Alachua County, Florida: drinking water report. Alachua County – Gainesville – serves about 280,000 residents.
Alachua County – Gainesville – serves about 280,000 residents. Gainesville Regional Utilities draws from the Floridan Aquifer, one of the most productive aquifer systems in the world. The University of Florida, the county's largest employer, operates its own campus water system connected to the city supply.
Gainesville's deep Floridan Aquifer wells produce water that is naturally clean by Florida standards. UCMR5 data shows minimal PFAS detections. The county does not host major military installations or heavy industrial PFAS sources.
According to the Florida DEP's 2024 monitoring data, Alachua County systems met all federal standards. The Cabot-Koppers Superfund site in Gainesville – a former wood treatment facility – is a localized contamination source, but it affects shallow groundwater and soils rather than the deep aquifer wells used for drinking water.
Alachua County benefits from a deep, clean aquifer. Water quality is generally good, with hardness being the primary aesthetic concern.
Check your water for data in your area. A water softener or reverse osmosis system handles hardness. Our water filter guide covers options. Pull your detailed report, and visit our Florida page for statewide data.