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TheH2O Standard

City of Tampa Water Department · serves 717,000 people

Tap Water Quality in Tampa, FL 33602

City of Tampa Water Department's own testing found 17 contaminants above EWG's health guidelines, led by Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) at 1,686x, Haloacetic acids (HAA9) at 254x, Haloacetic acids (HAA5) at 145x. Here's every one, what it does, and what takes it out.

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The numbers

Above EWG health guidelines

17

contaminants

Other contaminants detected

14

under the guideline

Tested for, not found

116

chemicals

People served

717,000

City of Tampa Water Department

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. Hillsborough 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.

  • Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS)

    1,686xEWG guideline

    This utility
    1.69 ppt
    EWG guideline
    0.001 ppt
    Legal limit
    10 ppt
    • Activated carbon
    • Reverse osmosis

    State avg 1.05 ppt · US avg 0.523 ppt

    What is this contaminant?

    Perfluorohexane sulfonate is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. Perfluorinated chemicals can cause serious health effects, including cancer, endocrine disruption, accelerated puberty, liver and immune system damage, and thyroid changes. These chemicals are persistent in the environment and they accumulate in people. Click here to read more about perfluorinated chemicals.

    Where it comes from: industry, runoff & sprawl.

  • Haloacetic acids (HAA9)

    cancer

    254xEWG guideline

    This utility
    15.3 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.

  • Haloacetic acids (HAA5)

    cancer

    145xEWG guideline

    This utility
    14.5 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.

  • Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)

    cancer

    97xEWG guideline

    This utility
    14.5 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.

  • Bromodichloromethane

    cancer

    78xEWG guideline

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

    State avg 7.54 ppb · US avg 5.89 ppb

    What is this contaminant?

    Bromodichloromethane, one of the total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), is formed when chlorine or other disinfectants are used to treat drinking water. Bromodichloromethane and other disinfection byproducts increase the risk of cancer and may cause problems during pregnancy. Click here to read more about disinfection byproducts.

    Where it comes from: treatment byproducts.

  • Dibromoacetic acid

    63xEWG guideline

    This utility
    1.89 ppb
    EWG guideline
    0.03 ppb
    Legal limit
    None
    • Activated carbon
    • Reverse osmosis

    State avg 2.57 ppb · US avg 1.13 ppb

    What is this contaminant?

    Dibromoacetic acid, one of the group of five haloacetic acids regulated by federal standards, is formed when chlorine or other disinfectants are used to treat drinking water. Haloacetic acids and other disinfection byproducts increase the risk of cancer and may cause problems during pregnancy. Click here to read more about disinfection byproducts.

    Where it comes from: treatment byproducts.

  • Dichloroacetic acid

    cancer

    39xEWG guideline

    This utility
    7.71 ppb
    EWG guideline
    0.2 ppb
    Legal limit
    None
    • Activated carbon
    • Reverse osmosis

    State avg 14.8 ppb · US avg 8 ppb

    What is this contaminant?

    Dichloroacetic acid, one of the group of five haloacetic acids regulated by federal standards, is formed when chlorine or other disinfectants are used to treat drinking water. Haloacetic acids and other disinfection byproducts increase the risk of cancer and may cause problems during pregnancy. Click here to read more about disinfection byproducts.

    Where it comes from: treatment byproducts.

  • Arsenic

    cancer

    25xEWG guideline

    This utility
    0.1000 ppb
    EWG guideline
    0.004 ppb
    Legal limit
    10 ppb
    • Ion exchange
    • Reverse osmosis

    State avg 0.321 ppb · US avg 0.624 ppb

    What is this contaminant?

    Arsenic is a potent carcinogen and common contaminant in drinking water. Arsenic causes thousands of cases of cancer each year in the U.S. Click here to read more about arsenic.

    Where it comes from: agriculture, industry, naturally occurring.

  • Bromate

    cancer

    25xEWG guideline

    This utility
    2.54 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.

  • Dibromochloromethane

    cancer

    25xEWG guideline

    This utility
    2.47 ppb
    EWG guideline
    0.1 ppb
    Legal limit
    None
    • Activated carbon
    • Reverse osmosis

    State avg 4.07 ppb · US avg 3.55 ppb

    What is this contaminant?

    Dibromochloromethane, one of the total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), is formed when chlorine or other disinfectants are used to treat drinking water. Dibromochloromethane and other disinfection byproducts increase the risk of cancer and may cause problems during pregnancy. Click here to read more about disinfection byproducts.

    Where it comes from: treatment byproducts.

  • Trichloroacetic acid

    cancer

    18xEWG guideline

    This utility
    1.85 ppb
    EWG guideline
    0.1 ppb
    Legal limit
    None
    • Activated carbon
    • Reverse osmosis

    State avg 6.06 ppb · US avg 6.57 ppb

    What is this contaminant?

    Trichloroacetic acid, one of the group of five haloacetic acids regulated by federal standards, is formed when chlorine or other disinfectants are used to treat drinking water. Haloacetic acids and other disinfection byproducts increase the risk of cancer and may cause problems during pregnancy. Click here to read more about disinfection byproducts.

    Where it comes from: treatment byproducts.

  • Chloroform

    cancer

    17xEWG guideline

    This utility
    6.66 ppb
    EWG guideline
    0.4 ppb
    Legal limit
    None
    • Activated carbon
    • Reverse osmosis

    State avg 17.1 ppb · US avg 16.2 ppb

    What is this contaminant?

    Chloroform, one of the total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), is formed when chlorine or other disinfectants are used to treat drinking water. Chloroform and other disinfection byproducts increase the risk of cancer and may cause problems during pregnancy.

    Where it comes from: treatment byproducts.

  • Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)

    cancer

    14xEWG guideline

    This utility
    1.29 ppt
    EWG guideline
    0.09 ppt
    Legal limit
    4 ppt
    • Activated carbon
    • Reverse osmosis

    State avg 1.4 ppt · US avg 0.796 ppt

    What is this contaminant?

    Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. PFOA and other perfluorinated chemicals can cause serious health effects, including cancer, endocrine disruption, accelerated puberty, liver and immune system damage, and thyroid changes. These chemicals are persistent in the environment and they accumulate in people. Click here to read more about perfluorinated chemicals.

    Where it comes from: industry, runoff & sprawl.

  • Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)

    13xEWG guideline

    This utility
    3.87 ppt
    EWG guideline
    0.3 ppt
    Legal limit
    4 ppt
    • Activated carbon
    • Reverse osmosis

    State avg 4.3 ppt · US avg 1.15 ppt

    What is this contaminant?

    Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. PFOS and other perfluorinated chemicals can cause serious health effects, including cancer, endocrine disruption, accelerated puberty, liver and immune system damage, and thyroid changes. These chemicals are persistent in the environment and they accumulate in people. Click here to read more about perfluorinated chemicals.

    Where it comes from: industry, runoff & sprawl.

  • Radium, combined (-226 and -228)

    cancer

    6xEWG guideline

    This utility
    0.30 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

    3.8xEWG guideline

    This utility
    0.0769 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.

  • Nitrate

    cancer

    2.5xEWG guideline

    This utility
    0.347 ppm
    EWG guideline
    0.14 ppm
    Legal limit
    10 ppm
    • Ion exchange
    • Reverse osmosis

    State avg 0.249 ppm · US avg 0.824 ppm

    What is this contaminant?

    Nitrate, a fertilizer chemical, frequently contaminates drinking water due to agricultural and urban runoff, and discharges from municipal wastewater treatment plants and septic tanks. Excessive nitrate in water can cause oxygen deprivation in infants and increase the risk of cancer. Click here to read more about nitrate.

    Where it comes from: agriculture, runoff & sprawl, naturally occurring.

What Takes It Out

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

Reverse osmosis

17 of 17

contaminants above the guideline, plus 12 other detected. Reverse osmosis is the drinking water system under the sink.

Reverse Osmosis

Activated carbon

13 of 17

contaminants above the guideline, plus 8 other detected. Activated carbon is the whole-house filter on the main line.

Whole-House Filtration

Ion exchange

5 of 17

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
Bromoform0.774 ppb
100% of 0.5 ppb
NoneActivated carbon, Reverse osmosis
Uranium0.46 pCi/L
100% of 0.43 pCi/L
20 pCi/LIon exchange, Reverse osmosis
Fluoride0.693 ppm
17% of the legal limit
4 ppmReverse osmosis
Monobromoacetic acid1.86 ppb
7% of 25 ppb
NoneActivated carbon, Reverse osmosis
Monochloroacetic acid1.14 ppb
2% of 53 ppb
NoneActivated carbon, Reverse osmosis
Barium13.0 ppb
2% of 700 ppb
2,000 ppbIon exchange, Reverse osmosis
Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA)6.94 ppt
1% of 1,000 ppt
NoneActivated carbon, Reverse osmosis
Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA)5.03 ppt
1% of 1,000 ppt
NoneActivated carbon, Reverse osmosis
Manganese0.397 ppb
0% of 100 ppb
NoneIon exchange
Perfluorobutanoic Acid (PFBA)3.47 ppt
0% of 1,000 ppt
NoneActivated carbon, Reverse osmosis
Vanadium0.0581 ppb
0% of 21 ppb
NoneIon exchange
Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS)4.61 ppt
0% of 2,000 ppt
NoneActivated carbon, Reverse osmosis
Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA)0.557 ppt
0% of 1,000 ppt
NoneActivated carbon, Reverse osmosis
Strontium0.205 ppb
0% of 1,500 ppb
NoneIon exchange, Reverse osmosis
116 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, 1,3-Butadiene, 1,4-Dioxane, 1-butanol, 11-chloroeicosafluoro-3-oxaundecane-1-sulfonic aci, 17-beta-Estradiol, 2,3,7,8-TCDD (Dioxin), 2,4,5-TP (Silvex), 2,4-D, 2-methoxyethanol, 2-propen-1-ol, 4,8-dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoic acid (ADONA), 4-Androstene-3,17-dione, 4:2 Fluorotelomer Sulfonic Acid (4:2 FTSA), 6:2 Fluorotelomer Sulfonic Acid (6:2 FTSA), 8:2 Fluorotelomer Sulfonic Acid (8:2 FTSA), 9-chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanone-1-sulfonic acid (, Alachlor (Lasso), Alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane, Aluminum, Asbestos, Atrazine, Benzene, Benzo[a]pyrene, Beryllium, Bromochloromethane, Bromomethane, Butanoic acid, 2,2,3,3,4,4-hexafluoro-4-(trifluoro, Butylated hydroxyanisole, Carbofuran, Carbon tetrachloride, Chlorate, Chlordane, Chlorodifluoromethane, Chloromethane, Chlorpyriphos, Chromium (total), cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene, Cobalt, Cyanide, Dalapon, Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate, Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, 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, Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA), Lindane, Lithium, Mercury (inorganic), Methoxychlor, Molybdenum, Monochlorobenzene (chlorobenzene), N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamido acetic acid (N, N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid, Nitrite, Nonafluoro-3,6-dioxaheptanoic acid, o-Dichlorobenzene, o-toluidine, Oxamyl (Vydate), Oxyflurofen, p-Dichlorobenzene, Pentachlorophenol, Perfluoro(2-ethoxyethane)sulfonic acid, Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), Perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA), Perfluoroheptane sulfonic acid (PFHpS), Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), Perfluoropentane sulfonic acid (PFPeS), Perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTA), Perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA), Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA), Permethrin, Picloram, Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Profenofos, Propanoic acid, 2,2,3,3-tetrafluoro-3-(trifluorome, Quinoline, Selenium, Silver, Simazine, Styrene, Tebuconazole, Testosterone, Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene), Toluene, Toxaphene, trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene, Tribufos, Trichloroethylene, Vinyl chloride, Xylenes (total).

Other Utilities Serving 33602

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

Source: the EWG Tap Water Database, built from City of Tampa Water Department'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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