Pasco County, Florida: drinking water report. Pasco County sits north of Tampa, home to about 570,000 residents in one of the fastest-growing areas of the…
Pasco County sits north of Tampa, home to about 570,000 residents in one of the fastest-growing areas of the Tampa Bay region. Water comes from the Floridan Aquifer and from Tampa Bay Water's regional system, which blends surface water, groundwater, and desalinated water. Pasco County Utilities operates the largest system, supplemented by smaller providers.
Pasco County's groundwater from the Floridan Aquifer is naturally hard and contains hydrogen sulfide, typical of central Florida. Treatment includes aeration, softening, and disinfection. UCMR5 data shows PFAS detections in county systems, though at generally lower levels than in neighboring Hillsborough County, which hosts MacDill AFB.
According to the Florida DEP's 2024 monitoring data, three public water systems in Pasco County reported PFAS above detection thresholds. The county does not host major military installations, so PFAS sources are primarily diffuse – landfills, commercial operations, and stormwater runoff.
Pasco County's rapid growth means new development areas are being connected to the water system continuously. New connections can experience initial variability as mains are flushed and stabilized.
Check your water for data specific to your area. A reverse osmosis system handles hardness, sulfide taste, and PFAS. Our water filter guide covers which systems work for Florida's water chemistry. Pull your detailed report, and visit our Florida page for statewide patterns.
Drinking water is one exposure route. These federal datasets also cover Pasco County, FL.
The EPA places Pasco County, FL in Zone 3 - the EPA's lowest-risk category, with a predicted average indoor radon level below 2 pCi/L. Zone maps predict an area's radon potential from geology and existing indoor readings; they say nothing about a specific house. Testing is the only way to know your own level.
32% of homes in Pasco County, FL were built before 1980, and 1% before 1950. Residential lead paint was banned in 1978, so housing age is the strongest available proxy for lead-paint exposure. This describes the county's housing stock, not any one home.
Modelled annual fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) in Pasco County, FL averages 7.3 µg/m³, within the EPA's annual standard of 9 µg/m³. These are CDC modelled county estimates rather than readings from a specific monitor.
How radon zones work · Air quality by county · Lead exposure guide