Pensacola · Escambia County · ranked #2 of 25
Emerald Coast Utilities Authority water quality
Emerald Coast Utilities Authority serves about 240,274 people. Its own testing from 2014 to 2024 shows 12 contaminants above EWG health guidelines, led by PFHxS at 4,370× the guideline. Its PFOA and PFOS averages are above EPA's new PFAS limit of 4 parts per trillion, which takes effect in 2029. Its other averages are within today's federal legal limits.
Every result above the guidelines
| Contaminant | Average level | EWG health guideline | Federal legal limit | Times the guideline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFHxSPFAS | 4.37 ppt | 0.001 ppt | 10 ppt | 4,370× |
| PFNAPFAS | 0.548 ppt | 0.006 ppt | 10 ppt | 91× |
| PFOAPFAS | 4.64 ppt | 0.09 ppt | 4 ppt, from 2029 above | 52× |
| Radium, combined (-226 and -228)Radioactive elements | 1.45 pCi/L | 0.05 pCi/L | 5 pCi/L | 29× |
| PFOSPFAS | 4.56 ppt | 0.3 ppt | 4 ppt, from 2029 above | 15× |
| NitrateNitrate | 1.62 ppm | 0.14 ppm | 10 ppm | 12× |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9)Disinfection by-products | 0.626 ppb | 0.06 ppb | No federal limit | 10× |
| Chromium (hexavalent)Metals | 0.166 ppb | 0.02 ppb | No federal limit | 8.3× |
| 6:2 FTSAPFAS | 5.02 ppt | 1 ppt | No federal limit | 5.0× |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)Disinfection by-products | 0.738 ppb | 0.15 ppb | 80 ppb | 4.9× |
| UraniumRadioactive elements | 1.50 pCi/L | 0.43 pCi/L | 20 pCi/L | 3.5× |
| TetrachloroethyleneOther | 0.197 ppb | 0.06 ppb | 5 ppb | 3.3× |
What treats it
- Disinfection by-products (trihalomethanes, haloacetic acids and related compounds) form when chlorine or chloramine reacts with natural matter in the source water. Carbon filtration is the most common way to reduce them, and every Whole Home package includes a whole-home carbon stage, so it covers every tap and shower.
- PFAS, Radioactive elements, Nitrate, Metals: reverse osmosis is the usual treatment for these at the tap you drink from. Our drinking-water tap add-on ($695) is a reverse osmosis system under the kitchen sink.
- Hard water isn't in this data. If you see white crust on faucets or shower glass, Filtration + Softening adds a softener for the scale.
We don't install in Escambia County yet. We're starting in Sarasota and Manatee counties and opening new areas as licensed local plumbers sign on.
Back to the full Florida ranking.
Source: Emerald Coast Utilities Authority on the EWG Tap Water Database, utility testing averages 2014-2024, compiled October 2026. EWG's health guidelines are far stricter than federal legal limits. Long-term averages describe the public supply, not any one home, and aren't the same as current compliance; see your utility's latest annual water quality report. Whole Home Company sells and installs home water treatment and isn't affiliated with any utility or with EWG.