Arsenic Contamination

Arsenic in Florida Drinking Water

Ranked by arsenic violation count · Data from EPA SDWIS & UCMR

170

Cities Tested

170

Has Violations

100%

% Has Violations

2.8 violations

State Avg

▼ 0% vs national

vs National

321

Health Violations

Analysis

Arsenic in Florida: what the data shows

Florida has 170 cities with arsenic-related violations on record. Arsenic contamination is a federal MCL violation at levels above 10 µg/L (10 ppb). The state has 170 cities with at least one arsenic violation. Arsenic enters drinking water primarily through erosion of natural deposits, particularly in western states with arsenite-bearing geology. Industrial sources include mining runoff, glass manufacturing, and semiconductor production. Groundwater systems are significantly more likely to have arsenic issues than surface water systems. Long-term arsenic exposure above the MCL increases the risk of bladder, lung, and skin cancer, as well as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Reverse osmosis and specialized arsenic-removal media are the most effective point-of-use treatment options.

Comparison

Cities exceeding 10 µg/L EPA MCL

Florida

100%

170 of 170 cities

← = Exactly at national rate

National avg

100%

5270 of 5270 cities

City Map

Arsenic data across Florida

Each dot is a city with arsenic violation data. Cities with at least one arsenic-related violation are highlighted. Size reflects population served.

Worst Offenders

Top 10 cities by arsenic level in Florida

Highest Arsenic levels (violations)

All Cities

All Florida cities ranked by arsenic level

#	City	Level	Violations?	Violations	Grade
1	Plant City	31 violations	Yes	85	D
2	Ocala	27 violations	Yes	91	F
3	Tampa	23 violations	Yes	64	F
4	Mulberry	18 violations	Yes	17	F
5	Winter Haven	12 violations	Yes	28	F
6	Leesburg	10 violations	Yes	49	F
7	Orlando	9 violations	Yes	78	F
8	Lakeland	8 violations	Yes	27	D
9	Lake Wales	8 violations	Yes	56	F
10	Holiday	8 violations	Yes	18	F
11	Kissimmee	7 violations	Yes	26	F
12	Apopka	7 violations	Yes	14	F
13	Altamonte Springs	7 violations	Yes	3	C+
14	Deland	7 violations	Yes	11	C-
15	New Port Richey	7 violations	Yes	68	F
16	Haines City	7 violations	Yes	17	F
17	Frostproof	7 violations	Yes	20	F
18	Jacksonville	6 violations	Yes	116	F
19	Fort Pierce	6 violations	Yes	85	F
20	Lake City	6 violations	Yes	112	F
21	Orange City	6 violations	Yes	14	C+
22	Clearwater	5 violations	Yes	14	F
23	Ormond Beach	5 violations	Yes	43	D+
24	Avon Park	5 violations	Yes	6	C-
25	Davenport	5 violations	Yes	14	F
26	Crystal River	5 violations	Yes	10	F
27	Fruitland Park	5 violations	Yes	15	F
28	Tallahassee	4 violations	Yes	12	F
29	Belleview	4 violations	Yes	18	F
30	Port Orange	4 violations	Yes	2	B-
31	Dundee	4 violations	Yes	16	D
32	Inglis	4 violations	Yes	1	D+
33	Sarasota	3 violations	Yes	9	C+
34	St. Augustine	3 violations	Yes	39	F
35	Sanford	3 violations	Yes	8	F
36	Bartow	3 violations	Yes	6	F
37	Inverness	3 violations	Yes	40	F
38	Land O' Lakes	3 violations	Yes	6	F
39	Lake Alfred	3 violations	Yes	6	C-
40	Fort Meade	3 violations	Yes	3	D
41	Umatilla	3 violations	Yes	3	B+
42	Crescent City	3 violations	Yes	62	D+
43	Montverde	3 violations	Yes	3	C+
44	Webster	3 violations	Yes	18	B
45	Miami	2 violations	Yes	104	F
46	Naples	2 violations	Yes	42	F
47	Brooksville	2 violations	Yes	41	F
48	Coral Springs	2 violations	Yes	17	F
49	Boynton Beach	2 violations	Yes	42	F
50	Winter Park	2 violations	Yes	6	C+
51	New Smyrna Beach	2 violations	Yes	18	B+
52	Clermont	2 violations	Yes	58	F
53	Titusville	2 violations	Yes	1	C
54	Sebring	2 violations	Yes	43	F
55	Auburndale	2 violations	Yes	5	F
56	Ocoee	2 violations	Yes	5	C-
57	Zephyrhills	2 violations	Yes	18	F
58	Hobe Sound	2 violations	Yes	23	F
59	Minneola	2 violations	Yes	4	B-
60	Lake Mary	2 violations	Yes	1	B
61	Live Oak	2 violations	Yes	23	D
62	Madison	2 violations	Yes	8	D
63	Lady Lake	2 violations	Yes	18	F
64	Jay	2 violations	Yes	24	B-
65	Indiantown	2 violations	Yes	65	F
66	Polk City	2 violations	Yes	2	C-
67	Keystone Heights	2 violations	Yes	2	B
68	Ft. Pierce	2 violations	Yes	16	F
69	Zellwood	2 violations	Yes	2	B
70	Pierson	2 violations	Yes	4	B-
71	Chiefland	2 violations	Yes	32	D+
72	Geneva	2 violations	Yes	16	D+
73	Archer	2 violations	Yes	0	A
74	East Palatka	2 violations	Yes	16	D+
75	Mayo	2 violations	Yes	40	C-
76	Yalaha	2 violations	Yes	1	A-
77	Cocoa	1 violations	Yes	1	A-
78	Pensacola	1 violations	Yes	5	C
79	Gainesville	1 violations	Yes	8	B
80	Melbourne	1 violations	Yes	0	A-
81	Vero Beach	1 violations	Yes	7	D
82	Palm Bay	1 violations	Yes	8	B
83	The Villages	1 violations	Yes	1	B
84	Palm Beach Gardens	1 violations	Yes	2	B
85	Daytona Beach	1 violations	Yes	5	A-
86	Plantation	1 violations	Yes	3	D+
87	Panama City	1 violations	Yes	6	B-
88	Winter Garden	1 violations	Yes	4	B
89	Milton	1 violations	Yes	19	B-
90	Quincy	1 violations	Yes	32	F
91	Oviedo	1 violations	Yes	12	B-
92	Navarre	1 violations	Yes	2	B-
93	Punta Gorda	1 violations	Yes	101	F
94	Eustis	1 violations	Yes	16	B-
95	Winter Springs	1 violations	Yes	15	B
96	Venice	1 violations	Yes	0	B+
97	Lecanto	1 violations	Yes	2	F
98	Edgewater	1 violations	Yes	50	B-
99	Immokalee	1 violations	Yes	15	B
100	Miramar Beach	1 violations	Yes	1	A-
101	Wildwood	1 violations	Yes	2	B-
102	Groveland	1 violations	Yes	2	B
103	Longwood	1 violations	Yes	9	F
104	Cantonment	1 violations	Yes	5	B
105	Tavares	1 violations	Yes	11	C+
106	Okeechobee	1 violations	Yes	150	F
107	Stuart	1 violations	Yes	25	F
108	Defuniak Springs	1 violations	Yes	10	B
109	Dade City	1 violations	Yes	8	F
110	Arcadia	1 violations	Yes	43	F
111	Freeport	1 violations	Yes	12	B-
112	Palatka	1 violations	Yes	119	F
113	Mascotte	1 violations	Yes	0	A
114	Alachua	1 violations	Yes	6	C+
115	Ft. Walton Beach	1 violations	Yes	0	A
116	Chattahoochee	1 violations	Yes	1	B-
117	Oakland	1 violations	Yes	1	B+
118	Raiford	1 violations	Yes	10	A+
119	Homosassa	1 violations	Yes	2	D
120	Carrabelle	1 violations	Yes	75	B
121	Moore Haven	1 violations	Yes	33	F
122	Baker	1 violations	Yes	2	A-
123	Belleair	1 violations	Yes	15	C
124	St George Island	1 violations	Yes	3	A-
125	Apalachicola	1 violations	Yes	43	C-
126	Wauchula	1 violations	Yes	12	C
127	Westlake	1 violations	Yes	0	A-
128	Lake Panasoffkee	1 violations	Yes	2	B-
129	Newberry	1 violations	Yes	2	A-
130	Chuluota	1 violations	Yes	18	A-
131	Jensen Beach	1 violations	Yes	75	D
132	Bushnell	1 violations	Yes	22	D+
133	Bowling Green	1 violations	Yes	3	C
134	Bonifay	1 violations	Yes	3	C-
135	Melbourne Beach	1 violations	Yes	14	D+
136	Eatonville	1 violations	Yes	10	C-
137	Lake Helen	1 violations	Yes	1	A-
138	Steinhatchee	1 violations	Yes	43	B
139	Bristol	1 violations	Yes	7	C+
140	Cross City	1 violations	Yes	81	C-
141	Eagle Lake	1 violations	Yes	7	B-
142	Nalcrest	1 violations	Yes	3	B
143	Astor	1 violations	Yes	9	B
144	Lake Hamilton	1 violations	Yes	28	B
145	Howey-In-The-Hills	1 violations	Yes	8	D+
146	San Antonio	1 violations	Yes	15	D
147	Old Town	1 violations	Yes	34	B
148	Sneads	1 violations	Yes	1	A-
149	Palm City	1 violations	Yes	1	C
150	Wesley Chapel	1 violations	Yes	1	B-
151	Palm Harbor	1 violations	Yes	2	C-
152	Waldo	1 violations	Yes	4	A-
153	Fanning Springs	1 violations	Yes	0	A
154	Melrose	1 violations	Yes	0	A
155	Interlachen	1 violations	Yes	7	D+
156	Grand Island	1 violations	Yes	4	B-
157	Grand Ridge	1 violations	Yes	4	A-
158	Penney Farms	1 violations	Yes	5	B
159	Jennings	1 violations	Yes	2	C+
160	Ponce De Leon	1 violations	Yes	1	A
161	Altha	1 violations	Yes	1	A
162	Branford	1 violations	Yes	4	A-
163	Greenville	1 violations	Yes	1	B-
164	Wahneta	1 violations	Yes	0	A
165	Yankeetown	1 violations	Yes	32	B
166	Greenwood	1 violations	Yes	0	A
167	Indian Lake Estates	1 violations	Yes	2	B+
168	Wimauma	1 violations	Yes	8	B+
169	Micanopy	1 violations	Yes	21	B+
170	Wellborn	1 violations	Yes	3	A-

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about arsenic in Florida

Is arsenic in Florida tap water a concern?

Yes — 170 cities in Florida have arsenic-related violations on record. The EPA MCL for arsenic is 10 µg/L. Even at levels below the MCL, long-term arsenic exposure has been linked to cancer and cardiovascular disease.

How can I remove arsenic from my drinking water in Florida?

Reverse osmosis (RO) systems are the most effective at removing arsenic, typically reducing it by 90% or more. Specialized arsenic-removal media (such as iron-based adsorption filters) are also highly effective. Standard carbon filters and pitcher filters do NOT effectively remove arsenic. If your water comes from a private well, have it tested for arsenic.

Where does arsenic in Florida water come from?

Arsenic enters drinking water primarily through natural erosion of arsenic-bearing rock formations. It is most common in groundwater systems in the western United States, parts of the Midwest, and New England. Industrial sources include mining, smelting, and agricultural pesticide residues. Groundwater sources are far more likely to contain arsenic than surface water.

More contaminants