Is Tampa, FL Tap Water Safe? Quality & Contaminants

What was found in Tampa's water

The highest level seen across the city's suppliers, the EPA limit for each, and where the figure comes from.

Contaminant	Level vs EPA limit	Suppliers	Source
Nitrate	18000 µg/L 180% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 10000 µg/L	34/46	SYR4
Copper	970 µg/L 75% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L	38/46	SYR4
Chromium	870 µg/L 870% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 100 µg/L	22/46	SYR4
Fluoride	770 µg/L 19% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L	35/46	SYR4
Nitrite	250 µg/L 25% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L	8/46	SYR4
Cyanide	180 µg/L 90% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L	5/46	SYR4
TTHM	146.81 µg/L 184% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 80 µg/L	45/46	SYR4
Barium	100 µg/L 5% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L	37/46	SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	75.11 µg/L 125% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 60 µg/L	45/46	SYR4
Combined Uranium	12.9779 µg/L 43% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L	17/46	SYR4
Selenium	10 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L	27/46	SYR4
Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U	8.1 pCi/L 54% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L	5/46	SYR4
Arsenic	6.8 µg/L 68% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L	33/46	SYR4
Lead	5.8 µg/L 39% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L	32/46	SYR4
Antimony, Total	2.2 µg/L 37% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L	28/46	SYR4
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene	2 µg/L 2.9% of the EPA limit 70 µg/L	2/46	SYR4
Dalapon	1.5 µg/L 0.8% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L	3/46	SYR4
Dichloromethane	1.4 µg/L 28% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L	1/46	SYR4
Toluene	1.4 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L	3/46	SYR4
Cadmium	1.3 µg/L 26% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L	11/46	SYR4
P-Dichlorobenzene	1.1 µg/L 1.5% of the EPA limit 75 µg/L	2/46	SYR4
Xylenes, Total	0.6200 µg/L 0% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L	2/46	SYR4
Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate	0.6000 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L	1/46	SYR4
Mercury	0.6000 µg/L 30% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L	7/46	SYR4
Thallium, Total	0.4000 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L	17/46	SYR4
Benzene	0.3000 µg/L 6% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L	2/46	SYR4
Carbon Tetrachloride	0.3000 µg/L 6% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L	1/46	SYR4
1,2-Dichloroethane	0.2500 µg/L 5% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L	1/46	SYR4
Beryllium, Total	0.2000 µg/L 5% of the EPA limit 4 µg/L	2/46	SYR4
Di(2-ethylhexyl) Adipate	0.2000 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 400 µg/L	1/46	SYR4
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene	0.0270 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L	1/46	SYR4
PFOS	0.0250 µg/L No EPA limit set	5/46	UCMR-5
Atrazine	0.0200 µg/L 0.7% of the EPA limit 3 µg/L	1/46	SYR4
PFBS	0.0130 µg/L No EPA limit set	5/46	UCMR-5
PFHXS	0.0120 µg/L No EPA limit set	5/46	UCMR-5
PFOA	0.0110 µg/L No EPA limit set	4/46	UCMR-5
Pfpea	0.0095 µg/L No EPA limit set	6/46	UCMR-5
Lead	0.0092 mg/L 61% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L	44/46	LCR
Pfba	0.0081 µg/L No EPA limit set	5/46	UCMR-5
Pfhxa	0.0073 µg/L No EPA limit set	6/46	UCMR-5
Pfhpa	0.0040 µg/L No EPA limit set	4/46	UCMR-5

Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a running annual average while the figure is the single worst sample on record — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a violation. Formal violations are listed separately. These are the utilities' own EPA-reported results, not a city-wide average. A detection means the lab measured the substance — it isn't the same as exceeding a legal limit. Hover a source tag to see the EPA program and years behind each figure.

Water suppliers serving Tampa

Supplier	Population served
CITY OF TAMPA WATER DEPARTMENT	733,886
HCWRC/NORTHWEST UTILITIES	208,982
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA	47,586
HCWRD/SEABOARD UTILITIES	13,958
FGUA / MACDILL	11,965
HCWRC/PEBBLE CREEK SUBDIVISION	4,757
PARADISE VILLAGE	2,456
HCWRD/EASTLAKE	2,074
CYPRESS CAY PRESERVE MASTER ASSOCIATION	1,500
AYLA APARTMENTS	1,344
CASA VERDE MANUFACTURED HOME COMMUNITY	1,250
HCWRD/HERSHEL HEIGHTS	812
CAX-LAKESHORE LLC	590
PROMENADE SUBDIVISION	200
VILLAGE CENTRE TOWNHOMES	180
42ND STREET APARTMENTS	160
HIDDEN OAKS MHP	135
HIGHLAND OAKS MHC	132
CHALET VILLAGE MHP	130
HOPE CHILDREN'S HOME	114
MCN MOBILE HOME PARK	95
RAY MAR MHP	89
HCWRD/FAIRVIEW MHP	86
CAROUSEL VILLAGE MHP	82
HILLTOP MHP	82
THE WOODLANDS ON CLAY	75
HI PINES MOBILE HOME PARK	72
ON THE PARK TOWNHOMES	65
FLYING CLOUD TP	60
LA CASA MIA	60
COUNTRYSIDE VILLAGE	60
ASHLEY OAKS MOBILE HOME PARK	60
REGENCY OAKS	58
OAKWOOD CT APTS	52
SPRINGTREE APTS	52
TAMPA SUN ESTATES 4	50
TERRACE SQUARE APTS	45
SHERWOOD MHP WEST	45
WHISPERING PINES PARK	44
GARDEN SPRINGS MHP	40
SHERWOOD MHP-EAST	37
TAMPA MARIA MHP	32
RIVERBREEZE MHP	30
TAMPA BAY WATER MORRIS BRIDGE PUMP STATI	25
TAMPA BAY WATER REG. SURFACE WATER PLANT	25
EAST POINT ASSEMBLY OF GOD	25

Frequently asked questions about Tampa tap water

Is Tampa tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 41 contaminants in the water serving Tampa. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most detected levels are within federal limits. Check the level and source for each contaminant above, and your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for the official compliance status.

How many water suppliers serve Tampa?

46 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Tampa, Florida to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.

What contaminants are in Tampa's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Tampa include Nitrate, Copper, Chromium, Fluoride, Nitrite. The full list, with the highest level found and the data source, is in the table above.

Where does this data come from?

Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.