Miami South Florida metro: water quality. South Florida's 6.2 million residents depend on one of the most unusual water supply systems in the country.
South Florida's 6.2 million residents depend on one of the most unusual water supply systems in the country. Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Hollywood all draw primarily from the Biscayne Aquifer – a shallow, porous limestone formation that sits just below the surface across much of southeast Florida. Unlike deep aquifers that are somewhat shielded from surface activity, the Biscayne Aquifer is directly connected to what happens on the ground above it: stormwater runoff, septic system leachate, agricultural chemicals, and anything else that soaks through South Florida's sandy soil.
Miami-Dade Water and Sewer serves the city of Miami and surrounding areas, while Broward County and Palm Beach County each have their own utilities and independent systems. Hollywood operates its own water plant. The result is a metro where water quality can shift noticeably between counties.
UCMR5 testing across South Florida has detected PFAS compounds in multiple water systems, particularly in areas near Homestead Air Reserve Base, the former Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale, and commercial airports where AFFF foam was used. The shallow Biscayne Aquifer is especially vulnerable because contaminants from the surface can reach the water table in days rather than years.
Florida has not adopted state-specific MCLs for PFAS, relying on federal EPA standards for enforcement. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection began a statewide PFAS investigation in 2020, sampling hundreds of sites including landfills, military bases, and airports. A 2023 update from FDEP identified 68 sites across the state with confirmed PFAS contamination above screening levels, and a meaningful cluster of those sites falls within the South Florida metro.
Our data combines UCMR5 results, FDEP investigation findings, and individual utility reports to map contamination across the tri-county area.
Among Florida metros, South Florida faces higher PFAS risk than Tampa Bay, which draws from more protected groundwater sources, but lower risk than Jacksonville, where NAS Jacksonville is a major point source. The Biscayne Aquifer's vulnerability makes this metro more exposed to surface contamination than inland Florida communities drawing from the deeper Floridan Aquifer.
Nationally, South Florida's water quality challenges are compounded by saltwater intrusion. As sea levels rise, salt water pushes inland into the aquifer, forcing utilities to move wellfields further west and increasing treatment costs. According to a USGS study of the Biscayne Aquifer, the saltwater front has advanced measurably since the 1940s, and climate projections suggest this pressure will intensify.
See our Florida state page for statewide patterns.
South Florida's shallow aquifer means contamination moves fast and cleanup moves slow. If something enters the groundwater near your wellfield, it can reach your tap before regulators even detect it.
Check your water to see the latest data for your specific area – results vary significantly between Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach water systems. If PFAS detections show up in your ZIP code, or if you live near a military base or airport, a point-of-use reverse osmosis filter provides the best household protection. Our water filter guide explains what to look for. For a full history of your area's water data, pull a detailed report.