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, LA tap water safe to drink? New Orleans, LA tap water meets most federal EPA limits, but PFAS compounds have been detected at an average of 0.01 ppt across 6 compounds. A certified pitcher filter or reverse osmosis system is recommended for sensitive populations.
What contaminants are in New Orleans, LA water? Top PFAS compounds detected in New Orleans water: PFBA (0.01 ppt), HFPO-DA (0.01 ppt), PFPeA (0.01 ppt). See the full table for all monitored contaminants and comparison to EPA limits.
What filter should I use in New Orleans, LA? Match the filter to what's in Louisiana water: reverse osmosis handles PFAS, lead, and arsenic together (90%+ removal); NSF-53 certified pitchers like Clearly Filtered or ZeroWater cover taps you drink from. A standard Brita pitcher will not remove PFAS.
New Orleans, LA Water Quality Summary
EPA testing has detected PFAS "forever chemicals" in New Orleans, LA drinking water. Recent monitoring found a peak level of 0.01 ppt across 2 water systems, representing an average of 0.01 ppt across 6 detected compounds.
Contamination Level: LOW – Low contamination – PFAS detected but at lower levels; monitoring continues.
Top Detected Compounds
- PFBA: 0.01 ppt
- HFPO-DA: 0.01 ppt
- PFPeA: 0.01 ppt
- PFOA: 0 ppt
- PFOS: 0 ppt
Lead in New Orleans, LA 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, LA
New Orleans public water systems have 9 health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record, including 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, LA: approximately 383,997.
ZIP Codes Served
Compare New Orleans, LA to Other Cities
Side-by-side PFAS contamination comparisons with same-state, regional, and national peers.
What New Orleans, Louisiana Residents Should Do
- Enter your exact ZIP code at knowyourexposure.com for address-level data
- If anyone in your household is pregnant or under 5, prioritize a certified PFAS filter now and consider a home test kit
- For long-term protection, an NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis system removes 94-99% of PFAS
- Read the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) your Louisiana utility publishes each year