Manganese Contamination

Manganese in Florida Drinking Water

Ranked by max manganese detected (µg/L) · UCMR 4 data (2018–2020) · Data from EPA SDWIS & UCMR

162

Cities Tested

Over SMCL

% Over SMCL

18.1 µg/L

State Avg

▼ 14% vs national

vs National

343

Health Violations

Analysis

Manganese in Florida: what the data shows

Florida has 162 cities with manganese data from the EPA's UCMR 4 program (2018–2020). Manganese exceeded the 50 µg/L EPA secondary MCL in 7 of those cities. The state average max detected level is 18.1 µg/L. Manganese occurs naturally in groundwater and surface water. Elevated levels are common in areas with iron-rich geology and in systems that draw from reservoirs with low dissolved oxygen. The secondary MCL of 50 µg/L is based on aesthetic concerns (taste, staining), but health-based guidelines suggest neurological effects at higher concentrations. Emerging research links chronic manganese exposure in drinking water to neurodevelopmental effects in children, including reduced IQ and behavioral issues. Oxidation filtration and water softeners are effective at removing manganese from household water.

Comparison

Cities exceeding 50 µg/L EPA Secondary MCL

Florida

7 of 162 cities

← ▼ 14% below national rate (better)

National avg

18%

729 of 4068 cities

City Map

Manganese data across Florida

Each dot is a city with UCMR 4 manganese testing data. Cities where manganese exceeds the 50 µg/L EPA secondary MCL are highlighted. Size reflects population served.

Worst Offenders

Top 10 cities by manganese level in Florida

Highest Manganese levels (µg/L)

All Cities

All Florida cities ranked by manganese level

#	City	Level	Over SMCL?	Violations	Grade
1	Panama City	1019.7 µg/L	Over SMCL	6	B-
2	Zephyrhills	301.0 µg/L	Over SMCL	18	F
3	New Port Richey	127.0 µg/L	Over SMCL	68	F
4	Kissimmee	126.0 µg/L	Over SMCL	26	F
5	Longwood	126.0 µg/L	Over SMCL	9	F
6	Wildwood	55.2 µg/L	Over SMCL	2	B-
7	Defuniak Springs	52.6 µg/L	Over SMCL	10	B
8	Punta Gorda	48.9 µg/L	No	101	F
9	Pensacola	47.3 µg/L	No	5	C
10	Altamonte Springs	45.7 µg/L	No	3	C+
11	Winter Pk/Casselbery	35.9 µg/L	No	0	A-
12	Deltona	32.6 µg/L	No	19	B+
13	Immokalee	32.2 µg/L	No	15	B
14	Freeport	31.5 µg/L	No	12	B-
15	Plant City	30.8 µg/L	No	85	D
16	North Port	27.2 µg/L	No	3	B
17	Milton	26.0 µg/L	No	19	B-
18	Quincy	26.0 µg/L	No	32	F
19	Sanford	25.2 µg/L	No	8	F
20	Fort Walton Beach	23.0 µg/L	No	4	A
21	Perry	22.2 µg/L	No	31	F
22	Tallahassee	22.0 µg/L	No	12	F
23	Eustis	20.2 µg/L	No	16	B-
24	Miramar Beach	20.2 µg/L	No	1	A-
25	Lakeland	19.6 µg/L	No	27	D
26	Live Oak	17.3 µg/L	No	23	D
27	Century	17.0 µg/L	No	1	B-
28	Lake Wales	16.1 µg/L	No	56	F
29	Lady Lake	15.4 µg/L	No	18	F
30	Mount Dora	15.3 µg/L	No	6	A
31	Clearwater	15.1 µg/L	No	14	F
32	Leesburg	14.3 µg/L	No	49	F
33	Jacksonville	14.1 µg/L	No	116	F
34	Lake City	14.1 µg/L	No	112	F
35	Okeechobee	13.8 µg/L	No	150	F
36	Orange City	13.0 µg/L	No	14	C+
37	Sebring	12.6 µg/L	No	43	F
38	Hobe Sound	12.1 µg/L	No	23	F
39	Minneola	11.7 µg/L	No	4	B-
40	Bradenton	11.3 µg/L	No	9	F
41	Sarasota	10.8 µg/L	No	9	C+
42	Pembroke Pines	10.7 µg/L	No	8	F
43	Gulf Breeze	10.4 µg/L	No	5	B
44	Clermont	9.9 µg/L	No	58	F
45	Apopka	9.4 µg/L	No	14	F
46	The Villages	9.0 µg/L	No	1	B
47	Panama City Beach	8.6 µg/L	No	12	A-
48	Destin	8.3 µg/L	No	0	A+
49	Palmetto	8.1 µg/L	No	3	B-
50	Haines City	7.9 µg/L	No	17	F
51	Tarpon Springs	7.9 µg/L	No	3	B+
52	St Cloud	7.5 µg/L	No	104	F
53	Belleview	7.3 µg/L	No	18	F
54	Orlando	7.1 µg/L	No	78	F
55	Davenport	6.8 µg/L	No	14	F
56	Brooksville	6.7 µg/L	No	41	F
57	Lake Helen	6.6 µg/L	No	1	A-
58	Ft Lauderdale	6.4 µg/L	No	12	F
59	Deland	6.2 µg/L	No	11	C-
60	Winter Springs	6.2 µg/L	No	15	B
61	Hialeah Gardens	6.2 µg/L	No	6	B+
62	Opa Locka	6.2 µg/L	No	1	B-
63	Yalaha	6.0 µg/L	No	1	A-
64	Port St Lucie	5.9 µg/L	No	2	D
65	Maitland	5.9 µg/L	No	1	B+
66	Palm Coast	5.8 µg/L	No	6	B+
67	Winter Haven	5.8 µg/L	No	28	F
68	North Miami	5.4 µg/L	No	1	B
69	Fort Myers	5.3 µg/L	No	5	C+
70	High Springs	5.1 µg/L	No	18	B-
71	Palm Springs	4.9 µg/L	No	0	B
72	Tampa	4.7 µg/L	No	64	F
73	Avon Park	4.6 µg/L	No	6	C-
74	Port St. Joe	4.4 µg/L	No	25	C-
75	Port Charlotte	4.2 µg/L	No	4	B-
76	Groveland	4.2 µg/L	No	2	B
77	Safety Harbor	4.2 µg/L	No	1	A
78	Lake Buena Vista	4.1 µg/L	No	0	A
79	Miami Beach	4.0 µg/L	No	1	C+
80	Riviera Beach	3.7 µg/L	No	32	F
81	Miami	3.6 µg/L	No	104	F
82	Pinellas Park	3.4 µg/L	No	3	B
83	Hialeah	3.2 µg/L	No	0	B-
84	Jupiter	3.0 µg/L	No	1	B+
85	Oviedo	3.0 µg/L	No	12	B-
86	Homestead	2.9 µg/L	No	3	C
87	Winter Garden	2.8 µg/L	No	4	B
88	Navarre	2.8 µg/L	No	2	B-
89	Jensen Beach	2.7 µg/L	No	75	D
90	Lynn Haven	2.7 µg/L	No	3	A-
91	Casselberry	2.6 µg/L	No	10	B
92	Odessa	2.5 µg/L	No	8	C+
93	Niceville	2.5 µg/L	No	5	A-
94	Atlantic Beach	2.4 µg/L	No	6	A
95	Crestview	2.3 µg/L	No	13	A-
96	Bartow	2.3 µg/L	No	6	F
97	Dunnellon	2.2 µg/L	No	10	F
98	Lecanto	2.2 µg/L	No	2	F
99	Ocoee	2.1 µg/L	No	5	C-
100	Pace	2.0 µg/L	No	4	A
101	Palm Beach Gardens	1.9 µg/L	No	2	B
102	Tavares	1.9 µg/L	No	11	C+
103	Callaway	1.9 µg/L	No	3	B+
104	Santa Rosa Beach	1.8 µg/L	No	5	A
105	Lake Mary	1.8 µg/L	No	1	B
106	Melbourne	1.7 µg/L	No	0	A-
107	Ocala	1.7 µg/L	No	91	F
108	Boynton Beach	1.7 µg/L	No	42	F
109	Daytona Beach	1.7 µg/L	No	5	A-
110	Auburndale	1.7 µg/L	No	5	F
111	Dunedin	1.6 µg/L	No	4	B-
112	Boca Raton	1.6 µg/L	No	14	B+
113	Lehigh Acres	1.6 µg/L	No	7	B
114	Ponte Vedra	1.5 µg/L	No	7	B
115	Lithia	1.5 µg/L	No	12	B-
116	South Daytona	1.5 µg/L	No	2	A
117	Holly Hill	1.5 µg/L	No	0	B+
118	Miramar	1.4 µg/L	No	2	F
119	Arcadia	1.4 µg/L	No	43	F
120	Hollywood	1.3 µg/L	No	32	F
121	Middleburg	1.3 µg/L	No	1	A
122	Temple Terrace	1.3 µg/L	No	4	A-
123	Vero Beach	1.2 µg/L	No	7	D
124	Green Cove Springs	1.2 µg/L	No	8	A
125	West Melbourne	1.2 µg/L	No	4	B+
126	Fernandina Beach	1.1 µg/L	No	16	B
127	North Miami Beach	1.0 µg/L	No	1	B
128	Lauderdale Lakes	1.0 µg/L	No	2	C
129	Delray Beach	1.0 µg/L	No	7	C
130	Coral Springs	0.9 µg/L	No	17	F
131	Gulfport	0.9 µg/L	No	1	A-
132	Deerfield Beach	0.9 µg/L	No	0	C
133	Winter Park	0.8 µg/L	No	6	C+
134	Placida	0.8 µg/L	No	5	B+
135	Plantation	0.8 µg/L	No	3	D+
136	Dania Beach	0.8 µg/L	No	9	D
137	Titusville	0.8 µg/L	No	1	C
138	Edgewater	0.7 µg/L	No	50	B-
139	Jacksonville	0.7 µg/L	No	6	A-
140	West Palm Beach	0.7 µg/L	No	23	C-
141	New Smyrna Beach	0.7 µg/L	No	18	B+
142	Pompano Beach	0.7 µg/L	No	1	F
143	Sunrise	0.7 µg/L	No	1	F
144	Oakland Park	0.6 µg/L	No	0	C-
145	Lake Clarke Shores	0.6 µg/L	No	7	B
146	Coconut Creek	0.6 µg/L	No	0	C+
147	St James City	0.6 µg/L	No	0	A
148	Palatka	0.6 µg/L	No	119	F
149	Ponte Vedra Beach	0.6 µg/L	No	12	B
150	Palm Bay	0.6 µg/L	No	8	B
151	Margate	0.5 µg/L	No	0	C-
152	Ft. Pierce	0.5 µg/L	No	16	F
153	St. Augustine	0.5 µg/L	No	39	F
154	Hallandale Beach	0.5 µg/L	No	2	F
155	Homosassa	0.5 µg/L	No	2	D
156	Port Orange	0.5 µg/L	No	2	B-
157	Weston	0.5 µg/L	No	2	B-
158	Cooper City	0.5 µg/L	No	1	C
159	Davie/Hollywood	0.5 µg/L	No	1	C
160	Naples	0.5 µg/L	No	42	F
161	Oldsmar	0.5 µg/L	No	0	A
162	Hurlburt Field	0.4 µg/L	No	6	A-

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about manganese in Florida

Is manganese in Florida tap water harmful?

The EPA secondary MCL for manganese is 50 µg/L, set primarily for aesthetic reasons (taste, color, staining). 7 cities in Florida exceed the secondary MCL. However, emerging research links chronic manganese exposure above 50–100 µg/L to neurodevelopmental effects in children, including reduced IQ.

How can I remove manganese from my drinking water?

Oxidation filtration (such as greensand or birm filters) is the most common and effective method for removing manganese from well water. Water softeners using ion exchange also work well. Standard carbon filters provide limited manganese removal. If your water has a metallic taste or brown/black discoloration, manganese may be the cause.

What causes high manganese in Florida water?

Manganese occurs naturally in groundwater and surface water, particularly in areas with iron-rich geology. Low dissolved oxygen conditions (common in deep wells and reservoir bottom waters) increase manganese solubility. Industrial sources include mining, steel production, and battery manufacturing. Seasonal changes in reservoir water chemistry can cause manganese spikes.

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