New Orleans, LA Water Quality Report
Is New Orleans tap water safe? See PFAS and lead contamination levels for New Orleans, Louisiana. Compare to EPA limits and get filter recommendations.
Quick Answers
Is New Orleans tap water safe to drink? New Orleans tap water meets most federal EPA limits, but PFAS compounds have been detected at an average of 2.09 ppt across 7 compounds. A certified pitcher filter or reverse osmosis system is recommended for sensitive populations.
What contaminants are in New Orleans water? Top PFAS compounds detected in New Orleans water: lithium (14 ppt), PFBA (0.01 ppt), HFPO-DA (0.01 ppt). See the full table for all monitored contaminants and comparison to EPA limits.
What filter should I use in New Orleans? Reverse osmosis removes 90%+ of PFAS, lead, and arsenic. NSF-53 certified pitcher and faucet filters (ZeroWater, Clearly Filtered, LifeStraw) work for smaller households. Skip standard Brita filters for PFAS removal.
New Orleans Water Quality Summary
EPA testing has detected PFAS "forever chemicals" in New Orleans drinking water. Recent monitoring found a peak level of 14 ppt across 2 water systems, representing an average of 2.09 ppt across 7 detected compounds.
Contamination Level: LOW – Low contamination – PFAS detected but at lower levels; monitoring continues.
Top Detected Compounds
- lithium: 14 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
- PFBA: 0.01 ppt
- HFPO-DA: 0.01 ppt
- PFPeA: 0.01 ppt
- PFOA: 0 ppt
Lead in New Orleans Water
EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing has recorded 16 lead samples for New Orleans water systems, with a 90th-percentile high of 0.009 mg/L (within the EPA 0.015 mg/L action level). There is no safe level of lead for children; if your home was built before 1986, a certified NSF/ANSI 53 lead-removal filter is recommended.
EPA Violations in New Orleans
New Orleans public water systems have 9 health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record, including Chloroform, Nitrate, Chromium. Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded its federal limit or required treatment was not applied.
About the Data
These figures come from the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5 (UCMR5) testing program, 2023-2025. UCMR5 is the most comprehensive national drinking water survey in US history, covering 66,000+ public water systems. Population of New Orleans: approximately 383,997.
ZIP Codes Served
Compare New Orleans to Other Cities
Side-by-side PFAS contamination comparisons with same-state, regional, and national peers.
What New Orleans Residents Should Do
- Enter your exact ZIP code at knowyourexposure.com for address-level data
- Install an NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis filter (removes 94-99% of PFAS)
- If you're in a high-exposure group (pregnant, young children), consider a PFAS home test kit
- Review your utility's Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) annually