— TALLAHASSEE & WOODVILLE WATER
PFAS in Tallahassee and Woodville water: what residents should know
Tallahassee’s Woodville municipal well tested at 7.5 parts per trillion for PFOS in April 2026. Separate testing has also found PFAS in some privately owned wells around Woodville. These findings deserve attention—but they describe two different water supplies.
- The City says one of its 27 municipal wells exceeded the 4 ppt PFOS standard scheduled for enforcement in 2029.
- The City says it adjusted system flows so water delivered to municipal customers continues to meet current drinking-water standards.
- Private wells in Woodville are not part of the City’s treated distribution system and must be evaluated individually.
What did the City find in its municipal system?
The City of Tallahassee says testing during 2024 and 2025 found PFOS at 7.9 ppt in the Woodville municipal well. Follow-up testing of all municipal wells in April 2026 found the Woodville well at 7.5 ppt. The City says it was the only one of its 27 public drinking-water wells above the new 4 ppt PFOS maximum contaminant level.
The 4 ppt standard is scheduled to become enforceable in 2029. The City says it optimized flow within the distribution system so delivered water continues to meet current standards, and it is evaluating long-term treatment through a pilot project. Its next monitoring event is planned for October 2026.
Water from different municipal wells can be managed and blended within the distribution system. The City’s 7.5 ppt figure describes the Woodville source well; it should not be presented as the PFOS level at every customer’s tap.
What is happening with private wells in Woodville?
Some homes south of Tallahassee use private wells instead of City water. Local reporting documented PFAS above federal standards in a portion of sampled private wells, leading the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Florida Department of Health to expand sampling and investigate possible sources.
That investigation is separate from the City’s municipal distribution system. A result from one private well does not establish the level in a neighboring well, and neither result can be used to describe all of Woodville or Tallahassee.
What should residents do?
- Identify your water supply. Check whether you receive a City of Tallahassee water bill or use a private well.
- Municipal customers: read the City’s current PFAS page and call 850-891-1200 with water-quality questions.
- Private-well owners: contact the Florida Department of Health in Leon County Environmental Health office at 850-895-8360 about sampling guidance.
- Do not rely on boiling. Boiling is for microbial risks and does not remove PFAS; it can concentrate chemicals as water evaporates.
- Verify any filter claim. Look for independent certification that names the PFAS compound or reduction standard involved, and replace cartridges on schedule.
What remains unknown?
The City has not claimed that every Tallahassee customer receives the Woodville well result. The separate private-well investigation has not established one source for all PFAS detections or a single concentration that represents the wider Woodville area. Future municipal monitoring and the state investigation may change what is known.
The bottom line
There is a confirmed PFOS issue at one municipal source well and a separate, ongoing concern involving some private wells near Woodville. The responsible conclusion is not that all Tallahassee water is contaminated. Residents first need to know which water system serves them, then follow the guidance and testing appropriate to that supply.
Read the permanent Tallahassee water-quality report →
Compare Tallahassee and Leon County water sources →
Check current Leon County water-alert sources →
— PRIMARY SOURCE
Read the City’s current PFAS update.
The City page includes its municipal-well results, mitigation steps and links to the April 2026 laboratory data.
Published August 28, 2026 · No corrections posted.
This page will be updated when the City releases its next municipal monitoring results or the state publishes a material private-well investigation update.