Nitrate Contamination

Nitrate in Florida Drinking Water

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

262

Cities Tested

262

Has Violations

100%

% Has Violations

6.4 violations

State Avg

▼ 0% vs national

vs National

321

Health Violations

Analysis

Nitrate in Florida: what the data shows

Florida has 262 cities with nitrate-related violations. The EPA MCL for nitrate is 10 mg/L (measured as nitrogen). The state has 262 cities with at least one nitrate violation. Nitrate is the most common groundwater contaminant in the United States. It enters water supplies primarily through agricultural fertilizer runoff, septic system leaching, and animal feedlot operations. Rural and agricultural communities face the highest risk. The primary acute health concern is methemoglobinemia ("blue baby syndrome") in infants under six months. Emerging research also links chronic nitrate exposure to thyroid disease, certain cancers, and adverse birth outcomes. Reverse osmosis, ion exchange, and distillation can remove nitrate from drinking water — standard carbon filters do not.

Comparison

Cities exceeding 10 mg/L EPA MCL

Florida

100%

262 of 262 cities

← = Exactly at national rate

National avg

100%

7727 of 7727 cities

City Map

Nitrate data across Florida

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

Worst Offenders

Top 10 cities by nitrate level in Florida

Highest Nitrate levels (violations)

All Cities

All Florida cities ranked by nitrate level

#	City	Level	Violations?	Violations	Grade
1	Plant City	75 violations	Yes	85	D
2	Ocala	74 violations	Yes	91	F
3	Tampa	62 violations	Yes	64	F
4	Fort Pierce	40 violations	Yes	85	F
5	Winter Haven	39 violations	Yes	28	F
6	Leesburg	36 violations	Yes	49	F
7	Gainesville	30 violations	Yes	8	B
8	Orlando	29 violations	Yes	78	F
9	Bushnell	26 violations	Yes	22	D+
10	Crescent City	26 violations	Yes	62	D+
11	Lake City	24 violations	Yes	112	F
12	Holiday	24 violations	Yes	18	F
13	Lakeland	23 violations	Yes	27	D
14	Dade City	22 violations	Yes	8	F
15	Plantation	21 violations	Yes	3	D+
16	Zephyrhills	21 violations	Yes	18	F
17	Lake Wales	20 violations	Yes	56	F
18	Stuart	20 violations	Yes	25	F
19	New Port Richey	19 violations	Yes	68	F
20	Kissimmee	18 violations	Yes	26	F
21	Haines City	17 violations	Yes	17	F
22	Davenport	17 violations	Yes	14	F
23	Greenville	17 violations	Yes	1	B-
24	Apopka	16 violations	Yes	14	F
25	Crystal River	16 violations	Yes	10	F
26	Okeechobee	15 violations	Yes	150	F
27	Clermont	14 violations	Yes	58	F
28	Deland	13 violations	Yes	11	C-
29	Jacksonville	12 violations	Yes	116	F
30	St. Augustine	12 violations	Yes	39	F
31	Auburndale	12 violations	Yes	5	F
32	Madison	12 violations	Yes	8	D
33	Dundee	12 violations	Yes	16	D
34	Brooksville	11 violations	Yes	41	F
35	Fruitland Park	11 violations	Yes	15	F
36	Polk City	11 violations	Yes	2	C-
37	Lake Alfred	11 violations	Yes	6	C-
38	Frostproof	11 violations	Yes	20	F
39	Miami	10 violations	Yes	104	F
40	Ft Lauderdale	10 violations	Yes	12	F
41	Pompano Beach	10 violations	Yes	1	F
42	Ormond Beach	10 violations	Yes	43	D+
43	Lake Placid	10 violations	Yes	39	F
44	Inverness	10 violations	Yes	40	F
45	Jensen Beach	10 violations	Yes	75	D
46	Melbourne Beach	10 violations	Yes	14	D+
47	Montverde	10 violations	Yes	3	C+
48	Interlachen	10 violations	Yes	7	D+
49	Coral Springs	9 violations	Yes	17	F
50	Clearwater	9 violations	Yes	14	F
51	Belleview	9 violations	Yes	18	F
52	Punta Gorda	9 violations	Yes	101	F
53	Hobe Sound	9 violations	Yes	23	F
54	Minneola	9 violations	Yes	4	B-
55	Jay	9 violations	Yes	24	B-
56	Inglis	9 violations	Yes	1	D+
57	Tallahassee	8 violations	Yes	12	F
58	Hollywood	8 violations	Yes	32	F
59	Sanford	8 violations	Yes	8	F
60	Longwood	8 violations	Yes	9	F
61	Palatka	8 violations	Yes	119	F
62	Starke	8 violations	Yes	24	C-
63	Hudson	8 violations	Yes	4	D
64	Labelle	8 violations	Yes	91	D
65	Mulberry	8 violations	Yes	17	F
66	Hilliard	8 violations	Yes	15	D+
67	Pierson	8 violations	Yes	4	B-
68	East Palatka	8 violations	Yes	16	D+
69	Titusville	7 violations	Yes	1	C
70	Altamonte Springs	7 violations	Yes	3	C+
71	Ocoee	7 violations	Yes	5	C-
72	Lecanto	7 violations	Yes	2	F
73	Arcadia	7 violations	Yes	43	F
74	Orange City	7 violations	Yes	14	C+
75	Live Oak	7 violations	Yes	23	D
76	Alachua	7 violations	Yes	6	C+
77	Land O' Lakes	7 violations	Yes	6	F
78	Oakland	7 violations	Yes	1	B+
79	Fort Meade	7 violations	Yes	3	D
80	Umatilla	7 violations	Yes	3	B+
81	Newberry	7 violations	Yes	2	A-
82	Waldo	7 violations	Yes	4	A-
83	Fanning Springs	7 violations	Yes	0	A
84	Sarasota	6 violations	Yes	9	C+
85	Homosassa	6 violations	Yes	2	D
86	Ft. Pierce	6 violations	Yes	16	F
87	Eatonville	6 violations	Yes	10	C-
88	Archer	6 violations	Yes	0	A
89	Webster	6 violations	Yes	18	B
90	Port St Lucie	5 violations	Yes	2	D
91	Lauderdale Lakes	5 violations	Yes	2	C
92	Margate	5 violations	Yes	0	C-
93	Venice	5 violations	Yes	0	B+
94	Tavares	5 violations	Yes	11	C+
95	Lady Lake	5 violations	Yes	18	F
96	Indiantown	5 violations	Yes	65	F
97	Bowling Green	5 violations	Yes	3	C
98	Pomona Park	5 violations	Yes	4	B
99	Chiefland	5 violations	Yes	32	D+
100	Grand Island	5 violations	Yes	4	B-
101	Micanopy	5 violations	Yes	21	B+
102	North Miami Beach	4 violations	Yes	1	B
103	Sunrise	4 violations	Yes	1	F
104	Port Orange	4 violations	Yes	2	B-
105	Sebring	4 violations	Yes	43	F
106	Hallandale Beach	4 violations	Yes	2	F
107	Dania Beach	4 violations	Yes	9	D
108	Bartow	4 violations	Yes	6	F
109	Avon Park	4 violations	Yes	6	C-
110	Marianna	4 violations	Yes	4	C+
111	Port Richey	4 violations	Yes	4	C-
112	Floral City	4 violations	Yes	40	D
113	Apalachicola	4 violations	Yes	43	C-
114	Keystone Heights	4 violations	Yes	2	B
115	Wauchula	4 violations	Yes	12	C
116	Lake Panasoffkee	4 violations	Yes	2	B-
117	Century	4 violations	Yes	1	B-
118	Eastpoint	4 violations	Yes	3	B
119	Geneva	4 violations	Yes	16	D+
120	Melrose	4 violations	Yes	0	A
121	Branford	4 violations	Yes	4	A-
122	Wimauma	4 violations	Yes	8	B+
123	Odessa	3 violations	Yes	8	C+
124	Naples	3 violations	Yes	42	F
125	Pembroke Pines	3 violations	Yes	8	F
126	Miramar	3 violations	Yes	2	F
127	Panama City	3 violations	Yes	6	B-
128	Riviera Beach	3 violations	Yes	32	F
129	Cooper City	3 violations	Yes	1	C
130	Davie/Hollywood	3 violations	Yes	1	C
131	Groveland	3 violations	Yes	2	B
132	Defuniak Springs	3 violations	Yes	10	B
133	Florida City	3 violations	Yes	26	F
134	Freeport	3 violations	Yes	12	B-
135	Neptune Beach	3 violations	Yes	2	A
136	High Springs	3 violations	Yes	18	B-
137	Moore Haven	3 violations	Yes	33	F
138	Havana	3 violations	Yes	2	B+
139	Zellwood	3 violations	Yes	2	B
140	Bunnell	3 violations	Yes	69	D
141	Lowell	3 violations	Yes	38	C-
142	Lake Helen	3 violations	Yes	1	A-
143	Steinhatchee	3 violations	Yes	43	B
144	Zolfo Springs	3 violations	Yes	4	B-
145	Howey-In-The-Hills	3 violations	Yes	8	D+
146	San Antonio	3 violations	Yes	15	D
147	Palm City	3 violations	Yes	1	C
148	North Fort Myers	3 violations	Yes	14	D+
149	Mayo	3 violations	Yes	40	C-
150	Wellborn	3 violations	Yes	3	A-
151	West Palm Beach	2 violations	Yes	23	C-
152	Cocoa	2 violations	Yes	1	A-
153	Pensacola	2 violations	Yes	5	C
154	Vero Beach	2 violations	Yes	7	D
155	Winter Park	2 violations	Yes	6	C+
156	North Miami	2 violations	Yes	1	B
157	Winter Garden	2 violations	Yes	4	B
158	New Smyrna Beach	2 violations	Yes	18	B+
159	Tamarac	2 violations	Yes	0	F
160	Milton	2 violations	Yes	19	B-
161	Quincy	2 violations	Yes	32	F
162	Navarre	2 violations	Yes	2	B-
163	Eustis	2 violations	Yes	16	B-
164	North Lauderdale	2 violations	Yes	1	F
165	Tarpon Springs	2 violations	Yes	3	B+
166	Wildwood	2 violations	Yes	2	B-
167	Cantonment	2 violations	Yes	5	B
168	Lake Mary	2 violations	Yes	1	B
169	Mascotte	2 violations	Yes	0	A
170	Fort Lauderdale	2 violations	Yes	2	C-
171	Perry	2 violations	Yes	31	F
172	Chipley	2 violations	Yes	16	F
173	Fellsmere	2 violations	Yes	18	C+
174	Cross City	2 violations	Yes	81	C-
175	Eagle Lake	2 violations	Yes	7	B-
176	Lake Hamilton	2 violations	Yes	28	B
177	Wewahitchka	2 violations	Yes	3	B+
178	Old Town	2 violations	Yes	34	B
179	Lake Butler	2 violations	Yes	18	B
180	Baldwin	2 violations	Yes	2	A
181	Paxton	2 violations	Yes	1	A-
182	Palm Harbor	2 violations	Yes	2	C-
183	Placida	2 violations	Yes	5	B+
184	Grand Ridge	2 violations	Yes	4	A-
185	Penney Farms	2 violations	Yes	5	B
186	Jennings	2 violations	Yes	2	C+
187	Nokomis	2 violations	Yes	0	A-
188	Center Hill	2 violations	Yes	1	A
189	Yankeetown	2 violations	Yes	32	B
190	Greenwood	2 violations	Yes	0	A
191	Indian Lake Estates	2 violations	Yes	2	B+
192	Yalaha	2 violations	Yes	1	A-
193	Fort Myers	1 violations	Yes	5	C+
194	Cape Coral	1 violations	Yes	1	A
195	Melbourne	1 violations	Yes	0	A-
196	Palm Bay	1 violations	Yes	8	B
197	The Villages	1 violations	Yes	1	B
198	Daytona Beach	1 violations	Yes	5	A-
199	Homestead	1 violations	Yes	3	C
200	Bonita Springs	1 violations	Yes	8	B
201	Winter Pk/Casselbery	1 violations	Yes	0	A-
202	Deerfield Beach	1 violations	Yes	0	C
203	Wellington	1 violations	Yes	0	A-
204	Lauderhill	1 violations	Yes	6	F
205	Casselberry	1 violations	Yes	10	B
206	Oviedo	1 violations	Yes	12	B-
207	Dunedin	1 violations	Yes	4	B-
208	Englewood	1 violations	Yes	1	B
209	Winter Springs	1 violations	Yes	15	B
210	Marco Island	1 violations	Yes	5	B-
211	Temple Terrace	1 violations	Yes	4	A-
212	Edgewater	1 violations	Yes	50	B-
213	Immokalee	1 violations	Yes	15	B
214	Miramar Beach	1 violations	Yes	1	A-
215	Ponte Vedra Beach	1 violations	Yes	12	B
216	Tequesta	1 violations	Yes	1	B-
217	Holly Hill	1 violations	Yes	0	B+
218	Ponte Vedra	1 violations	Yes	7	B
219	Ave Maria	1 violations	Yes	1	B
220	Eglin Afb	1 violations	Yes	7	B+
221	Orange Park	1 violations	Yes	9	B
222	Ft. Walton Beach	1 violations	Yes	0	A
223	Green Cove Springs	1 violations	Yes	8	A
224	Chattahoochee	1 violations	Yes	1	B-
225	Port St. Joe	1 violations	Yes	25	C-
226	Raiford	1 violations	Yes	10	A+
227	Carrabelle	1 violations	Yes	75	B
228	Baker	1 violations	Yes	2	A-
229	Belleair	1 violations	Yes	15	C
230	St George Island	1 violations	Yes	3	A-
231	Highland Beach	1 violations	Yes	2	A
232	Mcdavid	1 violations	Yes	0	A-
233	Mary Esther	1 violations	Yes	1	A
234	Chuluota	1 violations	Yes	18	A-
235	Golf	1 violations	Yes	10	A
236	Bowling Greeen	1 violations	Yes	0	B+
237	Copeland	1 violations	Yes	44	B+
238	Bonifay	1 violations	Yes	3	C-
239	Bristol	1 violations	Yes	7	C+
240	Parkland	1 violations	Yes	0	C
241	Nalcrest	1 violations	Yes	3	B
242	Astor	1 violations	Yes	9	B
243	Mangonia Park	1 violations	Yes	2	B-
244	Williston	1 violations	Yes	2	A-
245	Hawthorne	1 violations	Yes	2	B-
246	Trenton	1 violations	Yes	8	B+
247	Sneads	1 violations	Yes	1	A-
248	Callahan	1 violations	Yes	6	A+
249	Sanderson	1 violations	Yes	2	A-
250	Wesley Chapel	1 violations	Yes	1	B-
251	Beverly Beach	1 violations	Yes	19	A-
252	Bronson	1 violations	Yes	0	B+
253	Hastings	1 violations	Yes	2	A-
254	Cottondale	1 violations	Yes	1	A
255	Tangerine	1 violations	Yes	1	B+
256	Ponce De Leon	1 violations	Yes	1	A
257	Coleman	1 violations	Yes	19	B
258	White Springs	1 violations	Yes	8	A-
259	Altha	1 violations	Yes	1	A
260	Wahneta	1 violations	Yes	0	A
261	New Millford	1 violations	Yes	12	A-
262	New Millford	1 violations	Yes	12	A-

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about nitrate in Florida

Is nitrate in Florida tap water dangerous?

Yes — 262 cities in Florida have nitrate-related violations. The EPA MCL is 10 mg/L. Nitrate is especially dangerous for infants under six months, where it can cause methemoglobinemia ("blue baby syndrome"). Adults face lower acute risk, but chronic exposure is linked to thyroid disease and certain cancers.

How can I remove nitrate from my drinking water?

Reverse osmosis, ion exchange, and distillation are effective at removing nitrate. Standard carbon filters (including most pitcher and faucet-mount filters) do NOT remove nitrate. If you rely on a private well in an agricultural area, have your water tested annually for nitrate.

What causes high nitrate levels in Florida water?

Nitrate contamination comes primarily from agricultural fertilizer runoff, septic system leaching, and animal feedlot operations. Rural communities near intensive farming are most at risk. Shallow wells are particularly vulnerable. Heavy rainfall can spike nitrate levels as it washes fertilizer into groundwater and surface water supplies.

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