Summary
This USA TODAY project is an interactive map and database that displays recent public drinking water system test results for PFAS (“forever chemicals”) submitted to the EPA. It categorizes systems by detection status — no PFAS detected, PFAS detected, PFAS over the EPA limit, and PFAS well over the limit — and shows counts for each category. The site pairs map-based visualization (pan/zoom, tap or hover for details, toggles for detection levels) with a sortable list of systems and sample measurement details. Data are drawn from USA TODAY’s analysis of the EPA’s UCMR 5 dataset (last updated July 10, 2025).
Key features
- Interactive nationwide map with detail controls — Users can pan and zoom (or double-click) and tap/hover systems for per-site details; switches let you hide systems with no detections or lower detections to focus on higher-risk locations.
- Clear severity categories and counts — The site summarizes results across the dataset (e.g., 6,611 systems with no detections; 2,470 detected; 597 over the limit; 242 well over the limit) so visitors can quickly understand the scope.
- Sortable system list with measurement highlights — A table sorted by customers served lists drinking water systems, customer counts and concise result summaries (for example, Miami’s MDWASA measured PFOS 3.5× over the limit at one plant), making it easy to find large systems and see specific exceedances.
Audience
The site is aimed at residents concerned about local drinking water safety, reporters and researchers tracking PFAS occurrence, and policymakers or water-system managers who need a high-level view of where regulatory limits are being exceeded. It’s useful for anyone wanting to locate contaminated water systems by population served or to inspect individual system test summaries.
Conclusion
USA TODAY’s PFAS map is a practical, data-driven resource for exploring recent UCMR 5 test results and spotting where PFAS concentrations exceed EPA thresholds. The combination of map interactivity, summarized category counts, and a sortable system list makes the data accessible for both casual users and analysts.
https://data.usatoday.com/projects/pfas-map/index.html
