Drinking water quality · 2024
· Verified
What's in New Orleans, LA tap water
21 contaminants were measured in the New Orleans, LA water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit — 5 sit at or above that limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 21
- Over federal limit
- 5
- Approaching the limit
- 0
- Worst contaminant
- Chlorine Total
- Service area
- LA
- Chlorine TotalOther · Reported level0.3–49 mg/L
- LeadMetals · Reported level0–22 ug/Llimit 0 ug/L · 1.5× the limit
- TurbidityPhysical & aggregate · Reported level0.03–1.44 NTUlimit 1 NTU · 1.4× the limit
- PFOSPFAS ("forever chemicals") · Reported level0–4.5 ng/Llimit 0 ng/L · 1.1× the limit
- PFOAPFAS ("forever chemicals") · Reported level0–4.1 ng/Llimit 0 ng/L · 1.0× the limit
PFAS — EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025)
2 PFAS compounds above EPA limits in New Orleans, LA
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 (1.1×)PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic acid)
● Over EPA limit (1.0×)PFBA
● Detected (no federal limit)Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
New Orleans, LA's drinking water comes from surface water, drawn from 2 sources.
Source
- NEW INTAKE DOWNSTREAM
- SURFACE WATER RAW INTAKE
Treatment
- SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT
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.
- Treatment technique violationHealth-based9 violations on record · most recent Jan 2025resolved
Source: EPA SDWIS / ECHO. View the full federal record on EPA ECHO ↗
Other
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorine Total | 0.3–49 mg/LReported levelWestbank | None set | At or above the limit |
| Nitrate Nitrite | 1.4 mg/LReported levelWestbank | 10 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| LeadA toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures. | 0–22 ug/LReported levelEastbank | 0 ug/LMCLG | At or above the limit |
| CopperA metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing. | 0.1 mg/LReported levelEastbank | 1.3 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| LithiumA naturally occurring element found in some groundwater. | 0–14 ng/LReported levelEastbank | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TurbidityA measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. | 0.03–1.44 NTUReported levelWestbank | 1 NTUMCL | At or above the limit |
| TOCTotal organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water. | 1–1.66Reported levelWestbank | None set | Detected — no federal 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. | 13–54 ug/LReported levelEastbank | None set | Within the limit |
| HAA5Haloacetic acids — a group of five disinfection byproducts formed when disinfectants react with organic matter. | 12–40 ug/LReported levelWestbank | None set | Within the limit |
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acidHFPO-DA ('GenX chemicals'), a newer-generation PFAS replacement compound. | 0–5.4 ng/LReported levelEastbank | 10 ng/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| Perfluorohexanoic acidPerfluorohexanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' | 0–3 ng/LReported levelEastbank | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Perfluoropentanoic acidPerfluoropentanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' | 0–8.8 ng/LReported levelEastbank | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Inorganic chemicals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| FluorideA mineral often added to drinking water to help prevent tooth decay. | 0.46–0.9 mg/LReported levelWestbank | 4 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
Radionuclides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combined RadiumCombined radium-226 and radium-228 — naturally occurring radioactive elements. | 0–0.366 pCi/LReported levelEastbank | 5 pCi/LMCL | Within the limit |
| Gross Beta Particle ActivityGross beta particle activity — a combined measure of beta-emitting radioactive substances. | 2.9 pCi/LReported levelWestbank | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
VOCs & pesticides
Microbial
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total ColiformA group of bacteria used as an indicator of overall water-system sanitation. | 0–4.9 %Reported levelEastbank | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
People also ask about New Orleans, LA's water
+Is New Orleans, LA tap water safe to drink in 2024?
The 2024 Consumer Confidence Report for the New Orleans, LA water utility lists 5 contaminants at or above the federal limit: Chlorine Total, Lead, Turbidity, PFOS, and PFOA. Whether that means the water is "unsafe" depends on which contaminant, how long the exposure, and individual health factors. The table on this page shows the measured value, the federal threshold, and the regulated statistic used for compliance.
+What contaminants are in New Orleans, LA tap water?
21 contaminants were measured in New Orleans, LA's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning pfas ("forever chemicals"), metals, and disinfection byproducts. 9 have an enforceable federal limit; the rest are detected but unregulated. Every measured value, in the utility's own units, is on this page.
+Which contaminants exceed federal limits in New Orleans, LA tap water?
5 contaminants in New Orleans, LA's 2024 report sit at or above the federal limit: Chlorine Total (12.3× the limit); Lead (1.5× the limit); Turbidity (1.4× the limit); PFOS (1.1× the limit); PFOA (1.0× the limit). The EPA enforces these limits against the regulated reporting statistic — typically a running annual average or 90th percentile — not a one-off sample spike.
+What is the worst contaminant in New Orleans, LA tap water?
The contaminant with the highest measured value relative to its federal limit in the 2024 report is Chlorine Total, at 12.3× the federal threshold. It belongs to the other family of contaminants.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from New Orleans, LA'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 New Orleans, LA'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.