Jacksonville
Jacksonville, FL water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
jea major grid
groundwater (wells) · local government · PWSID FL2161328
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
With about 868,031 residents, Jacksonville ranks as the largest city in Florida and a major U.S. city. Water in Jacksonville is sourced chiefly from Floridan aquifer, Biscayne aquifer, and surface water, the backbone of Florida's supply.
The defining water pressure here mirrors the state's: saltwater intrusion. Florida reuses roughly half its treated wastewater — one of the highest rates nationally — while fighting saltwater intrusion into the aquifers that supply South Florida.
Statewide, Florida recycles about 49% of its wastewater with established reuse programs. Locally, Jacksonville faces severe to extreme drought conditions.
The Florida state profile covers the regional supply outlook; the issues below detail what's driving Jacksonville's water future.
Duval County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~868,031 (largest in Florida)
- Primary sources: Floridan aquifer, Biscayne aquifer, and surface water
- Drought: severe to extreme conditions
- State reuse rate: ~49% of wastewater
Statewide drought history
% of Florida in severe+ drought (Extreme (D3) now).
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Jacksonville?
Jacksonville's largest water system, JEA MAJOR GRID, serves about 826,664 people. EPA records show 0 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 1.5 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Jacksonville get its water?
JEA MAJOR GRID draws primarily from groundwater (wells), part of Florida's supply from Floridan aquifer, Biscayne aquifer, surface water.
Related water issues
Saltwater Intrusion
As coastal aquifers are over-pumped and seas rise, saltwater pushes inland and contaminates freshwater supplies for cities from Florida to California.
ExplorePotable Reuse
Advanced purification turns treated wastewater into water that meets or exceeds drinking-water standards — increasingly essential in water-stressed regions.
ExploreAging Infrastructure
Much of America's water infrastructure is decades past its design life, leaking trillions of gallons a year and demanding hundreds of billions in reinvestment.
ExploreAgricultural Demand
Agriculture accounts for the majority of consumptive water use in the West, making farm efficiency and water markets central to any supply solution.
Explore