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Clearwater Public Utilities has a Water Score of 60 out of 100 (Fair) on our scale. 5 of 28 detected contaminants are above a published health guideline (2018-2025). EPA compliance: no open violations (July to September 2026 extract); this is public data, not a test of your tap.
Does City of Clearwater use chloramine?
EPA treatment records (state-reported) list chloramines for City of Clearwater. EPA record
What EPA and Florida DEP records show for the City of Clearwater, as of October 14, 2026
EPA's records list no health-based violations for the City of Clearwater for compliance periods starting since July 1, 2021. No lead 90th-percentile result from a monitoring period since July 2021 in EPA records. In the EPA UCMR 5 data we use, the City of Clearwater's PFOS and PFOA averages (PFOS 0.21 ppt, detected in 1 of 28 samples; PFOA 0 ppt, detected in 0 of 28 samples; average of all samples) are not above 4.0 ppt, the limit in EPA's 2024 PFAS rule. Scored against health guidelines that are stricter than legal limits, using public utility data. Not a test of your tap.
The 90th percentile is a system-wide measure from homes sampled under EPA's lead rule; it isn't a result for your home.
EPA UCMR 5 data, samples through June 2026.
Water Score
60Fair
Above guideline
5 of 28detected contaminants, 2018-2025
EPA compliance
No open violationshealth-based, July to September 2026 extract
What was found in City of Clearwater's water
5 contaminants above health guidelines(of 28 detected)
Above published health guidelines (5)
Guideline basis: long-term cancer risk
Arsenic
Far above guideline
467×the health guideline
Health guidelineLegal limit
This utility
1.87 ppbaverage of all sampleshighest sample 6.9 ppbdetected in 12 of 15 samples
Legal limit
10 ppb
Health guideline
0.004 ppb
Arsenic: a natural element that enters water from rock and soil deposits and from some orchard and industrial runoff. California OEHHA set a 0.004 ppb public health goal in 2004 to limit lung and bladder cancer risk; EPA's enforceable limit is 10 ppb (in effect since 2006). Source: California OEHHA
Guideline basis: long-term cancer risk
Bromodichloromethane*
Far above guideline
56×the health guideline
Health guideline
This utility
3.33 ppbaverage of all sampleshighest sample 4.34 ppbdetected in 2 of 2 samples
Legal limit
Counts toward the 80 ppb limit for total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Health guideline
0.06 ppb
Bromodichloromethane: a disinfection by-product that forms when chlorine reacts with organic matter. California OEHHA set a 0.06 ppb public health goal to limit long-term cancer risk. Source: California OEHHA
Guideline basis: long-term cancer risk
Dibromochloromethane*
Far above guideline
38×the health guideline
Health guideline
This utility
3.78 ppbaverage of all sampleshighest sample 4.24 ppbdetected in 2 of 2 samples
Legal limit
Counts toward the 80 ppb limit for total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Health guideline
0.1 ppb
Dibromochloromethane: a disinfection by-product that forms when chlorine reacts with organic matter. California OEHHA set a 0.1 ppb public health goal in 2020 to limit long-term cancer risk; it also counts toward EPA's 80 ppb limit for total trihalomethanes. Source: California OEHHA
Guideline basis: long-term cancer risk
Chloroform*
Above guideline
9.6×the health guideline
Health guideline
This utility
3.86 ppbaverage of all sampleshighest sample 10.7 ppbdetected in 3 of 3 samples
Legal limit
Counts toward the 80 ppb limit for total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Health guideline
0.4 ppb
Chloroform: a disinfection by-product that forms when chlorine reacts with organic matter. California OEHHA set a 0.4 ppb public health goal in 2020 to limit long-term cancer risk; it also counts toward EPA's 80 ppb limit for total trihalomethanes. Source: California OEHHA
Guideline basis: long-term cancer risk
Bromoform*
Above guideline
4.3×the health guideline
Health guideline
This utility
2.13 ppbaverage of all sampleshighest sample 2.33 ppbdetected in 2 of 2 samples
Legal limit
Counts toward the 80 ppb limit for total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Health guideline
0.5 ppb
Bromoform: a disinfection by-product that forms when chlorine reacts with organic matter. California OEHHA set a 0.5 ppb public health goal in 2020 to limit long-term cancer risk; it also counts toward EPA's 80 ppb limit for total trihalomethanes. Source: California OEHHA
Lead
Lead: 2.5 ppb (90th percentile of tap samples, January to December 2021). EPA action level (90th percentile): 15 ppb.
Lead is measured at the tap in homes selected because they are most likely to have lead plumbing. EPA says lead in drinking water mainly comes from pipes, solder and fixtures in service lines and buildings, not from the water source. Your home's plumbing matters more than the utility's number. EPA's goal (MCLG) for lead is zero.
California's public health goal for lead is 0.2 ppb.
If your home is older or may have a lead service line, ask your utility (it must keep a service-line inventory) or have your tap tested by a state-certified lab.
Source: EPA SDWA records, July to September 2026 extract. Results measured by a supplier are marked with an asterisk.
Health-based violations in the last 5 years (EPA SDWIS)
None recorded in EPA SDWIS for compliance periods starting since Jul 1, 2021.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWA bulk extract, July to September 2026).
These are EPA's and Florida DEP's public records for this water system, shown as of October 14, 2026. If you represent this utility, or think a record here is wrong, tell us: Report an error. If the error is in EPA's or Florida DEP's own records, the state drinking water program can correct it there, and this page updates at our next data refresh.
A legal limit and a health guideline are different
A legal limit is an enforceable standard, set by the EPA under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Limits weigh health research together with the cost and feasibility of treatment. A health guideline is published by public-health sources and based on health research alone. A utility can meet every legal limit and still be above a published health guideline.
Questions people ask
Who is my water provider in Clearwater?
Clearwater Public Utilities is the main water provider for Clearwater. Some addresses can be served by a different system, so check your water bill: it names your utility.
How do I contact Clearwater Public Utilities?
Call (727) 562-4600 or visit https://www.myclearwater.com/government/city-departments/public-utilities-department. Billing and outages are handled by the utility, not by ScoreYourWater.
Which area does City of Clearwater serve?
By EPA's service-area maps, the City of Clearwater is the main water system serving Clearwater (Pinellas County, FL). Your water bill names your utility. Source: EPA Water System Boundaries and U.S. Census Bureau 2020 place boundaries.
Does City of Clearwater buy water from another system, or sell water to others?
City of Clearwater buys water from Pinellas County Utilities and City of St. Petersburg. In this data, City of St. Petersburg buys water from it. (July to September 2026 extract.)
How many contaminants in City of Clearwater's water are above published health guidelines?
5 of 28 detected contaminants were above their published health guidelines in EPA SDWA, EPA UCMR and Florida DEP data, 2018-2025. The highest: Arsenic at 467 times its guideline, Bromodichloromethane at 56 times its guideline and Dibromochloromethane at 38 times its guideline.
What is chloramine, and does City of Clearwater use it?
Chloramine is a disinfectant made by combining chlorine and ammonia. Some water systems use it in place of free chlorine. The public data used on this site (EPA SDWA, EPA UCMR and Florida DEP data) does not record which disinfectant City of Clearwater uses, so we do not say. Your utility can tell you.
How is the Water Score for City of Clearwater calculated?
The score starts at 100. It goes down 8 for each contaminant above a cited health guideline whose source states a cancer basis, 5 for each other contaminant above its cited guideline, 5 for each of PFOA and PFOS averaging above the 4.0 ppt limit in EPA's 2024 PFAS rule, 10 for each contaminant whose average of all samples is above EPA's legal limit (instead of its guideline step), and 1 for each contaminant with a cited cancer-based guideline that is detected below it. Only guidelines with a cited document count. The lowest score is 5. Higher is better. For this report: 100 minus 8 times 5 is 60, so the score is 60.
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Other contaminants detected, within their health guidelines or without one
Contaminant
This utility
Legal limit or action level
Health guideline
Years
Fluoride
359 ppbaverage of all sampleshighest sample 690 ppbdetected in 20 of 30 samples
4,000 ppb
None published
2018-2022
Nitrate
309 ppbaverage of all sampleshighest sample 7,900 ppbdetected in 185 of 196 samples
10,000 ppb
None published
2018-2022
Nitrite
61.7 ppbaverage of all sampleshighest sample 350 ppbdetected in 76 of 197 samples
1,000 ppb
None published
2018-2022
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
53.1 ppbaverage of all sampleshighest sample 81.9 ppbdetected in 165 of 165 samples
80 ppb
None published
2018-2022
Haloacetic acids (HAA9)
33.4 ppbaverage of all sampleshighest sample 43 ppbdetected in 32 of 32 samples
No federal limit
None published
2019-2020
Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
25.6 ppbaverage of all sampleshighest sample 63.8 ppbdetected in 164 of 164 samples
60 ppb
None published
2018-2022
Barium
11.9 ppbaverage of all sampleshighest sample 18 ppbdetected in 15 of 15 samples
2,000 ppb
None published
2018-2022
Manganese
3.82 ppbaverage of all sampleshighest sample 28 ppbdetected in 185 of 189 samples
No federal limit
None published
2018-2022
Copper
1.63 ppbaverage of all sampleshighest sample 7.8 ppbdetected in 10 of 15 samplesMeasured where water enters the distribution system, not at the tap. EPA's action level applies to tap samples.
1,300 ppb (EPA action level, 90th percentile)
None published
2018-2022
Aluminum
1.23 ppbaverage of all sampleshighest sample 10.6 ppbdetected in 2 of 15 samples
No federal limit
None published
2018-2022
Radium-226
1.04 pCi/Laverage of all sampleshighest sample 2.08 pCi/Ldetected in 9 of 12 samples
Counts toward the combined 5 pCi/L limit for radium-226 and radium-228
None published
2019-2022
PFPeA
0.68 pptaverage of all sampleshighest sample 3.5 pptdetected in 6 of 28 samples
No federal limit
None published
2024-2025
Selenium
0.32 ppbaverage of all sampleshighest sample 1.8 ppbdetected in 4 of 15 samples
50 ppb
None published
2018-2022
PFOSEPA's 2024 rule sets a limit of 4.0 ppt; water systems must meet it by April 2029. In May 2026 EPA proposed allowing extensions to April 2031. EPA's goal (MCLG) is zero.
0.21 pptaverage of all sampleshighest sample 5.9 pptdetected in 1 of 28 samples
4 ppt
None published
2024-2025
PFBS
0.11 pptaverage of all sampleshighest sample 3 pptdetected in 1 of 28 samples
No federal limit
2,000 ppt
2024-2025
Uranium
0.05 ppbaverage of all sampleshighest sample 0.34 ppbdetected in 3 of 15 samples
30 ppb
None published
2018-2022
Trichloroacetic acid*
2.88 ppbaverage of all sampleshighest sample 5.76 ppbdetected in 1 of 2 samples
Counts toward the 60 ppb limit for haloacetic acids (HAA5)
None published
2020
Dichloroacetic acid*
2.61 ppbaverage of all sampleshighest sample 5.21 ppbdetected in 1 of 2 samples
Counts toward the 60 ppb limit for haloacetic acids (HAA5)
None published
2020
Dibromoacetic acid*
0.77 ppbaverage of all sampleshighest sample 1.54 ppbdetected in 1 of 2 samples
Counts toward the 60 ppb limit for haloacetic acids (HAA5)
None published
2020
Radium-226 + Radium-228*
0.61 pCi/Lsum of the radium-226 and radium-228 averages
5 pCi/L
None published
2018-2022
Monobromoacetic acid*
0.29 ppbaverage of all sampleshighest sample 0.58 ppbdetected in 1 of 2 samples
Counts toward the 60 ppb limit for haloacetic acids (HAA5)
None published
2020
Gross alpha*
0.6 pCi/Laverage of all sampleshighest sample 0.6 pCi/Ldetected in 1 of 1 sample
15 pCi/L
None published
2022
What is the difference between a health guideline and a legal limit?
A legal limit is an enforceable standard, set by the EPA under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Limits weigh health research together with the cost and feasibility of treatment. A health guideline is published by public-health sources and based on health research alone. A utility can meet every legal limit and still be above a published health guideline.