Millions of people drink water everyday, but is your water truly safe to drink? 

While crises like those in Flint, Michigan, and Jackson, Mississippi, receive significant media attention, it is important to remember that other cities and states face similar challenges with their water quality posing threats to public health.

The majority of the U.S. population relies on municipal water, so it’s crucial to recognize that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the agency that sets the standards for tap water, only regulates a fraction of potential contaminants. Furthermore, those federal standards far exceed the recommended safe levels established by researchers at the Environmental Working Group (EWG). 

Even though tap water is treated before making its way to your tap, water quality can greatly vary from state to state, and even city to city.

There is no standardized approach or method for determining water quality across states and therefore, states are not listed in a definitive order.

Above all, we strive to remain objective while presenting factual information sourced from the EPA, EWG, and various studies and tests.    

Regardless of whether your state appears on this list, proactive measures are essential to safeguarding yourself and your loved ones from exposure to chemicals, metals, and other toxins in your water.

For more information about your water quality, explore our tap water database for a current water report on the contaminants in your area and get personalized product recommendations so you can always trust your water.

• The Department of Defense has found per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in public water systems, groundwater, and at many active and closed military sites. 

• Public water utilities, especially in the town of Hahira, have detected higher levels of haloacetic acid five (HAA5) since October of 2023.

More than 800 water supplies are serving over 9 million residents with concerning levels of bromodichloromethane, total trihalomethanes (TTHM), and chloroform, among other harmful toxins, in their water.

• The EPA released results from a new round of national testing for toxic “forever chemicals” in public water utilities. They found 29 variations of PFAS in utilities across the state, some at levels that far exceed new EPA limits if they are finalized. 

• Reportedly, chromium 6 has affected more than 7.5 million residents. 

• Utilities in New Jersey also tested high for chloroform (5 million residents affected) and arsenic (3.2 million residents affected).

Hundreds of utilities in the state have been found to exceed EWG health guidelines for at least 10 contaminants.

• 57 systems in North Carolina reported PFAS contamination in their water supply, with 11 systems not in compliance with the EPA’s proposed standards 

• A new study revealed that North Carolina is among the top states with the most toxic tap water due to companies dumping chemicals and other hazardous waste into their water source for decades. 

• TTHM and uranium have been detected in the state at levels far above the legal limits, and nearly a thousand utilities have been found to be contaminated at levels above EWG health guidelines

• Toxic “forever chemicals” have been found in water utilities across the state; tests from the Department of Defense found PFAS in 866 private drinking water wells

• In a 2023 settlement, Washington state dairies have to find alternative sources of clean drinking water for residents while remediating excess nitrate and ammonia contamination due to decades of waste from dairy operations.

• Millions of residents are served drinking water that contains alarming concentrations of TTHMs, bromodichloromethane, chromium 6, HAA5s, and many other toxins.

• A study from the EPA found that Ohio has the 3rd highest amount of lead pipes in the country: 745,061 pipes accounting for 8.1% of the country’s total. 

• At least 15 water systems, serving hundreds of thousands of residents, have detected toxic PFAS in their supply

Chemical plants and other companies have been discharging toxic chemicals and substances (including PFAS) into the Ohio River for decades

• Texas has the 5th highest number of lead-based water lines, with 647,640 pipes and accounting for 7.05% of all lead lines in the country. 

• Over a 10-year period, the city of Lubbock received 362 violations for exceeding the legal amounts of fluoride and arsenic.

• Due to aging infrastructure, water systems have issued 55% more boil-water notices between 2018 and 2022. During the first three months of 2023, 759 notices have been issued, which amounts to an average of about eight per day.

• The Great Lakes holds 90% of freshwater in the U.S. and provides drinking water to over 40 million people, yet 90% of water samples showed unsafe levels of microplastic pollution. 

• All fish caught in Michigan rivers showed levels of 14 different PFAS compounds. The chemicals are thought to be polluting drinking water for more than 200 million people.

• Michigan accounts for 3.28% of the country’s lead pipes, which is the major cause of the water crisis in Flint, Michigan in recent years.

• A study by the EPA found that Illinois is the state with the second highest amount of lead pipes, with 1.04 million lead pipes and accounting for 11.35% of the country’s total. 

• Recent test results revealed lead in amounts far exceeding the federal standards in Chicago homes. 

• A Chicago Tribune investigation found that more than 8 million residents get their drinking water from a utility where PFAS has been detected, with some cities showing contamination at levels up to 1,800 times higher than the latest federal health advisory.

• Over 12 million residents are served contaminated water at levels much higher than the proposed limits to protect human health.

• A recent study by the U.S. Geological Survey found that the tap water in Southern and Central California regions are the most exposed to PFAS.

• In most recent news, farmers in California are suing the state over excess nitrate levels in groundwater and wells as the result of decades of agricultural runoff.

• Arsenic has been detected in over 100 utilities at levels in violation of EPA regulations 

• Over 37 million residents are served water that contains high concentrations of TTHM, chromium 6, HAA5, and chloroform.

• Florida leads the country with the most amount of lead pipes – a new study from the EPA estimated that there are 1.16 million lead pipes in use in the state, ​​accounting for 12.6% of the country’s total. 

• Florida, particularly Miami, also has the second highest levels of PFAS in its tap water in the country. 

• Millions of people are being served water with many contaminants above the EPA legal limits, not to mention the contaminants found in thousands of water utilities that exceed the EWG health guidelines.

While bottled water may seem like the simplest solution when it comes to contaminated tap water, the unexpected truth is that oftentimes bottled water is just as dirty as tap. Interestingly enough, bottled water is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rather than the EPA. Generally speaking, FDA regulations for bottled water match EPA standards for public water supplies, so bottled water does not guarantee a higher water quality. 

Beyond the fact that bottled water is oftentimes tap water repackaged for general consumption, the actual plastic bottles can leach microplastic into the water, rendering it an ineffective alternative for clean drinking water. Tap here to learn more about the dangers of plastic water bottles.

Although water standards vary from state to state, the best way to ensure that you are drinking the safest and cleanest water possible is by investing in a water filter that can target these contaminants. Clearly Filtered’s water filtration systems are proven to protect you from up to 99.99% of 365+ contaminants. View our lab test results and upgrade your water to protect your health and safety.