Tampa
The Tampa Bay region pairs extensive reclaimed-water networks with the largest seawater desalination plant in the U.S. to diversify supply away from stressed aquifers.
city of tampa water department
surface water (rivers/reservoirs) · local government · PWSID FL6290327
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
Tampa Bay Water built a diversified system after decades of over-pumping local aquifers caused lakes and wetlands to dry up. Today the region blends groundwater, surface water, and desalination.
The Tampa Bay Seawater Desalination plant is the largest in the United States, supplying about 10 percent of the region's drinking water. Meanwhile, reclaimed water from the area's wastewater plants irrigates lawns, golf courses, and crops, offsetting potable demand.
Florida overall reuses roughly half its treated wastewater — one of the highest rates in the nation — and Tampa is a leading example of that approach.
Hillsborough County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Largest U.S. seawater desalination plant
- Extensive reclaimed-water irrigation network
- Diversified supply after historic aquifer over-pumping
Statewide drought history
% of Florida in severe+ drought (Extreme (D3) now).
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Tampa?
Tampa's largest water system, CITY OF TAMPA WATER DEPARTMENT, serves about 733,886 people. EPA records show 0 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 0.7 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Tampa get its water?
CITY OF TAMPA WATER DEPARTMENT draws primarily from surface water (rivers/reservoirs), 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.
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