Nitrate in Florida well water
In Florida, 6% of 26,064 tested private well samples exceeded the EPA limit for nitrate (10 mg/L).
Nitrate reaches wells from fertilizer, septic systems and manure. Above the limit it can cause methemoglobinemia (blue baby syndrome) in infants under six months, and long-term exposure is associated with some cancers. Shallow and dug wells near farmland or dense septic systems are most at risk.
Check your nitrate number
Type the value from your lab report. It is compared to the EPA limit, the same way the full interpretation does it.
Test your Florida well for nitrate
Certified lab analysis of your own tap water, bottles and prepaid return shipping included. The Essential well panel covers arsenic, uranium, nitrate, lead, copper, manganese, iron, sodium and bacteria; radon and PFAS are add-ons.
Order the Tap Score well water test kit, from $209Already tested? Upload the report
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Systems that remove nitrate
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Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy through one, the merchant pays us a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change which products we list or what the data says.
For nitrate
Under-sink reverse osmosis system
under-sink or countertop, about $300
Look for NSF/ANSI 58 certification listing the contaminant you need removed.
For nitrate
Aquasana SmartFlow reverse osmosis
under-sink or countertop, about $225
Certified to NSF/ANSI 58 and 53 to reduce arsenic (96%, pentavalent), fluoride (90%), lead (99%), nitrate, nitrite and PFOA/PFOS at the kitchen tap, with a remineralizer.
Rather have it installed and sized for your well? Book a free in-home water test with a licensed local company.
Where to get a well tested for nitrate in Florida: certified labs, state programs and prices.
By county, from individual samples
Public monitoring samples against the EPA limit (10 mg/L); counties with at least 30 samples.
| County | Above EPA limit | Samples | Detected | Median | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette | 1,278 | 94% | 9.3 | 620 mg/L | |
| Bradford | 42 | 95% | 7.98 | 50 mg/L | |
| Suwannee | 428 | 97% | 4.82 | 319 mg/L | |
| Polk | 782 | 69% | 0.045 | 190 mg/L | |
| Alachua | 56 | 79% | 0.11 | 53 mg/L | |
| Jackson | 268 | 96% | 1.7 | 57.5 mg/L | |
| Gilchrist | 60 | 93% | 0.64 | 35 mg/L | |
| Lake | 44 | 59% | 0.375 | 35 mg/L | |
| Leon | 1,943 | 93% | 0.67 | 106 mg/L | |
| Hendry | 186 | 57% | 0.001 | 110 mg/L | |
| Pinellas | 2,787 | 93% | 0.02 | 1,060 mg/L | |
| Monroe | 247 | 75% | 0.84 | 125 mg/L | |
| Highlands | 100 | 33% | 0 | 48.7 mg/L | |
| Escambia | 588 | 97% | 0.14 | 1,830 mg/L | |
| Pasco | 447 | 49% | 0 | 48.2 mg/L |
- Mayo CCD, Lafayette County53% of 944
- Winter Haven-Auburndale CCD, Polk County53% of 227
- Dowling Park CCD, Suwannee County51% of 265
- Starke CCD, Bradford County36% of 42
- Day CCD, Lafayette County35% of 334
- Lake Wales CCD, Polk County29% of 141
- Trenton CCD, Gilchrist County16% of 32
- Greenwood CCD, Jackson County16% of 141
- Tarpon Springs CCD, Pinellas County11% of 1,183
- High Springs-Alachua CCD, Alachua County11% of 37
- Upper Keys CCD, Monroe County11% of 37
- Live Oak CCD, Suwannee County9% of 55
- Apopka CCD, Orange County9% of 81
- LaBelle CCD, Hendry County9% of 128
- Southwest Leon CCD, Leon County9% of 1,601
- Southeast Leon CCD, Leon County7% of 273
- McAlpin-Wellborn CCD, Suwannee County7% of 44
- Key West CCD, Monroe County7% of 162
- Lakeland CCD, Polk County7% of 121
- Southwest Orange CCD, Orange County6% of 32
Sources
- Individual samples from the USGS Water Quality Portal and state monitoring, summarized per geography. nitrate counts and shares are listed on each county and town page with their sources.
Analysis: Nitrate in private wells, decade by decade, from the same public records.