Lead In Drinking Water In Florida
What residents of Florida need to know about lead in drinking water — including how it enters water, which utilities have documented violations, and what steps to take.
Source: EPA SDWIS, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), CDC · Last reviewed: 2025-01-01
Quick Answer
Is lead in drinking water a real concern in Florida?
Yes — Florida's naturally corrosive groundwater in many service areas accelerates lead leaching from older household plumbing and service connections.
Is this mostly a public-water issue, a private-well issue, or both?
Both public systems and household plumbing; Florida's soft, low-pH water chemistry in some regions is particularly aggressive toward lead-bearing plumbing materials.
What is the main reason residents should care?
Florida's groundwater sources are naturally soft and corrosive in many areas, which increases the rate at which lead leaches from older service lines, lead solder, and brass fixtures even when source water is compliant.
Key Facts
| Federal Lead Action Level | 15 µg/L — zero is the CDC-recognized safe threshold |
| MCLG | Zero |
| Water chemistry concern | Soft, low-pH groundwater in many FL service areas increases corrosivity |
| Older housing risk | Pre-1986 construction likely contains lead solder or older fittings |
| State oversight | Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) |
Why This Matters in Florida
Florida draws much of its drinking water from the Floridan Aquifer, which produces naturally soft and sometimes acidic water that is more corrosive than harder water supplies. This chemistry can dissolve lead from older plumbing materials more readily. Miami-Dade, Tampa, Jacksonville, and Orlando all have zones of pre-1986 housing where lead solder and older service connections are present. Florida utilities are required to implement corrosion control treatment under the Lead and Copper Rule, but household plumbing beyond the meter is the homeowner's responsibility.
Florida Utilities With Lead Violation Records
The utilities listed below have at least one lead violation on record in EPA's SDWIS database. Violations may be open or resolved — see individual utility pages for current status and risk level.
Mdwasa - Main System
Miami · 2,377,460 served
Pinellas County Utilities
Clearwater · 506,353 served
City of Hialeah
Hialeah · 238,000 served
Hcwrc/northwest Utilities
Tampa · 208,982 served
City of Tallahassee
Tallahassee · 200,480 served
City of Lakeland
Lakeland · 193,297 served
City of Pembroke Pines
Pembroke Pines · 187,459 served
City of Fort Lauderdale
Ft Lauderdale · 185,163 served
North Miami Beach
North Miami Beach · 180,000 served
Cftod Central (4 Wps)
Lake Buena Vista · 136,500 served
How Lead Gets Into Drinking Water
Lead service lines
The pipe connecting a home to the water main may be made of lead, especially in pre-1986 construction. Water sitting in these lines can accumulate lead before it reaches the tap.
Lead solder
Lead solder at pipe joints was banned for potable water systems in 1986. Homes built before that date — including significant portions of older Florida cities — may still have lead solder throughout their plumbing.
Older brass fixtures
Faucets, valves, and fixtures with high lead content were common before the 2014 revision of 'lead-free' standards. Replacing older fixtures at kitchen and drinking taps can meaningfully reduce exposure.
Corrosive water chemistry
Soft, acidic, or low-alkalinity water dissolves lead from plumbing more readily. Utilities use orthophosphate and other corrosion control treatments, but household plumbing after the meter is not within their control.
Who Should Pay Closest Attention
Families with young children in older rental housing, households on private groundwater wells with older submersible pump fixtures, and residents of older multifamily buildings face the greatest exposure risk.
Families with children under six
Pregnant residents
Households in homes built before 1986
Renters who cannot inspect building plumbing
Residents on a confirmed lead service line
Households that had plumbing work done recently (disturbances dislodge protective scale)
How to Check Your Situation in Florida
- 1
Identify your water utility. Use the ZIP lookup below or browse the Florida utility directory on this site.
- 2
Read your utility's page on this site to see its current risk level and any open lead violations.
- 3
Contact your utility and ask for your address-level service line material status. Under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR), utilities must maintain and provide this information.
- 4
Review your utility's most recent Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) — mailed annually or available on the utility's website.
- 5
Consider testing your tap water at a Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)-certified lab. Your state health department or Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) maintains a list of certified labs.
- 6
If you have young children or are pregnant, install a certified NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 filter at the kitchen tap as a precautionary measure.
Treatment Options
Boiling does not remove lead. Use a certified filter for drinking and cooking water.
NSF/ANSI Standard 53 — Activated Carbon Block
Under-sink or pitcher filters certified to Standard 53 are independently verified to reduce lead. Replace filters on the manufacturer's schedule — an overdue filter may not perform as certified.
NSF/ANSI Standard 58 — Reverse Osmosis
RO systems certified to Standard 58 remove 95–99% of lead and a broad range of contaminants. Requires under-sink installation. More comprehensive than Standard 53 for households with multiple contaminant concerns.
Flushing — temporary mitigation only
EPA recommends flushing the cold tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes if water has sat in pipes for 6+ hours. Not a substitute for certified filtration or service line replacement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Pages
Lead — National Overview
All U.S. utilities with lead records
Florida State Overview
All utilities and water quality data
Nitrate in Drinking Water
A separate but common concern
Reverse Osmosis Guide
Removes 95–99% of lead
Activated Carbon Filter Guide
NSF/ANSI 53 certified options
All Contaminants
Complete reference library
Data Sources & Provenance
All data on this page is sourced from official U.S. government or public datasets.
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Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) ↗