Is there PFAS in City of Tallahassee water?
Yes. EPA's final UCMR 5 results show City of Tallahassee averaged 7.7 ppt of PFOS at its worst sampling point, 1.9 times the EPA limit of 4 ppt.
City of Tallahassee
Serves 200,480 people · 50 PFOA samples from 25 sampling points · Jan 2024 to Jan 2025
Average above an EPA limit
PFOA Perfluorooctanoic acid
not detected
PFOS Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid
7.7 ppt avg · max 7.9
PFHxS Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid
3.5 ppt avg
Hazard index GenX, PFBS, PFNA, PFHxS combined
0.3 avg
Also detected, no federal limit: PFBS.
City of Tallahassee is a public water system drawing on groundwater, based in Tallahassee, Florida, serving about 200,480 people, including Tallahassee, Woodville. Under EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule it was tested for 29 PFAS and lithium 50 times across 25 sampling points between Jan 2024 and Jan 2025.
Every PFAS detected
Not detected: 9Cl-PF3ONS, NMeFOSAA, NEtFOSAA, PFTrDA, PFTA, PFHpA, ADONA, HFPO-DA, PFBA, 6:2 FTS, 4:2 FTS, PFHpS, PFUnA, PFHxA, PFDoA, PFNA, 8:2 FTS, 11Cl-PF3OUdS, PFOA, PFPeS, NFDHA, PFEESA, PFMBA, PFPeA, PFMPA, PFDA.
Lithium, tested in the same program: not detected.
What the EPA limits mean here
In April 2024 EPA set enforceable limits of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS, 10 ppt each for PFHxS, PFNA and GenX, and a hazard index of 1 for mixtures. Utilities were given until 2029 to comply. In May 2026 EPA proposed keeping only the PFOA and PFOS limits and moving that deadline to 2031. Until that proposal is final, the 2024 limits stand.
Compliance is judged on a running annual average at each entry point, so we show the average at this system's worst sampling point next to its single highest result. UCMR 5 results do not by themselves put a utility in or out of compliance.
What you can do at home
Two routes work for PFAS. For drinking and cooking water only, a reverse osmosis system certified to NSF/ANSI 58 with a PFOA/PFOS reduction claim is the cheapest proven option. To treat every tap and shower, a whole-house carbon system with enough contact time works, but check that the maker has PFAS test data, not just a marketing claim. See the best filters for PFAS and how PFAS removal works.
Other systems in Florida
All 409 tested systems in Florida
ZIP codes served
32301 32302 32303 32304 32305 32306 32307 32308 32309 32310 32311 32312 32313 32314 32316 32317 32362 32399
As reported by the utility to EPA. Neighbouring ZIPs are often split between systems; your water bill names yours.
Cite this page
Well & Tap. "PFAS in City of Tallahassee water: EPA UCMR 5 results." Data: U.S. EPA Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, final release August 2026, PWSID FL1370655. https://wellandtap.com/pfas/florida/city-of-tallahassee/
About this data
Source: U.S. EPA, UCMR 5 occurrence data, final release August 2026 (PWSID FL1370655). Population: EPA SDWIS. Averages count results below the reporting level as zero, the same convention EPA uses for running annual averages. Full method.
