Drinking water quality · 2024
What's in Tallahassee, FL tap water
21 contaminants were measured in the Tallahassee, FL water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 21
- Over federal limit
- 0
- Approaching the limit
- 0
- Service area
- FL
PFAS — EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025)
1 PFAS compound above EPA limits in Tallahassee, FL
The EPA finalized the first-ever federal drinking-water limits for six PFAS compounds in April 2024. These numbers come straight from EPA's UCMR5 lab dataset — every U.S. system serving more than 3,300 people tested every PFAS sample at an entry point to its distribution system. PFAS not listed below were either tested and not detected, or not yet sampled.
PFOS (Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid)
● Over EPA limit (2.0×)PFHxS (Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid)
● Below limitPFBS
● Detected (no federal limit)Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Tallahassee, FL's drinking water comes from ground water, drawn from 39 sources.
Source
- WELL · 32
- WELL # 20 LAFAYETTE OAKS · 2
- ARROWHEAD · 2
- WELL#22
- + 2 more
Treatment
- ARROWHEAD #1
- ARROWHEAD #2
- PLANT # 20
- + 33 more
Distribution
Compliance history
Federal Safe Drinking Water Act violation & enforcement records (EPA SDWIS). A violation is a regulatory determination by the state or EPA — separate from the measured levels above.
- Maximum contaminant level exceededHealth-based3 violations on record · most recent Oct 1997resolved
- Monitoring & reporting1 violation on record · most recent Jan 20151 open
Source: EPA SDWIS / ECHO. View the full federal record on EPA ECHO ↗
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| CopperA metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing. | 0.52 mg/L90th percentileAt the tap | 1.3 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| ArsenicA naturally occurring element that also enters water from industry and agriculture. | 1.3 ug/LReported levelSystem-wide | 0 ug/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| LeadA toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures. | 1.4 ug/L90th percentileAt the tap | 0 ug/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| MercuryA toxic metal from erosion of natural deposits and industrial runoff. | 0.1 ug/LReported levelSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
| BariumA metal from erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge. | 0.025 mg/LReported levelSystem-wide | 2 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| SodiumA naturally occurring salt component. | 4.21 mg/LReported levelSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
VOCs & pesticides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TetrachloroethyleneAn industrial solvent (PCE) used in dry cleaning and degreasing. | 1.78 ug/LAverageSystem-wide | 0 ug/LMCLG | Within the limit |
Radionuclides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross AlphaGross alpha particle activity — a combined measure of alpha-emitting radioactive substances. | 4.82 pCi/LReported levelSystem-wide | 0 pCi/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| Combined RadiumCombined radium-226 and radium-228 — naturally occurring radioactive elements. | 0.58 pCi/LReported levelSystem-wide | 0 pCi/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| UraniumA naturally occurring radioactive metal from erosion of natural deposits. | 0.5 ug/LReported levelSystem-wide | 0 ug/LMCLG | Within the limit |
Inorganic chemicals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| FluorideA mineral often added to drinking water to help prevent tooth decay. | 0.85 mg/LReported levelSystem-wide | 4 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| NitrateA compound from fertilizer runoff, septic systems, and erosion of natural deposits. | 0.67 mg/LReported levelSystem-wide | 10 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| Cyanide | 5.2 ug/LReported levelSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
Disinfection byproducts
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TTHMTotal trihalomethanes — a group of four chemicals (including chloroform) formed when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter. | 16.78 ug/LAverageSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
| HAA5Haloacetic acids — a group of five disinfection byproducts formed when disinfectants react with organic matter. | 8.48 ug/LAverageSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChlorineA disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. | 0.81 mg/LAverageSystem-wide | 4 mg/LMRDLG | Within the limit |
Other
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chromium | 1.6 ug/LReported levelSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| OdorA measure of detectable smell in the water. | 16MaximumSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
People also ask about Tallahassee, FL's water
+Is Tallahassee, FL tap water safe to drink in 2024?
Every one of the 21 contaminants measured in Tallahassee, FL's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report is below its federal limit. "Safe" under the EPA's drinking-water standards is health-based, not aesthetic — but by those standards, no measured contaminant in this report exceeds its enforceable threshold. Individual health concerns (e.g. immunocompromised, infant, pregnancy) may warrant additional filtering regardless of compliance.
+What contaminants are in Tallahassee, FL tap water?
21 contaminants were measured in Tallahassee, FL's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning metals, inorganic chemicals, and pfas ("forever chemicals"). 11 have an enforceable federal limit; the rest are detected but unregulated. Every measured value, in the utility's own units, is on this page.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from Tallahassee, FL's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. public water utility is required by federal law to publish. The original source document is archived and viewable on this site. A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
+How often is Tallahassee, FL's water quality data updated?
Each U.S. public water utility publishes one Consumer Confidence Report per year, covering the prior calendar year's measurements. This page reflects the 2024 report; a new report will replace it once the utility publishes its next annual update.