PFAS in Puerto Rico drinking water
EPA's final UCMR 5 data covers 99 public water systems in Puerto Rico, serving about 3.0 million people. PFAS turned up in 39 of them (39%). 17 averaged above at least one EPA limit at a sampling point, affecting about 1.5 million people.
Highest PFOA and PFOS averages among systems serving 1,000 or more: Ponce Urbano (2.6 / 25.3 ppt), Aibonito La Plata (0.0 / 25.6 ppt), Experimental (17.4 / 5.3 ppt), U.c.p.r (0.0 / 15.5 ppt) and Upr Cayey (0.0 / 14.8 ppt).
Every tested system in Puerto Rico
Largest first. PFOA and PFOS columns show the average at each system's worst sampling point; EPA's limit for each is 4 ppt. Filter by name:
| Water system | People | PFOA | PFOS | PFAS found | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metropolitano | 1,084,637 | 2.7 | 6.2 | 8 | Above limit |
| Mayaguez · Mayaguez | 152,342 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Aguadilla · Aguadilla | 124,782 | - | 5.2 | 5 | Above limit |
| Ponce Urbano | 113,972 | 2.6 | 25.3 | 8 | Above limit |
| Rio Blanco,vieques,culedra · Naguabo | 79,822 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| El Yunque · Rio Grande | 68,114 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Arecibo Urbano | 61,626 | - | 1.1 | 2 | Sample at limit |
| Fajardo Ceiba · Fajardo | 59,044 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Isabela · Santurce | 49,937 | - | - | 1 | Below limits |
| Caguas Norte · Caguas | 47,352 | - | 3.6 | 1 | Sample at limit |
| Lajas · Lajas | 47,350 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Santa Isabel Urbano · Santa Isabel | 39,925 | - | 5.2 | 4 | Above limit |
| Las Piedras Humacao · Humacao | 38,897 | - | 3.8 | 1 | Sample at limit |
| Dorado Urbano | 37,244 | - | 2.2 | 1 | Sample at limit |
| Guayama Urbano · Guayama | 37,076 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Juncos - Ceiba Sur · Juncos | 36,835 | 1.2 | - | 2 | Sample at limit |
| Yauco · Yauco | 35,639 | - | - | 2 | Below limits |
| Cidra Urbano · Cidra | 34,424 | - | 7.7 | 5 | Above limit |
| Caguas Sur · Caguas | 34,261 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Regional Villalba Toa Vaca · Santurce | 34,259 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Patillas Urbano · Patillas | 32,222 | - | 7.2 | 4 | Above limit |
| Maguayo | 30,235 | - | - | 1 | Below limits |
| Hatillo-camuy | 28,935 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Quebradillas Urbano · Quebradillas | 27,760 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Vega Baja Urbano · Vega Baja | 26,935 | - | 1.1 | 3 | Sample at limit |
| San Lorenzo Urbano · San Lorenzo | 26,470 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Sabana Grande · Utuado | 25,832 | - | - | 1 | Below limits |
| San Sebastian · San Sebastian | 25,752 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Gurabo Urbano · Gurabo | 25,469 | - | 1.1 | 4 | Sample at limit |
| Morovis Urbano · Morovis | 20,927 | - | 1.7 | 4 | Sample at limit |
| Cabo Rojo · Cabo Rojo | 20,356 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Santana · Arecibo | 19,657 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Cayey Urbano · Cayey | 18,335 | - | - | 1 | Below limits |
| Penuelas · Penuelas | 17,326 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Orocovis Urbano · Orocovis | 16,992 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Lares Espino · Santurce | 16,896 | - | - | 1 | Below limits |
| Barceloneta Urbano · Barceloneta | 16,404 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Aibonito La Plata · Aibonito | 16,354 | - | 25.6 | 6 | Above limit |
| Sabana Hoyos | 15,948 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Negros · Corozal | 14,939 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Comerio Urbano · Comerio | 14,912 | - | - | 2 | Below limits |
| Yabucoa Urbano | 14,728 | - | - | 1 | Below limits |
| Manati East · Manati | 13,580 | - | 4.6 | 1 | Above limit |
| Aguas Buenas Urbano · Aguas Buenas | 13,233 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 2 | Sample at limit |
| Utuado Urbano · Utuado | 13,070 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Cotto Laurel | 12,979 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Lares Urbano · Lares | 12,138 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Las Bocas · Santurce | 11,022 | - | 6.9 | 2 | Above limit |
| Hormiguero · Hormiguero | 10,587 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Florida Urbano · Florida | 10,405 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Lago Guajataca · Isabela | 10,018 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Cocos | 9,930 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Maunabo Urbano · Maunabo | 9,380 | - | 4.4 | 2 | Above limit |
| Quebrada · Hatillo | 9,377 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Aceitunas · Santurce | 9,030 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Luquillo Urbano · Luquillo | 9,001 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Salinas Urbano · Salinas | 8,977 | - | 8.2 | 5 | Above limit |
| Jayuya Urbano · Jayuya | 7,746 | - | - | 2 | Below limits |
| Garrochales · Arecibo | 7,465 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| U.c.p.r · Ponce | 7,416 | - | 15.5 | 4 | Above limit |
| Guayanilla Urbano · Guayanilla | 7,302 | - | 2.8 | 2 | Sample at limit |
| Las Marias · Las Marias | 7,193 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Guanica Urbano · Guanica | 6,881 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Experimental · Juana Diaz | 6,445 | 17.4 | 5.3 | 7 | Above limit |
| U.s. Army, Fort Buchanan · Guaynabo | 6,411 | - | 2.0 | 2 | Sample at limit |
| Coqui · Salinas | 6,237 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Corozal Urbano · Corozal | 6,162 | - | - | 1 | Below limits |
| Ensenada · Guanica | 6,130 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Cerrillos · Ponce | 5,658 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Aibonito Urbano · Santurce | 5,580 | - | 4.3 | 2 | Above limit |
| Cedro Arriba · Naranjito | 5,444 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Aruz · Juana Diaz | 5,105 | - | 7.1 | 2 | Above limit |
| Bo Nuevo · Bayamon | 4,961 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Ciales Urbano · Ciales | 4,841 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Roncador · Utuado | 4,734 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Jaguas Pesas (pozas) · Ciales | 4,699 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Coamo Urbano · Coamo | 4,603 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Jacaguas · Juana Diaz | 4,261 | - | 12.0 | 3 | Above limit |
| Jagual · San Lorenzo | 4,021 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Plata I Y Ii · Moca | 3,978 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Cienega · Santurce | 3,952 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Pugnado · Vega Baja | 3,591 | - | - | 3 | Below limits |
| La Grua | 3,578 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Barranquitas Urbano | 3,538 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Maricao · Maricao | 3,455 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Deportivo · Guayanilla | 3,420 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Bajadero · Arecibo | 3,402 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Santa Isabel · Utuado | 3,402 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Garzas · Adjuntas | 3,354 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Piedras Blancas · Guayanilla | 3,351 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Adjuntas Urbano · Adjuntas | 2,870 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Upr Cayey · Cayey | 2,613 | - | 14.8 | 4 | Above limit |
| El Rosario · San German | 2,374 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Sabana Grande · Utuado | 1,762 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Mulas · Patillas | 652 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Pfizer Pharmaceuticals · Barceloneta | 330 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Veguitas Gripinas · Jayuya | 130 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Bo. Jacaboa- Higuero · Patillas | 70 | - | - | 0 | None found |
| Superacueducto · Arecibo | 25 | - | - | 0 | None found |
On a private well in Puerto Rico?
EPA's program only covers public systems. Private wells are never part of UCMR 5, so the only way to know is to test. Our well testing guide covers which lab tests to order, and the best well water systems covers what to install once you have results.
Cite this page
Well & Tap. "PFAS in Puerto Rico drinking water: results for 99 systems." Data: U.S. EPA UCMR 5, final release August 2026. https://wellandtap.com/pfas/puerto-rico/
Source: EPA UCMR 5 final occurrence data (August 2026); population from EPA SDWIS. Method.