Detroit
Detroit, MI water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
detroit city of
surface water (rivers/reservoirs) · local government · PWSID MI0001800
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
With about 677,116 residents, Detroit ranks as the largest city in Michigan and a major U.S. city. Water in Detroit is sourced chiefly from Great Lakes and inland aquifers, the backbone of Michigan's supply.
The defining water pressure here mirrors the state's: aging infrastructure. Surrounded by the Great Lakes, Michigan's defining issues are infrastructure trust after the Flint crisis and widespread PFAS sites.
Statewide, Michigan recycles about 3% of its wastewater with minimal reuse programs. Locally, Detroit faces no meaningful drought conditions.
The Michigan state profile covers the regional supply outlook; the issues below detail what's driving Detroit's water future.
Wayne County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~677,116 (largest in Michigan)
- Primary sources: Great Lakes and inland aquifers
- Drought: no meaningful conditions
- State reuse rate: ~3% of wastewater
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Detroit?
Detroit's largest water system, DETROIT CITY OF, serves about 633,218 people. EPA records show 0 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 7.5 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Detroit get its water?
DETROIT CITY OF draws primarily from surface water (rivers/reservoirs), part of Michigan's supply from Great Lakes, inland aquifers.
Related water issues
Aging Infrastructure
Much of America's water infrastructure is decades past its design life, leaking trillions of gallons a year and demanding hundreds of billions in reinvestment.
ExplorePFAS Contamination
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances persist in water supplies for decades. New federal limits are forcing utilities nationwide to invest in advanced treatment.
ExploreLead Contamination
Millions of lead service lines still connect homes to water mains. After Flint, a national push — backed by new EPA rules — aims to rip them all out.
ExploreAlgal Blooms
Nutrient pollution and warming water are fueling toxic algae outbreaks that can shut down drinking-water intakes — as Toledo learned in 2014.
Explore