Orlando tap water: lead, PFAS and violations

Supplied by Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) · EPA ID FL3480962 · 536,466 people

By Daryna Klochko · Data checked Oct 13, 2026
Short answer

Orlando tap water comes from OUC, which serves 536,466 people. In 2023 sampling, the lead 90th percentile was 2 ppb, against the 15 ppb action level. EPA-required UCMR 5 testing found no PFAS at reporting levels. EPA lists 1 health-based violation in the last 10 years, the latest in Jul 2019.

Lead · 90th pct 2 ppb Action level 15 ppb · 2023 PFAS · UCMR 5 None detected 29 PFAS tested · Oct 2024 – Apr 2025 Hardness — not reported Not in EPA’s records EPA violations · 10 yrs 1 record 1 health-based · 2 in all since 2005

These numbers describe the water system, not your tap. Lead and copper often come from pipes and fixtures inside a home, so your water can differ. Where a goal (MCLG) is 0, EPA’s goal for that contaminant is zero. Legal limits are set above it.

Is Orlando tap water safe to drink?

In the latest results, every contaminant we list with a single federal limit was below that limit or action level. Lead was 2 ppb at the 90th percentile, below the 15 ppb action level. EPA’s goal for lead is zero. EPA lists 1 health-based violation in the last 10 years, the latest in Jul 2019. See how US tap water compares nationally.

What’s in Orlando tap water

This page uses EPA records only: lead from SDWIS, PFAS and lithium from UCMR 5. OUC’s yearly water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report) lists more, and EPA explains how to find it.

ContaminantResultLimitSampledSource
LeadComes mostly from home plumbing, not from the source water. 2 ppb 90th percentile reported to EPA; previous round (2020): 2 ppb 15 ppbAction level · goal 0Drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027 (Lead and Copper Rule Improvements). 2023 EPA SDWIS record, FL3480962
PFOA and PFOS (PFAS)Two “forever chemicals” with a federal limit. Not detected 12 samples at 6 entry points; none at or above the reporting level (4 ppt) 4.0 ppt eachLegal limit (MCL) · goal 0Utilities must comply from 2029; EPA proposed 2031 in May 2026. Oct 2024 – Apr 2025 EPA UCMR 5 final occurrence data (Aug 2026 release)

ppb = parts per billion (µg/L), ppt = parts per trillion (ng/L). The bar shows the result against the limit (black line). Limits: EPA drinking water regulations, PFAS rule, Lead and Copper Rule Improvements. “Not detected” means below the lab’s reporting level, not zero.

EPA violations

EPA’s SDWIS database lists 2 violation records for OUC since 2005, 1 of them health-based. All have a return-to-compliance date.

Jul 2019 · Maximum contaminant level Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule Health-based Back in compliance Feb 6, 2020

Not listed: 1 older monitoring, reporting or notice record (2005), none health-based.

Shown: health-based violations and everything from the last 10 years. Source: EPA SDWIS record, FL3480962, retrieved Oct 13, 2026.

How hard is Orlando water?

Hardness is not in EPA’s records. OUC’s yearly water quality report is the place to look. Hardness has no federal health limit. A test kit or a lab test measures it at your tap (see how to test water hardness).

What to do with these numbers

Only what the data above points to.

Lead · 2 ppb

Lead comes from home plumbing

EPA’s goal for lead is zero. Older faucets, lead solder and lead service lines can add lead at your tap. A filter certified to NSF/ANSI 53 for lead reduces it.

Certified to reduce lead. Lead is not necessarily in your water.

All filters compared →
Your tap, not the system

Test your own water

OUC’s numbers come from its own sampling sites. A certified lab test of your faucet shows lead and copper from your plumbing. How to test your own tap for lead, starting with your water utility.

All water tests compared →

Questions people ask

Does Orlando tap water have lead?
In 2023 sampling, OUC’s lead 90th percentile was 2 ppb (90th percentile reported to EPA; previous round (2020): 2 ppb). The federal action level is 15 ppb, and EPA’s goal is zero. Lead usually enters water from home plumbing, so only a test of your own tap shows your level.
Does Orlando tap water have PFAS?
In EPA’s UCMR 5 testing (Oct 2024 – Apr 2025), none of 29 PFAS were found at or above reporting levels at 6 entry points of OUC’s system. The federal limit for PFOA and PFOS is 4.0 ppt each. Utilities must comply from 2029. On May 18, 2026 EPA proposed letting systems ask for two more years, to 2031, and dropping the 2024 limits for PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA and PFAS mixtures (the Hazard Index).
Has OUC had EPA violations?
EPA’s SDWIS database lists 2 violation records for OUC since 2005, 1 of them health-based. All have a return-to-compliance date. EPA lists 1 health-based violation in the last 10 years, the latest in Jul 2019.
Who supplies water in Orlando?
Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) (EPA ID FL3480962), a community water system serving 536,466 people through 129,207 connections. Main source: groundwater.

Sources and nearby

How to find OUC’s water quality reportepa.gov EPA record for OUC (FL3480962)echo.epa.gov EPA UCMR 5 data (PFAS and lithium)epa.gov Florida water quality by cityFL Tampa tap waterFLJacksonville tap waterFLBoca Raton tap waterFL How we researchMethod