Louisiana
Louisiana sits in the South and draws its water primarily from Mississippi River, Sparta aquifer, and Chicot aquifer. With roughly 4.6 million residents, the state has minimal formal water reuse to date, reusing an estimated 4% of its treated wastewater.
Louisianawater quality & safety
Top violation drivers in Louisiana
| Contaminant / rule | Systems |
|---|---|
| Groundwater Rule | 366 |
| LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | 172 |
| TTHM | 161 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 76 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | 57 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | 41 |
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1 · health-based violations since 2016
Mississippi River saltwater intrusion during low-flow periods has threatened New Orleans-area drinking water.
On the U.S. Drought Monitor scale, Louisiana currently tracks around severe to extreme conditions. Louisiana has 819 community water systems serving about 5 million people; EPA records show 517 of them (63.1%) with a health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation since 2016. The pages below break down the water issues that matter most here and the communities working on solutions.
Drought history — severe+ extent
% of Louisiana in severe drought or worse (D2+) each late summer.
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor (NDMC/UNL, USDA, NOAA) · latest 2026-06-09
Water use (USGS 2015)
- Per-capita (public supply)
- 170 gpcd
- Total withdrawals
- 8.7 Bgal/d
- From groundwater
- 20.5%
- Irrigation share
- 12%
- Wastewater reused (est.)
- ~4%
Primary water sources
- ≈ Mississippi River
- ≈ Sparta aquifer
- ≈ Chicot aquifer
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Louisiana?
Louisiana has 819 community water systems serving about 5 million people. EPA records show 517 of them (63.1%) with at least one health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation since 2016, and 3 system(s) over the federal lead action level. Most large systems meet standards; check your specific city and your utility's annual report.
What contaminants are most common in Louisiana's water?
The most frequent health-based violations involve Groundwater Rule, LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS, TTHM.
How much water does Louisiana use per person?
Public water systems in Louisiana withdraw about 170 gallons per person per day (USGS 2015), drawing 20.5% of fresh water from groundwater.
How bad is the drought in Louisiana?
As of 2026-06-09, 45.2% of Louisiana is in drought (D1+) and 25.5% is in severe drought or worse, per the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Cities in Louisiana
9 trackedNew Orleans
New Orleans, LA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, LA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Shreveport
Shreveport, LA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Metairie Terrace
Metairie Terrace, LA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Metairie
Metairie, LA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Lafayette
Lafayette, LA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Lake Charles
Lake Charles, LA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Bossier City
Bossier City, LA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Kenner
Kenner, LA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Key issues in Louisiana
Saltwater Intrusion
As coastal aquifers are over-pumped and seas rise, saltwater pushes inland and contaminates freshwater supplies for cities from Florida to California.
ExploreGroundwater Depletion
Aquifers from the Central Valley to the Ogallala are being pumped faster than they recharge, causing land subsidence and threatening long-term supply.
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.
Explore