Oakland County tap water: hardness, PFAS and lead

Oakland County, Michigan has about 1,296,888 residents (Census 2024 estimate) and 108 community water systems in EPA records. The largest local system is Troy, serving about 85,854 people from surface water.

! 1 of 6 largest systems with health-based violationsPFAS detected at 2 of 6 sampled systemsHardness: test your water

Public-record figures, not a test of your tap. Not 100% accurate or guaranteed. Confirm with a water test, your utility or a qualified pro before you buy or act.

How hard is Oakland County water?

Troy No data: see your utility report · No data

No reliable figure. Test your water.

Troy buys Great Lakes Water Authority water, mostly from the Lake Huron plant (2025 Water Report). Local stream and well samples don't reflect this water, so we don't show a county estimate. Check the utility's annual water quality report or test your water.

Public-record figures, not a test of your tap. Not 100% accurate or guaranteed. Confirm with a water test, your utility or a qualified pro before you buy or act.

At this hardness most homes don't need a softener. Confirm with a test strip if you see scale.

Largest water systems in Oakland County

The 6 biggest of 108 community water systems on EPA records for this county. Service areas don't follow county lines; your water bill names your provider.

Troy

MI0006690 · serves about 85,854 people · Surface water

✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below detection✓ No PFAS detected

Lead 90th percentile: <DL (below the lab detection/reporting limit; reported as 0) (period starting 2025-01-01). Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).

EPA ECHO record

Rochester Hills

MI0000325 · serves about 74,000 people · Surface water

✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below action level✓ No PFAS detected

Lead 90th percentile: 1.3 ppb (period starting 2025-01-01). Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).

EPA ECHO record

Waterford Township

MI0006910 · serves about 73,441 people · Groundwater

! 1 health-based violation✓ Lead below action levelPFAS detected (1 type)

Lead 90th percentile: 1 ppb (period starting 2026-01-01). Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).

  • PFHxS: highest sample 6.5 ppt (1 of 24 samples); federal limit 10.0 ppt as a running annual average, also counted in EPA's PFAS mixture (hazard index) limit (currently in effect; EPA has proposed removing it)

EPA ECHO record

Southfield

MI0006160 · serves about 71,739 people · Surface water

✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below detection✓ No PFAS detected

Lead 90th percentile: <DL (below the lab detection/reporting limit; reported as 0) (period starting 2025-01-01). Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).

EPA ECHO record

Pontiac

MI0005440 · serves about 63,776 people · Surface water

✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below action levelPFAS detected (1 type)

Lead 90th percentile: 1.6 ppb (period starting 2025-01-01). Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).

  • PFBA: highest sample 5.1 ppt (1 of 4 samples); no federal limit

EPA ECHO record

Royal Oak, City of

MI0005830 · serves about 57,236 people · Surface water

✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below action level✓ No PFAS detected

Lead 90th percentile: 4 ppb (period starting 2025-01-01). Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).

EPA ECHO record

Public-record figures, not a test of your tap. Not 100% accurate or guaranteed. Confirm with a water test, your utility or a qualified pro before you buy or act.

A PFAS detection is not a violation. Federal limits (4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS) apply to running annual averages, with compliance required by 2029. In May 2026 EPA proposed extending the PFOA/PFOS deadline to 2031 and removing other PFAS limits; not final as of 2026-10-21.

Test your own tap

These are public records for whole systems. Your home's pipes, fixtures and any private well can change what you drink. A certified lab test or a hardness test strip gives you your own numbers. Then use our PFAS and lead filter selector to see which certifications to look for.

Common questions about Oakland County water

Is tap water in Oakland County safe to drink?

1 of the 6 largest systems here have at least one health-based violation in EPA records since October 2021 (see each system below for status). Troy's most recent lead 90th percentile was below the lab detection limit (2025), below the 15 ppb action level. Public records can't guarantee what comes out of your tap, especially with older plumbing, so a home test is the surest check.

How hard is the water in Oakland County?

We don't have a reliable hardness figure for Troy, so test your water or check its annual water quality report.

Is there PFAS in Oakland County water?

2 of the 6 sampled systems listed here detected at least one PFAS in EPA's UCMR 5 testing. A detection isn't a violation: federal PFAS limits apply to running annual averages starting in 2029.

Which water system serves my address in Oakland County?

Most homes are served by Troy or one of the other systems listed on this page, but service areas don't follow county lines. Your water bill names your provider, and its annual Consumer Confidence Report has the full test results.

More Michigan counties

Sources for this page

Data as of October 21, 2026. Figures are copied from public records and combined with our own calculations; they can be out of date or wrong. Tapped Out isn't affiliated with any utility or the EPA. Written and reviewed by the Tapped Out team. How we calculate · All sources.