.
• PFAS Monitoring: Nebraska completed UCMR5 PFAS sampling at 35 of 52 eligible community water systems as of December 2024. Three of those systems tested above EPA maximum contaminant levels for one or more PFAS compounds — broadly consistent with the national detection rate of around 12.5% of sampled systems nationally. Mandatory monitoring for all systems is required by April 2027. For current contamination alerts, visit our water alert news page.
• Nitrate Study Findings: Nebraska’s largest-ever domestic well study — funded by LB 814 and released in early 2025 — found that 40% of private wells tested contained nitrate above 3 ppm (the child-safe threshold identified by University of Nebraska Medical Center researchers) and 15% exceeded the federal 10 ppm MCL. Critically, nitrate levels are rising in roughly one third of the 444 public water systems analysed.

Major Water Sources and Challenges

• Groundwater Dependence: The overwhelming majority of Nebraska’s public water systems rely on groundwater, making the state highly vulnerable to agricultural contamination. The High Plains Aquifer supplies both drinking water and vast quantities of irrigation water, creating a direct pathway between farming practices and tap water quality.
• Geographic Hot Spots: The DWEE’s statewide nitrate study identified the strongest concentrations along the eastern and central Elkhorn and Platte River valleys and along Nebraska’s southwestern border with Kansas — areas of intensive row-crop agriculture with shallow groundwater tables and permeable soils.
• Paediatric Cancer Link: Nebraska holds the highest paediatric cancer rate of any state west of Pennsylvania. Researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center are actively studying the links between elevated nitrate exposure and childhood cancer, with findings that have informed calls for stricter well-water guidance. See our national water quality overview for context on how Nebraska compares to other states.

PFAS Regulation Update (2025–2026)

• PFOA/PFOS MCLs Retained: In May 2025, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin confirmed that the agency will retain the 4 parts per trillion (ppt) maximum contaminant levels for PFOA and PFOS — the two most common and studied PFAS compounds. This is a significant regulatory anchor for Nebraska’s three affected water systems.
• Compliance Deadline Extended to 2031: The original 2029 compliance deadline for PFOA/PFOS has been extended to 2031, giving Nebraska utilities two additional years to implement treatment upgrades. Mandatory monitoring and public reporting for all community water systems remains required by April 2027.
• Other PFAS MCLs Under Reconsideration: EPA has announced its intent to rescind the individual MCLs for PFHxS, PFNA, and HFPO-DA (GenX) — as well as the hazard index mixture MCL — and reconsider whether these compounds warrant separate regulation. Nebraska residents whose systems detected these compounds should monitor DWEE guidance for updates. Explore certified filter solutions for PFAS removal.
• Military Site Investigations: PFAS have been detected in environmental samples near Offutt Air Force Base and the Nebraska Air National Guard Base. The Department of Defense is continuing assessment with DWEE oversight, comparing results against EPA’s Regional Screening Levels and newly established Final Aquatic Life Criteria for PFAS.

Rural and Agricultural Communities

• Private Well Awareness Gap: Out of nearly 29,000 private well owners contacted in the state’s largest-ever testing outreach, only 3,478 returned test samples — a response rate of roughly 12%. This stark figure highlights a significant awareness and engagement problem in rural Nebraska.
• No Testing Requirements for Private Wells: Unlike public water systems, domestic wells in Nebraska have no mandatory testing or treatment requirements under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Responsibility falls entirely on homeowners, making outreach by Natural Resources Districts and county health departments critical.
• Natural Resources District Management: Nebraska’s 23 Natural Resources Districts continue to implement groundwater quality management through voluntary best management practices, wellhead protection areas, and targeted regulatory programmes in high-nitrate areas. The Lower Loup NRD created a water quality management area north of Columbus after wells there recorded nitrate levels as high as 48 ppm.

Looking Forward: 2026 and Beyond

Nebraska’s water quality outlook is mixed. For PFAS, the regulatory framework is becoming clearer — retained MCLs for PFOA/PFOS with an extended 2031 deadline give utilities a firm planning horizon, even as the status of other PFAS compounds remains uncertain. The nitrate picture is more troubling: the state’s own data confirm the problem is not improving and is actively worsening in many public water systems. Success will require enhanced coordination between agricultural producers, Natural Resources Districts, water utilities, and state regulators — alongside greater public awareness among the estimated 400,000 Nebraskans relying on private wells that fall outside regulatory oversight. If you are on a private well, check our water filter solutions guide for the most effective treatment options for nitrate and PFAS. You can also compare water quality across states on our national water quality database.