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TheH2O Standard

Orlando Utilities Commission · serves 456,036 people

Tap Water Quality in Orlando, FL 32801

Orlando Utilities Commission's own testing found 7 contaminants above EWG's health guidelines, led by Haloacetic acids (HAA9) at 544x, Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) at 356x, Haloacetic acids (HAA5) at 238x. Here's every one, what it does, and what takes it out.

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The numbers

Above EWG health guidelines

7

contaminants

Other contaminants detected

9

under the guideline

Tested for, not found

96

chemicals

People served

456,036

Orlando Utilities Commission

Met federal legal limits in the latest quarter the EPA assessed (April 2024 - June 2024). Legal doesn't mean the water meets today's health guidelines: most legal limits haven't moved in about 20 years, and many of these chemicals have none. Orange County, FL.

Contaminants Above EWG's Health Guidelines

Detected in 2021-2023 at annual averages over the level a public health authority considers safe. Most have no legal limit at all.

  • Haloacetic acids (HAA9)

    cancer

    544xEWG guideline

    This utility
    32.7 ppb
    EWG guideline
    0.06 ppb
    Legal limit
    None
    • Activated carbon
    • Reverse osmosis

    State avg 25.7 ppb · US avg 23.7 ppb

    What is this contaminant?

    Haloacetic acids are formed when disinfectants such as chlorine are added to tap water. The group of nine haloacetic acids includes monochloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, monobromoacetic acid and dibromoacetic acid, which are regulated as a group by the federal government (HAA5); and bromochloroacetic acid, bromodichloroacetic acid, chlorodibromoacetic acid, and tribromoacetic acid.

    Where it comes from: treatment byproducts.

  • Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)

    cancer

    356xEWG guideline

    This utility
    53.4 ppb
    EWG guideline
    0.15 ppb
    Legal limit
    80 ppb
    • Activated carbon
    • Reverse osmosis

    State avg 30.7 ppb · US avg 29.1 ppb

    What is this contaminant?

    Trihalomethanes are cancer-causing contaminants that form during water treatment with chlorine and other disinfectants. The total trihalomethanes group includes four chemicals: chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane and bromoform.

    Where it comes from: treatment byproducts.

  • Haloacetic acids (HAA5)

    cancer

    238xEWG guideline

    This utility
    23.8 ppb
    EWG guideline
    0.1 ppb
    Legal limit
    60 ppb
    • Activated carbon
    • Reverse osmosis

    State avg 18.9 ppb · US avg 19.8 ppb

    What is this contaminant?

    Haloacetic acids are formed when disinfectants such as chlorine are added to tap water. The group of five haloacetic acids regulated by federal standards includes monochloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, monobromoacetic acid and dibromoacetic acid.

    Where it comes from: treatment byproducts.

  • Bromate

    cancer

    35xEWG guideline

    This utility
    3.52 ppb
    EWG guideline
    0.1 ppb
    Legal limit
    10 ppb
    • Activated carbon
    • Ion exchange
    • Reverse osmosis

    State avg 1.66 ppb · US avg 1.2 ppb

    What is this contaminant?

    Bromate is a carcinogenic disinfection byproduct formed when source waters containing bromide are treated with ozonation or sodium hypochlorite. Studies of laboratory animals show that bromate damages DNA and causes cancer in multiple organs. Click here to read more about disinfection byproducts.

    Where it comes from: treatment byproducts.

  • Radium, combined (-226 and -228)

    cancer

    17xEWG guideline

    This utility
    0.84 pCi/L
    EWG guideline
    0.05 pCi/L
    Legal limit
    5 pCi/L
    • Ion exchange
    • Reverse osmosis

    State avg 0.54 pCi/L · US avg 0.33 pCi/L

    What is this contaminant?

    Radium is a radioactive element that causes bone cancer and other cancers. It can occur naturally in groundwater, and oil and gas extraction activities such as hydraulic fracturing can elevate concentrations.

    Where it comes from: industry, naturally occurring.

  • Chromium (hexavalent)

    cancer

    2.3xEWG guideline

    This utility
    0.0456 ppb
    EWG guideline
    0.02 ppb
    Legal limit
    None
    • Ion exchange
    • Reverse osmosis

    State avg 0.107 ppb · US avg 0.44 ppb

    What is this contaminant?

    Chromium (hexavalent) is a carcinogen that commonly contaminates American drinking water. Chromium (hexavalent) in drinking water may be due to industrial pollution or natural occurrences in mineral deposits and groundwater. Read more about chromium (hexavalent).

    Where it comes from: industry, naturally occurring.

  • 1,3-Butadiene

    cancer

    2.2xEWG guideline

    This utility
    0.0229 ppb
    EWG guideline
    0.0103 ppb
    Legal limit
    None
    • Activated carbon
    • Reverse osmosis

    State avg 0.000526 ppb · US avg 0.00004 ppb

What Takes It Out

EWG lists which home filter technologies reduce each contaminant. Counted against this utility's report:

Reverse osmosis

7 of 7

contaminants above the guideline, plus 6 other detected. Reverse osmosis is the drinking water system under the sink.

Reverse Osmosis

Activated carbon

5 of 7

contaminants above the guideline, plus 1 other detected. Activated carbon is the whole-house filter on the main line.

Whole-House Filtration

Ion exchange

3 of 7

contaminants above the guideline. Ion exchange is what a water softener does; it also takes out the hardness that scales your fixtures.

Water Softeners

A complete system stacks all three: carbon on the main line, a softener, and reverse osmosis at the kitchen sink. One flat price, installed by a licensed plumber near you.

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Other Contaminants Detected

Found in the water, under EWG's guideline. Shown as a share of the guideline so you can see what's close.

ContaminantThis utilityOf the guidelineLegal limitWhat filters it
Nitrate0.0283 ppm
20% of 0.14 ppm
10 ppmIon exchange, Reverse osmosis
Fluoride0.733 ppm
18% of the legal limit
4 ppmReverse osmosis
Molybdenum1.69 ppb
4% of 40 ppb
NoneIon exchange, Reverse osmosis
Barium20.6 ppb
3% of 700 ppb
2,000 ppbIon exchange, Reverse osmosis
Manganese0.697 ppb
1% of 100 ppb
NoneIon exchange
Vanadium0.0154 ppb
0% of 21 ppb
NoneIon exchange
Strontium0.535 ppb
0% of 1,500 ppb
NoneIon exchange, Reverse osmosis
2-propen-1-ol0.181 ppb
No guideline
NoneActivated carbon, Reverse osmosis
Quinoline0.00157 ppb
No guideline
NoneActivated carbon, Reverse osmosis, Ion exchange
96 chemicals tested for and not foundShow the list

1,1,1-Trichloroethane, 1,1,2-Trichloroethane, 1,1-Dichloroethane, 1,1-Dichloroethylene, 1,2,3-Trichloropropane, 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene, 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP), 1,2-Dichloroethane, 1,2-Dichloropropane, 1,4-Dioxane, 1-butanol, 17-beta-Estradiol, 2,4,5-TP (Silvex), 2,4-D, 2-methoxyethanol, 4-Androstene-3,17-dione, Alachlor (Lasso), Alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane, Aluminum, Antimony, Arsenic, Atrazine, Benzene, Benzo[a]pyrene, Beryllium, Bromochloromethane, Bromomethane, Butylated hydroxyanisole, Cadmium, Carbofuran, Carbon tetrachloride, Chlorate, Chlordane, Chlorodifluoromethane, Chloromethane, Chlorpyriphos, Chromium (total), cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene, Cobalt, Cyanide, Dalapon, Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate, Dichloromethane (methylene chloride), Dimethipin, Dinoseb, Diquat, Endothall, Endrin, Equilin, Estriol, Estrone, Ethinyl estradiol, Ethoprop, Ethylbenzene, Ethylene dibromide, Germanium, Glyphosate, Heptachlor, Heptachlor epoxide, Hexachlorobenzene (HCB), Hexachlorocyclopentadiene, Lindane, Mercury (inorganic), Methoxychlor, Monochlorobenzene (chlorobenzene), Nitrite, o-Dichlorobenzene, o-toluidine, Oxamyl (Vydate), Oxyflurofen, p-Dichlorobenzene, Pentachlorophenol, Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS), Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA), Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS), Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), Permethrin, Picloram, Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Profenofos, Silver, Simazine, Styrene, Tebuconazole, Testosterone, Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene), Thallium, Toluene, Toxaphene, trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene, Tribufos, Trichloroethylene, Vinyl chloride, Xylenes (total).

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We install in Orlando. Water softener installation in Orlando, FL

Source: the EWG Tap Water Database, built from Orlando Utilities Commission's own testing in 2021-2023, as reported to the state and the EPA. Legal limits are federal (or state) maximums; health guidelines are the levels EWG's scientists consider protective, usually set by a state or federal public health authority. “Times over” compares the utility's annual average with the guideline. Last pulled October 2026.Hardness isn't in EWG's data; ours is an area estimate.

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Your utility's own test results, from the EWG Tap Water Database: what's in the water, how it compares with health guidelines, and what takes it out.

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