WATER SAFETY SCORE · 0–88
25 worst cities for tap water quality
Ranked by our Water Safety Score— the same 0–88 exposure profile used on each city report. Regulatory PFAS MCL violations weigh heaviest; monitoring detections and lead, DBP, and chromium flags in our profiles add smaller penalties. This is not your ZIP's live SDWIS compliance score.
Only tracked metros with WaterCheckup city guides (25 shown). For PFAS-only leaderboards see peak PFAS systems and PFAS MCL cities.
WaterCheckup Safety Score — an independent index from EPA public data and our formula. Not your utility’s official water quality rating, an EPA compliance grade, or a test of water at your tap. How we score →
POPULAR CITY WATER REPORTS
Gaithersburg, MD
Grade B · 74/88
WSSC Water · PFAS & testing context
Gaithersburg water quality · water testing Gaithersburg MD · WSSC tap water
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San Antonio, TX
Grade D+ · 59/88
272 mg/L hardness · PFAS in UCMR5
San Antonio water quality · PFAS in San Antonio water · water contamination
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Chicago, IL
Grade D- · 51/88
400k+ lead lines · PFAS monitoring
Chicago tap water quality · Chicago lead pipes · Chicago water PFAS
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Houston, TX
Grade C+ · 67/88
22.4 ppt PFAS · Ship Channel legacy
Houston tap water safe · Houston PFAS · Houston water quality 2026
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Phoenix, AZ
Grade C- · 63/88
7.4 ppt PFAS · very hard water
Phoenix tap water quality · Phoenix PFAS · Phoenix water hardness
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New York City, NY
Grade B+ · 78/88
PFOS 106 ppt · building lead risk
NYC tap water safe · NYC water PFAS · NYC lead pipes
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Miami, FL
Grade F · 43/88
PFOS 33 ppt · MDWASA UCMR5
Miami tap water quality · Miami PFAS · Miami-Dade water safe
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Sugar Land, TX
Grade F · 48/88
672 ppt 6:2 FTS peak · PFOA at MCL
Sugar Land PFAS · Sugar Land water quality · 6:2 FTS Texas
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Dallas, TX
Grade F · 49/88
PFAS MCL violations · chloramine DBPs
Dallas tap water quality · Dallas PFAS · Dallas water safe
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Los Angeles, CA
Grade B- · 71/88
Chromium-6 · 11.4 ppt PFAS
LA tap water quality · Los Angeles PFAS · LA water chromium-6
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#1
Pensacola, FLGrade F
PFAS Above EPA Limit · 55K residents
34/88
#2
Fort Worth, TXGrade F
PFAS Above EPA Limit · 936K residents
39/88
#3
Sacramento, CAGrade F
PFAS Above EPA Limit · 524K residents
41/88
#4
Philadelphia, PAGrade F
PFAS Above EPA Limit · 1.6M residents
42/88
#5
Rochester, NYGrade F
PFAS Above EPA Limit · 210K residents
42/88
#6
Boise, IDGrade F
PFAS Above EPA Limit · 240K residents
43/88
#7
Fort Collins, COGrade F
PFAS Above EPA Limit · 165K residents
43/88
#8
Fresno, CAGrade F
PFAS Above EPA Limit · 546K residents
43/88
#9
Jackson, MSGrade F
PFAS Above EPA Limit · 150K residents
43/88
#10
Miami, FLGrade F
PFAS Above EPA Limit · 2.8M residents
43/88
#11
Gilbert, AZGrade F
PFAS Above EPA Limit · 260K residents
44/88
#12
Madison, WIGrade F
PFAS Above EPA Limit · 270K residents
44/88
#13
Milwaukee, WIGrade F
PFAS Above EPA Limit · 590K residents
44/88
#14
Newark, NJGrade F
PFAS Above EPA Limit · 310K residents
45/88
#15
Anaheim, CAGrade F
PFAS Above EPA Limit · 350K residents
46/88
#16
Savannah, GAGrade F
PFAS Above EPA Limit · 145K residents
46/88
#17
Birmingham, ALGrade F
PFAS Above EPA Limit · 210K residents
48/88
#18
Detroit, MIGrade F
PFAS Above EPA Limit · 630K residents
48/88
#19
Grand Rapids, MIGrade F
PFAS Above EPA Limit · 195K residents
48/88
#20
Hartford, CTGrade F
PFAS Above EPA Limit · 125K residents
48/88
#21
Sugar Land, TXGrade F
PFAS Above EPA Limit · 91K residents
48/88
#22
Dallas, TXGrade F
PFAS Above EPA Limit · 1.3M residents
49/88
#23
Reno, NVGrade F
PFAS Above EPA Limit · 260K residents
49/88
#24
Fayetteville, NCGrade D-
PFAS Above EPA Limit · 210K residents
50/88
#25
Greensboro, NCGrade D-
PFAS Above EPA Limit · 290K residents
50/88