Top 10 States with the Worst Tap Water in America and What You Need to Do!

WARNING: DO NOT DRINK YOUR TAP WATER AGAIN UNTIL READING THIS!

Water has always been crucial to our survival.  According to the CDC, America has one of the safest and cleanest water supplies on the planet. Yet, hardly a day goes by without water quality issues cropping up in the national news cycle talking about the cancer causing contaminants and warnings about the current state of our tap water.

Millions of Americans in various cities across different states (not just Flint, Michigan) are exposed to unsafe drinking water year after year. Perhaps that’s because every year, from 1982 to 2015, between 9 million and 45 million Americans got their drinking water from a source that violated EPA standards. Should you see your state on this list below, don’t worry or panic. We will include a few safe, reliable, and effective filtration methods you can use to treat your tap water and significantly improve its quality.  If your state isn't listed below, click here to learn more about the condition of your state's tap water.

Here's just some of the contaminants that were found:

• Chlorine & Chloramine
• Pharmaceuticals
• Haloacetic Acids
• PFOs, PFAs, PFOAs
• MTBE and TTHMs
• Herbicides, Pesticides, Sulfur
• and more

States with the Worst Tap Water in the US

While some states go above and beyond to ensure safe drinking water for residents, others settle for water that meets the minimum requirement of being drinkable. Here are ten American states with the worse tap water.

1. Washington

The biggest culprit among Washington's contributing issues is storm water runoff, which is rain and snow melts that run off surfaces, such as roofs, paved streets, highways, parking lots, etc. As water runs off these surfaces, it can pick up contaminants like animal waste, pesticides, fertilizers, oil, and microplastics. A handful of other contaminants polluting the state’s water include arsenic, uranium, nitrate, radon, radium, chromium, and chloroform. Besides, one or more of these contaminants have been detected at levels above the national safety standards. Worse, some of them are carcinogens (cancer-causing agents), and may also lead to developmental issues, reproductive problems, and liver damage.

Almost three million Washington residents, or over 40 percent of the state’s population, were served unsafe water in 2015.

2. California

Many of California's rural farming communities consume water from heavily-tainted sources with arsenic and uranium. When combined with toxic nitrate and nitrite levels from agricultural use, the pollution level is high enough to cause cancer and other adverse health conditions. Sadly, children, pregnant women, and the elderly are the most vulnerable.

In 2015, 2.57 million Californian residents received water from water systems that violated the SDWA, affecting over 832 communities statewide. California’s low-grade drinking water affects mostly its low-income and rural communities. But even if you live in urban areas, error on the side of caution when it comes to your water quality. While California has begun taking action, it may take decades to resolve its many drinking water challenges.

3. Arizona

Arizona’s tap water is also one of the most dangerous across the nation. Recent reports show that Phoenix’s tap water has the highest average levels of chromium-6, a known carcinogen, in the US. Other toxins linked to cancer and development issues, such as perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs), also contaminate the state’s water systems.

Furthermore, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) reported that in 2015, Arizona recorded 2,362 violations of the SDWA. Consequently, over 2.46 million residents (36 percent of the state’s population) received contaminated water through their pipes.

4. Florida

Florida’s poor tap water results from two ecological emergencies that occurred in the state in 2018. During that year, red tide microorganisms drifted into the Gulf of Mexico, and blue-green algae overflowed into lakes, rivers, and the ocean. The double eco-disasters killed massive amounts of marine life and shifted attention to the state’s waters. Florida also experienced an overabundance of fertilizer and other pollutants due to the freshwater algal blooms. Plus, hurricanes and storms caused floods that leached many dangerous contaminants into the water systems, further affecting the state’s drinking water. In some regions across Florida, high counts of coliform bacteria from human waste and unsafe lead and copper levels were reported.

During the 2015 water contamination scandal, a staggering 7.5 million Floridians were supplied water from systems that breached the SDWA.

5. New Jersey

PFCs and other highly toxic synthetic chemicals used in the state’s industrial facilities lingered in its waters for years. These chemicals are used for their water, grease, and heat-resistant properties. However, researchers have discovered that they can be dangerous.

Although companies and manufacturers are phasing PFCs out of production, the chemicals persist in water systems today. These chemicals are linked to cancer, liver damage, and birth and developmental defects. Worse, estimates show that one in five New Jersey residents regularly drink PFCs-tainted water. Other contaminants include lead and chlorine, which exposed over half of New Jersey’s population to unsafe water.

6. Pennsylvania

Coal mining was the main offender responsible for the state’s water pollution crisis. A recent study revealed that 20,000 miles of streams in the state do not meet federal standards for fishing and swimming. On top of that, over 200,000 abandoned gas and oil wells regularly overflow, leaching contaminants into the groundwater and surface waters during hard rainfall.

Nearly six million Pennsylvanian residents are supplied with unsafe water. But while state authorities introduced and enforced new policies, nothing much has changed for many small communities.

7. Georgia

Georgia’s drinking water is some of the nation’s worst. This is mainly due to its polluted rivers, streams, and wells. In some areas of the “Peach State,” chromium, arsenic, chloroform, radium, bromate, chlorate, and radium levels are reported well above legal guidelines. Trihalomethanes (THMs), linked to skin cancer, bladder cancer, and fetal development issues, were also detected in some water systems.

8. Puerto Rico

Since hurricanes Irma and Maria hit the island in 2017, living conditions have changed for the worse. The storms wreaked havoc throughout the island, shutting down infrastructure and tourism for months. Even today, the island has yet to recover fully. Electrical outages and unreliable generators have caused a lack of running water, and when it does run, it is discolored and full of sediment. In response, the government has urged residents to boil their water for three minutes before use.

But even before the hurricanes, nearly all of Puerto Rico’s water supplies violated safety standards. In 2015, the NRDC reported that 3.46 million Puerto Rico residents (99.5 percent of its total population) received unsafe water through their taps.

9. Texas

The most contaminated water systems are located in the state’s small rural communities where resources are scarce, and populations are usually around 100 people per provider. Some of the most dangerous pollutants tainting the water supply are arsenic, lead, and radiation, partly due to old pipes and contaminants leaching into waterways.

Shockingly, about 12.07 million Texans are served with unsafe water, and the quality doesn’t seem to be improving. According to recent reports, Texas has the country’s most radiated drinking water.

10. Ohio

While Ohio is one of America’s largest industrial centers, it is home to some of its worst drinking water.

The large-scale industrial operations across the state have contributed significantly to high levels of lead in its tap water, leading to brief shutdowns of schools and businesses. Many Ohio residents are still served water tainted with iron, sulfate, and other mineral compounds.

Like some other states, many Texans (2.96 million, to be exact) received contaminated water from community systems, putting over 25 percent of the state’s population at risk.

How can I tell if my home has poor water quality?

Whether or not your state is on the list, you must check your water to see if it’s contaminated. That way, you can detect potential pollutants early on and enforce strict measures to prevent them from popping up in your water again.

1. Click on your state below
2. Fill out the 2 second form
3. Let a water specialist look up your municipality

 

To Learn More About What's In Your Water, Click on your State to Get Free Information From A Real Water Specialist!

FILL OUT THIS FORM

Some of these contaminants such as TTHMs are cancer causing as well as creating other issues such as skin irritation, dry skin, hair loss, bladder infections and more.  One of the biggest concerns are families assuming our municipality, that we pay each and every month, is giving us quality water.  Unfortunately that is not the case!

Take Control of Your Health and Your Family

Lucky for you, quality whole house water filtration systems are a lot cheaper and easier to install than they were 10 years ago. Gone are the days where you would have to schedule a house call and pay thousands of dollars to install a whole house water filtration system. Today there are quality companies like Springwell Water (one of the industry leaders) offering new technology that address the common contaminants mentioned above and explained below:

• 99.6 % of Chlorine
• Chloramine
• Haloacetic Acids
• PFOs, PFAs, PFOAs
• MTBE and TTHMs
• Herbicides, Pesticides, Sulfur, and more
• Odors and taste

The best part about buying a whole house filtration system for your home is it will last up to 1,000,000 gallons or 10 years before you have to replace any of the media.  You'll never have to buy bottled water or use your refrigerator filter ever again and they're easy to install!

Not only will you be drinking clean filtered water, but you'll be bathing in it as well.  So no more itchy/dry skin from the chlorine and chlroramine your municipality is dumping into the water.

Interested in Speaking with a Water Specialist To Guide You on Which System is Best For Your water?

1. First click on the button below to tell us if you're on city water or on a private well.
2. Then fill out the form to let a representative from Springwell water know know your current situation.