Water Quality Report · Updated October 07, 2026
PINELLAS COUNTY UTILITIES
PINELLAS COUNTY UTILITIES delivers tap water graded B (75/100) by TapWaterSafety.org. The utility serves approximately 506,353 residents in CLEARWATER, Florida using surface water (purchased). The most significant water quality concerns are: Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline; Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline; Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline; Arsenic detected. For questions, the utility can be reached at 727-582-2300.
Is CLEARWATER tap water safe to drink?
PINELLAS COUNTY UTILITIES delivers tap water that earns a grade of B (75/100) from TapWaterSafety.org — a good rating, with only minor concerns relative to health-based guidelines.
The utility serves 506,353 residents in CLEARWATER, drawing from surface water (purchased).
Public testing data identifies 7 contaminants in this water above EWG's health-based guidelines, including: Haloacetic acids (HAA9), Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Haloacetic acids (HAA5), Arsenic, Radium, combined (-226 and -228), Chromium (hexavalent), Chlorate. 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.
EPA compliance record
Official U.S. EPA records for PINELLAS COUNTY UTILITIES (system ID FL6521405) for the last 3 years. Checked 2026-10-07.
| Rule | Type | Since | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Missed testing | 12/01/2023 | Open |
| Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule | Missed testing or reporting | 07/01/2024 | Open |
| Nitrate Rule | Missed testing or reporting | 01/01/2024 | Open |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Missed testing or reporting | 01/01/2022 | Open |
Source: U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO), from the Safe Drinking Water Information System. See EPA's full report.
Quick actions for CLEARWATER residents
Top concerns in this water
Based on the most recent EPA and EWG data, these are the most significant water quality issues for PINELLAS COUNTY UTILITIES.
Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA9) detected at 29.1 ppb, 486x above the EWG health guideline of 0.06 ppb.
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernTotal trihalomethanes (TTHMs) detected at 41.6 ppb, 277x above the EWG health guideline of 0.15 ppb.
Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA5) detected at 25.9 ppb, 259x above the EWG health guideline of 0.1 ppb.
Arsenic detected
Moderate concernArsenic detected at 0.4 ppb.
Contact PINELLAS 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 CLEARWATER
Filters matched to the specific contaminants in this water supply.
Carbon filter certified for VOCs (NSF/ANSI 53)
$180-$599Activated carbon is effective for disinfection byproducts. Look for NSF/ANSI 53 VOC reduction.
Reverse osmosis certified for arsenic (NSF/ANSI 58)
$429-$599Reverse osmosis certified under NSF/ANSI 58 for arsenic is the most reliable home option.
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 75/100 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 |
29.1 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 486× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
41.6 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 277× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
25.9 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 259× over |
| Arsenic Heavy metal |
0.4 ppb | 0.004 | 10.0 | 10 | 10 | 0.004 | — | 100× over |
| Radium, combined (-226 and -228) Radiological |
1.7 pCi/L | 0.05 | 5.0 | — | — | — | — | 34× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.0713 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 3.6× over |
| Chlorate Disinfection byproduct |
542.5 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | 2.6× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
0.103 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | Below guideline |
| Uranium Radiological |
0.15 pCi/L | 0.43 | 20.0 | 30 | 30 | 0.43 | — | Below guideline |
| Aluminum Heavy metal |
17.9 ppb | 600.0 | — | 200 | — | 600 | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
2.85 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Mercury (inorganic) Heavy metal |
0.0333 ppb | 1.2 | 2.0 | 1 | 6 | 1.2 | — | Below guideline |
| Vanadium Other |
0.484 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Barium Heavy metal |
13.8 ppb | 700.0 | 2000.0 | — | 1300 | 2000 | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.348 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Chromium (total) Heavy metal |
2.43 ppb | — | 100.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Fluoride Inorganic |
0.683 ppm | — | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | — | 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.
PINELLAS COUNTY UTILITIES service area
This water system serves 1 community in Pinellas County, Florida. Click any city for its dedicated tap water quality page.
Find the right filter for CLEARWATER water
Browse filter categories by water-quality concern. Each option below is NSF-certified for the matched contaminant type.