Water Quality Report · Updated May 12, 2026
SOUTHWOOD
SOUTHWOOD delivers tap water graded F (47/100) by TapWaterSafety.org. The utility serves approximately 64,155 residents in Tacoma, Washington using surface water (purchased). The most significant water quality concerns are: PFAS contamination; Total PFOS and PFOA significantly above health guideline; Arsenic significantly above health guideline; Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) significantly above health guideline.
Is Tacoma tap water safe to drink?
SOUTHWOOD delivers tap water that earns a grade of F (47/100) from TapWaterSafety.org — a poor rating, with significant contamination concerns and/or recent violations.
The utility serves 64,155 residents in Tacoma, drawing from surface water (purchased).
Public testing data identifies 17 contaminants in this water above EWG's health-based guidelines, including: Total PFOS and PFOA, Arsenic, Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS), Haloacetic acids (HAA9), Haloacetic acids (HAA5), Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Nitrate and nitrite, Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), Nitrate, Bromodichloromethane, Chromium (hexavalent), Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), Radium, combined (-226 and -228), Dibromochloromethane, Chloroform, Dichloroacetic acid, Trichloroacetic acid. 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 Tacoma residents
Top concerns in this water
Based on the most recent EPA and EWG data, these are the most significant water quality issues for SOUTHWOOD.
PFAS contamination
Severe concernPerfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) detected. PFAS are persistent chemicals linked to cancer and immune effects with no known safe exposure threshold.
Total PFOS and PFOA significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernTotal PFOS and PFOA detected at 6.85 ppt, 978x above the EWG health guideline of 0.007 ppt.
Arsenic significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernArsenic detected at 1.13 ppb, 282x above the EWG health guideline of 0.004 ppb.
Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernPerfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) detected at 0.141 ppt, 141x above the EWG health guideline of 0.001 ppt.
Contact SOUTHWOOD
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 Tacoma
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.
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 47/100 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total PFOS and PFOA PFAS |
6.85 ppt | 0.007 | — | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | — | 978× over |
| Arsenic Heavy metal |
1.13 ppb | 0.004 | 10.0 | 10 | 10 | 0.004 | — | 282× over |
| Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) PFAS |
0.141 ppt | 0.001 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | 141× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
2.28 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 38× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
1.95 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 20× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
2.88 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 19× over |
| Nitrate and nitrite Inorganic |
1.22 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 8.7× over |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) PFAS |
0.668 ppt | 0.09 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | — | 7.4× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
1.02 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 7.3× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
0.428 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 7.1× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.0976 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 4.9× over |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) PFAS |
1.37 ppt | 0.3 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 1 | — | 4.6× over |
| Radium, combined (-226 and -228) Radiological |
0.18 pCi/L | 0.05 | 5.0 | — | — | — | — | 3.7× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
0.313 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 3.1× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
0.734 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 1.8× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.25 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 1.2× over |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.105 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1.0× over |
| Chlorate Disinfection byproduct |
52.7 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
14.8 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Vanadium Other |
1.46 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Molybdenum Other |
0.544 ppb | 40.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| 1,4-Dioxane Semi-volatile organic compound |
0.00365 ppb | 0.35 | — | — | 50 | 1 | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA) PFAS |
4.24 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) PFAS |
2.39 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) PFAS |
1.52 ppt | 2000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutanoic Acid (PFBA) PFAS |
0.624 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.0703 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Fluoride Inorganic |
0.0238 ppm | — | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | — | Below guideline |
| PFOS + PFOA + PFHxS + PFNA PFAS |
7.0 ppt | — | — | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | — | 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.
SOUTHWOOD service area
This water system serves 1 community in Pierce County, Washington. Click any city for its dedicated tap water quality page.
Find the right filter for Tacoma water
Browse filter categories by water-quality concern. Each option below is NSF-certified for the matched contaminant type.