States › Louisiana

Louisiana Tap Water Quality 2026

EPA drinking water data for 440 cities across Louisiana — covering lead levels, violation history, and compliance status.

Systems tracked: 346 Cities covered: 440 Updated: 2026 Q2
C

Louisiana earns a C for overall water quality

440 communities across 64 counties and 346 water systems. 78.2% have no open violations.

Median lead where detected: 2.00 ppb
32.5% of systems report lead as not detected — a state filing convention, not a water quality measure
PFAS tested at 52.7% of communities; 0 above the federal limit
Lead reported for 100.0% of communities
78.2% of communities have no open violations
Water Systems
346
Active community systems
Median Lead Level
2 ppb
13% of EPA action level
Fully Compliant
78.2%
of systems — no active violations
How we grade states Grades are based on actual EPA enforcement data — MCL violations and lead levels measured against the 15 ppb federal action level. We do not use MCLG-based detections, which are aspirational zero-tolerance goals that would make nearly every state look dangerous. Read our full methodology →

Best & Worst Cities in Louisiana

✓ Cleanest Water
Baton Rouge
East Baton Rouge Parish
1.0 ppb A
Prairieville
Ascension Parish
1.0 ppb A
Central
East Baton Rouge Parish
1.0 ppb A
Ruston
Lincoln Parish
1.4 ppb A
Gardere
East Baton Rouge Parish
1.0 ppb A
Crowley
Acadia Parish
3.0 ppb A
⚠ Needs Attention
Franklin
St. Mary Parish
2.0 ppb F
Lake Providence
East Carroll Parish
1.0 ppb F
Arcadia
Bienville Parish
0.0 ppb F
Baldwin
St. Mary Parish
2.0 ppb F
Ringgold
Bienville Parish
0.0 ppb F
Plain Dealing
Bossier Parish
1.0 ppb F

Water Quality by County

64 of 64
Sort:
CountySystemsLead LevelViolationsGrade
Jefferson Parish 21 2.4 ppb 0 B
St. Charles Parish 14 2.0 ppb 0 B
St. Landry Parish 14 2.0 ppb 0 B
Rapides Parish 12 2.1 ppb 0 B
Lafourche Parish 11 1.0 ppb 0 A
Webster Parish 11 1.0 ppb 0 C
St. Tammany Parish 11 2.0 ppb 0 B
Calcasieu Parish 11 1.5 ppb 0 B
St. Mary Parish 11 2.0 ppb 0 C
Natchitoches Parish 11 1.0 ppb 0 C

About Louisiana Drinking Water

Louisiana is served by 346 community water systems covering 440 communities across 64 counties. 78.2% have no open violation on record.

Lead was detected in 297 communities, with a median of 2.00 ppb — 13% of the federal action level. A further 143 reported none detected. That share is a state reporting convention rather than a measure of water quality, so it is stated separately rather than averaged in.

PFAS has been tested at 52.7% of communities here, and 0 are above the limits EPA set in 2024. Coverage matters: states that test more find more, so this figure is not comparable with a state that has tested less.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Louisiana tap water safe to drink? ▼
78.2% of communities have no open violation on record. No community has PFAS above the federal limit on record.
Does Louisiana have a lead problem? ▼
1 water systems report a 90th-percentile lead result at or above the 15 ppb action level. The action level is a treatment trigger, not a legal maximum, and 143 communities report no detection at all.
How complete is the data for Louisiana? ▼
Lead results are reported for 100.0% of communities and PFAS for 52.7%. Where a figure is missing it is shown as not reported rather than assumed safe.
How does Louisiana compare with other states? ▼
We do not rank states against each other. Lead reporting completeness ranges from under 20% to 100% depending on the state, so a national ranking would compare filing practice rather than water quality.