Water Quality Report · Updated May 12, 2026
LEE COUNTY UTILITIES
LEE COUNTY UTILITIES delivers tap water graded D (55/100) by TapWaterSafety.org. The utility serves approximately 282,556 residents in FORT MYERS, Florida using surface water. The most significant water quality concerns are: PFAS contamination; Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline; Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline; Arsenic significantly above health guideline. For questions, the utility can be reached at 239-533-8181.
Is FORT MYERS tap water safe to drink?
LEE COUNTY UTILITIES delivers tap water that earns a grade of D (55/100) from TapWaterSafety.org — a below-average rating, with multiple concerns including pfas contamination.
The utility serves 282,556 residents in FORT MYERS, drawing from surface water.
Public testing data identifies 11 contaminants in this water above EWG's health-based guidelines, including: Haloacetic acids (HAA9), Haloacetic acids (HAA5), Arsenic, Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Radium, combined (-226 and -228), Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), Chromium (hexavalent), Chlorate, Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), Bromochloromethane, Nitrate. For most residents, a properly certified home filter at the kitchen tap is the most cost-effective way to reduce exposure to whatever's in your water. See our filter recommendations below, matched specifically to this utility's contaminant profile.
Quick actions for FORT MYERS residents
Top concerns in this water
Based on the most recent EPA and EWG data, these are the most significant water quality issues for LEE COUNTY UTILITIES.
PFAS contamination
Severe concernPerfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) detected. PFAS are persistent chemicals linked to cancer and immune effects with no known safe exposure threshold.
Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA9) detected at 18.1 ppb, 301x above the EWG health guideline of 0.06 ppb.
Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA5) detected at 14.8 ppb, 148x above the EWG health guideline of 0.1 ppb.
Arsenic significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernArsenic detected at 0.529 ppb, 132x above the EWG health guideline of 0.004 ppb.
Contact LEE COUNTY UTILITIES
Reach the utility directly for service issues, water quality concerns, or to request your Consumer Confidence Report.
General Contact
Treatment Plant
Recommended water filters for FORT MYERS
Filters matched to the specific contaminants in this water supply.
Reverse Osmosis or NSF P473 certified carbon
$80-$750Activated carbon and RO are the only technologies proven to remove PFAS at certified levels.
Carbon block (NSF/ANSI 42 + 53)
$40-$750Activated carbon is highly effective for disinfection byproducts like TTHM and HAA5.
Reverse Osmosis
$249-$750Arsenic is most effectively removed by reverse osmosis. Some specialized adsorptive filters also work.
Disclosure: TapWaterSafety earns a commission from purchases made through these links. This does not influence our scoring methodology or filter selection.
Score breakdown
This utility's overall score of 55/100 breaks down across five weighted components. Read the full methodology →
Contaminants detected — international standards comparison
Every contaminant detected, compared side-by-side against US EPA legal limits, the EU Drinking Water Directive (2020/2184), WHO Guidelines, and California's Public Health Goal (the strictest US benchmark). Why we show multiple standards →
| Contaminant | Detected | EWG US health-based |
EPA US legal |
EU DWD Europe |
WHO global |
CA PHG strictest US |
Tested sample year |
Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
18.1 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 301× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
14.8 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 148× over |
| Arsenic Heavy metal |
0.529 ppb | 0.004 | 10.0 | 10 | 10 | 0.004 | — | 132× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
13.4 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 89× over |
| Radium, combined (-226 and -228) Radiological |
1.47 pCi/L | 0.05 | 5.0 | — | — | — | — | 29× over |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) PFAS |
0.35 ppt | 0.09 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | — | 3.9× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.0757 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 3.8× over |
| Chlorate Disinfection byproduct |
732.0 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | 3.5× over |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) PFAS |
0.492 ppt | 0.3 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 1 | — | 1.6× over |
| Bromochloromethane Other |
0.08 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 1.3× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
0.152 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 1.1× over |
| Molybdenum Other |
3.27 ppb | 40.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Vanadium Other |
0.817 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Selenium Heavy metal |
1.16 ppb | 30.0 | 50.0 | 20 | 40 | 30 | — | Below guideline |
| Atrazine Pesticide/Herbicide |
0.0037 ppb | 0.1 | 3.0 | 0.1 | 100 | 0.15 | — | Below guideline |
| Barium Heavy metal |
11.3 ppb | 700.0 | 2000.0 | — | 1300 | 2000 | — | Below guideline |
| Aluminum Heavy metal |
7.44 ppb | 600.0 | — | 200 | — | 600 | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
0.596 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutanoic Acid (PFBA) PFAS |
3.89 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA) PFAS |
1.9 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) PFAS |
1.2 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA) PFAS |
0.758 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) PFAS |
1.5 ppt | 2000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.991 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Cyanide Inorganic |
3.29 ppb | — | 200.0 | 50 | 70 | 150 | — | Below guideline |
| Fluoride Inorganic |
0.375 ppm | — | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Nitrite Inorganic |
0.0253 ppm | — | 1.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
All values in the unit of the detected level. Red cells indicate the detected level exceeds that standard. Some contaminants have limits in some jurisdictions but not others (shown as —). The "Tested" column shows the year each contaminant sample was collected.
Sources: US EPA, EU Drinking Water Directive 2020/2184, WHO Guidelines (4th ed.), California OEHHA PHGs, EWG Tap Water Database.
LEE COUNTY UTILITIES service area
This water system serves 1 community in Lee County, Florida. Click any city for its dedicated tap water quality page.
Find the right filter for FORT MYERS water
Browse filter categories by water-quality concern. Each option below is NSF-certified for the matched contaminant type.