We don't interpret results as medical or safety advice. Your utility and health department are the right sources for that.
Where to find it
Community water systems in the US publish an annual report, often called a Consumer Confidence Report. Your utility's website is the place to look, usually under water quality. The name on your water bill tells you whose report to read.
In South Florida this can take a minute, because neighboring cities are often on different utilities. Our county pages link to several of them.
What's in it
Most reports follow a similar shape.
- Where the water comes from, such as an aquifer or surface source.
- How it's treated, and what disinfectant is used.
- A table of what was tested, the highest level found, the range, and the legal limit.
- Any violations, and what was done about them.
- Who to call with questions, which is usually a real person who knows the answer.
How to read the table
The columns usually show a legal limit (MCL), a health-based goal (MCLG), the level detected and the range across samples. Look at the units, because parts per million and parts per billion are very different.
A report covers the system. It doesn't test your tap, and your home's own pipes aren't in it. If you want to know about your own tap, a certified lab test is the way to find out.
Be careful with scary lists
Be wary of a pitch that opens with a list of frightening chemical names. It's worth reading your utility's report directly, then asking the seller which specific model does what, and to show the independent listing for that model.
