Is it safe to rely on tap water in Miami-Dade for drinking and cooking?
Not without filtration. South Florida has known PFAS contamination in drinking water.
What's actually in it
South Florida (Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach) has documented PFAS contamination in drinking water supplies, stemming partly from historical firefighting foam use at airports and military bases. Public water utilities treat the water but removal isn't 100%. Residents drinking unfiltered tap water daily accumulate higher PFAS than comparable populations in less-affected regions.
This isn't speculation. It's tracked in published regional surveys.
What the research says
A 2026 study in Environ Res did a regional assessment of PFAS in drinking water in Miami-Dade and Palm Beach. Multiple utilities had PFAS levels above the EPA's 2024 drinking water standards. Residents relying on unfiltered tap water for drinking and cooking had higher blood PFAS than national averages.
For south Florida residents, a NSF 53 certified PFAS-removing filter on the kitchen tap or a whole-house reverse osmosis system is the right approach. Brands like Clearly Filtered and Berkey handle PFAS well at home filter scale. For a cheaper option, a pitcher filter certified for PFAS removal (some ZeroWater and Clearly Filtered pitchers) handles drinking water at least. Use filtered water for coffee, cooking pasta, and baby formula too, not just drinking.
The research at a glance
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