What was found in Baton Rouge's water
The level at the city's main supplier, the highest level anywhere in the city, the EPA limit for each, and where every figure comes from.
| Contaminant | Level vs EPA limit | Suppliers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fluoride | 500 µg/L 13% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 215 µg/L 2.2% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 200 µg/L 15% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 55.6 µg/L 2.8% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 45.6 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2025 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 13.55 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 10.395 µg/L 13% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 10 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 9.785 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Cyanide | 8.7 µg/L 4.4% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 8.54 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 7.925 µg/L 16% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 6.1655 pCi/L 41% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2017 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 5.36 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 4.48 pCi/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 3.955 µg/L 26% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 3.17 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate | 2.526 µg/L 42% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 1.5251 pCi/L 31% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Dalapon | 1.23 µg/L 0.6% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 1.1685 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 1.1 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 1 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Asbestos | 1 MFL 14% of the EPA limit 7 MFL Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Cadmium | 1 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 0.9500 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 0.6890 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Carbofuran | 0.6200 µg/L 1.6% of the EPA limit 40 µg/L Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Hexachlorocyclopentadiene | 0.5250 µg/L 1.1% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Simazine | 0.2200 µg/L 5.5% of the EPA limit 4 µg/L Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Hexachlorobenzene | 0.1424 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 1 µg/L Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Benzo(A)Pyrene | 0.0200 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 0.2000 µg/L Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0010 mg/L 6.7% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY · 596,844 people · 2025 | 1/1 | LCR |
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 95th percentile of the
system's samples — 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 Baton Rouge
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| BATON ROUGE WATER COMPANY | 596,844 |
Frequently asked questions about Baton Rouge tap water
Is Baton Rouge tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 33 contaminants in the water serving Baton Rouge. 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 Baton Rouge?
1 public water supplier report drinking-water monitoring for Baton Rouge, Louisiana to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Baton Rouge's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Baton Rouge include Fluoride, Nitrate-Nitrite, Copper, Barium, Lithium. The full list, with the level at the main supplier 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.