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Is Jefferson Tap Water Safe to Drink?

Yes! Generally Safe to Drink*

LAST UPDATED: 7:48 pm, August 9, 2022
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Table of Contents

Can You Drink Tap Water in Jefferson?

Yes, Jefferson's tap water is generally considered safe to drink as Jefferson has no active health based violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) that we are aware of. Other factors such as lead piping in a home, or low levels of pollutants on immunocompromised individuals, should also be considered, however. To find more recent info we might have, you can check out our boil water notice page or the city's water provider website.

According the EPA’s ECHO database, from April 30, 2019 to June 30, 2022, Jefferson's water utility, E Jefferson Ww District 1, had 0 violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act. For more details on the violations, please see our violation history section below. This assessment is based on the E Jefferson Ww District 1 water system, other water systems in the city may have different results.

While tap water that meets the EPA health guidelines generally won’t make you sick to your stomach, it can still contain regulated and unregulated contaminants present in trace amounts that could potentially cause health issues over the long-run. These trace contaminants may also impact immunocompromised and vulnerable individuals.

The EPA is reviewing if it’s current regulations around pollutant levels in tap water are strict enough, and the health dangers posed by unregulated pollutants, like PFAS.

Water Quality Report for Jefferson Tap Water

The most recent publicly available numbers for measured contaminant levels in Jefferson tap water are in its 2020 Water Quality Report. As you can see, there are levels which the EPA considers to be acceptable, but being below the maximum allowable level doesn’t necessarily mean the water is healthy.

Lead in tap water, for example, is currently allowed at up to 15ppb by the EPA, but it has set the ideal goal for lead at zero. This highlights how meeting EPA standards doesn’t necessarily mean local tap water is healthy.

EPA regulations continue to change as it evaluates the long term impacts of chemicals and updates drinking water acceptable levels. The rules around arsenic, as well as, lead and copper are currently being re-evaluated.

There are also a number of "emerging" contaminants that are not currently. For example, PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), for which the EPA has issued a health advisory. PFAS are called "forever chemicals" since they tend not to break down in the environment or the human body and can accumulate over time.

We recommend looking at the contaminants present in Jefferson's water quality reports, or getting your home's tap water tested to see if you should be filtering your water.

Jefferson Tap Water Safe Drinking Water Act Violation History - Prior 10 Years

Below is a ten year history of violations for the water system named E Jefferson Ww District 1 for Jefferson in Louisiana. For more details please see the "What do these Violations Mean?" section below.

For the compliance period beginning July 1, 2015, Jefferson had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Other Violation, more specifically, the violation code was Consumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report which falls into the Other rule code group, and the Consumer Confidence Rule rule code family for the following contaminant code: Consumer Confidence Rule.

Is there Lead in Jefferson Water?

Based on the EPA’s ECHO Database, 90% of the samples taken from the Jefferson water system, E Jefferson Ww District 1, between sample start date and sample end date, were at or below, 0.003 mg/L of lead in Jefferson water. This is 20.0% of the 0.015 mg/L action level. This means 10% of the samples taken from Jefferson contained more lead.

While Jefferson water testing may have found 0.003 mg/L of lead in its water, that does not mean your water source has the same amount. The amount of lead in water in a city can vary greatly from neighborhood to neighborhood, or even building to building. Many buildings, particularly older ones, have lead pipes or service lines which can be a source of contamination. To find out if your home has lead, we recommend getting you water tested.

No amount of lead in water is healthy, only less dangerous. As lead accumulates in our bodies over time, even exposure to relatively small amounts can have negative health effects. For more information, please check out our Lead FAQ page.

Are there PFAS in Jefferson Tap Water?

Currently, testing tap water for PFAS isn’t mandated on a national level. We do have a list of military bases where there have been suspected or confirmed leaks. There appears to be at least one military base - NEW ORLEANS LA NAS JRB - near Jefferson with suspected leaks.

With many potential sources of PFAS in tap water across the US, the best information we currently have about which cities have PFAS in their water is this ewg map, which you can check to see if Jefferson has been evaluated for yet.

Our stance is better safe than sorry, and that it makes sense to try to purify the tap water just in case.

Jefferson SDWA Violation History Table - Prior 10 Years

Compliance Period Status Health-Based? Category Code Code Rule Code Contaminant Code Rule Group Code Rule Family Code
07/01/2015 - Resolved No Other Violation (Other) Consumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report (71) Consumer Confidence Rule (420) Consumer Confidence Rule (7000) Other (400) Consumer Confidence Rule (420)

What do these Violations Mean?

Safe Drinking Water Act Violations categories split into two groups, health based, and non-health based. Generally, health based violations are more serious, though non-health based violations can also be cause for concern.

Health Based Violations

  1. Maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) - maximum allowed contaminant level was exceeded.
  2. Maximum residual disinfectant levels (MRDLs) - maximum allowed disinfectant level was exceeded.
  3. Other violations (Other) - the exact required process to reduce the amounts of contaminants in drinking water was not followed.

Non-Health Based Violations

  1. Monitoring and reporting violations (MR, MON) - failure to conduct the required regular monitoring of drinking water quality, and/or to submit monitoring results on time.
  2. Public notice violations (Other) - failure to immediately alert consumers if there is a serious problem with their drinking water that may pose a risk to public health.
  3. Other violations (Other) - miscellaneous violations, such as failure to issue annual consumer confidence reports or maintain required records.

SDWA Table Key

Field Description
Compliance Period Dates of the compliance period.
Status Current status of the violation.
  • Resolved - The violation has at least one resolving enforcement action. In SDWIS, this indicates that either the system has returned to compliance from the violation, the rule that was violated was no longer applicable, or no further action was needed.
  • Archived - The violation is not Resolved, but is more than five years past its compliance period end date. In keeping with the Enforcement Response Policy, the violation no longer contributes to the public water system's overall compliance status. Unresolved violations are also marked as Archived when a system ceases operations (becomes inactive).
  • Addressed - The violation is not Resolved or Archived, and is addressed by one or more formal enforcement actions.
  • Unaddressed - The violation is not Resolved or Archived, and has not been addressed by formal enforcement.
show details
Health-Based? Whether the violation is health based.
Category Code
The category of violation that is reported.
  • TT - Treatment Technique Violation
  • MRDL - Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level
  • Other - Other Violation
  • MCL - Maximum Contaminant Level Violation
  • MR - Monitoring and Reporting
  • MON - Monitoring Violation
  • RPT - Reporting Violation
show details
Code A full description of violation codes can be accessed in the SDWA_REF_CODE_VALUES (CSV) table.
Contaminant Code A code value that represents a contaminant for which a public water system has incurred a violation of a primary drinking water regulation.
Rule Code Code for a National Drinking Water rule.
  • 110 - Total Coliform Rule
  • 121 - Surface Water Treatment Rule
  • 122 - Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
  • 123 - Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
  • 130 - Filter Backwash Rule
  • 140 - Ground Water Rule
  • 210 - Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule
  • 220 - Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule
  • 230 - Total Trihalomethanes
  • 310 - Volatile Organic Chemicals
  • 331 - Nitrates
  • 332 - Arsenic
  • 333 - Inorganic Chemicals
  • 320 - Synthetic Organic Chemicals
  • 340 - Radionuclides
  • 350 - Lead and Copper Rule
  • 410 - Public Notice Rule
  • 420 - Consumer Confidence Rule
  • 430 - Miscellaneous
  • 500 - Not Regulated
  • 111 - Revised Total Coliform Rule
show details
Rule Group Code Code that uniquely identifies a rule group.
  • 120 - Surface Water Treatment Rules
  • 130 - Filter Backwash Rule
  • 140 - Groundwater Rule
  • 210 - Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule
  • 220 - Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule
  • 230 - Total Trihalomethanes
  • 310 - Volatile Organic Chemicals
  • 320 - Synthetic Organic Chemicals
  • 330 - Inorganic Chemicals
  • 340 - Radionuclides
  • 350 - Lead and Copper Rule
  • 400 - Other
  • 500 - Not Regulated
  • 110 - Total Coliform Rules
  • 410 - Public Notice Rule
  • 420 - Consumer Confidence Rule
  • 430 - Miscellaneous
show details
Rule Family Code Code for rule family.
  • 100 - Microbials
  • 200 - Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule
  • 300 - Chemicals
  • 400 - Other
  • 500 - Not Regulated
show details

For more clarification please visit the EPA's data dictionary.

Jefferson Water - Frequently Asked Questions

IS MY WATER HARD?
Water described as hard is high in dissolved minerals, specifically calcium and magnesium. Hard water is not a health risk, but a nuisance because of mineral buildup on fixtures and poor soap or detergent performance.
HOW DO I CONTACT JEFFERSON CUSTOMER SERVICE?
To contact customer service for the Jefferson water provider, E Jefferson Ww District 1, please use the information below.
By Mail: Jefferson Parish Water Quality Lab
3600 Jefferson Hwy Bldg. E
JEFFERSON, LA, 70121
HOW TO PAY BILL FOR E JEFFERSON WW DISTRICT 1
Already have an account?

Existing customers can login to their E Jefferson Ww District 1 account to pay their Jefferson water bill by clicking here.

Want to create a new account?

If you want to pay your E Jefferson Ww District 1 bill online and haven't made an account yet, you can create an account online. Please click here to create your account to pay your Jefferson water bill.

Want to pay without an account?

If you don't want to make an account, or can't remember your account, you can make a one-time payment towards your Jefferson water bill without creating an account using a one time payment portal with your account number and credit or debit card. Click here to make a one time payment.

HOW TO START & STOP JEFFERSON WATER SERVICE
Starting Your Service

Moving to a new house or apartment in Jefferson means you will often need to put the water in your name with E Jefferson Ww District 1. In order to put the water in your name, please click the link to the start service form below. Start service requests for water bills typically take two business days.

Start Service Form

Want to create a new account?

Leaving your house or apartment in Jefferson means you will likely need to take your name off of the water bill with E Jefferson Ww District 1. In order to take your name off the water bill, please click the link to the stop service form below. Stop service for water bills requests typically take two business days.

Stop Service Form

USER SUBMITTED RATINGS

Jefferson tap water
  • Drinking Water Pollution and Inaccessibility 42% Moderate
  • Water Pollution 53% Moderate
  • Drinking Water Quality and Accessibility 58% Moderate
  • Water Quality 47% Moderate

The above data is comprised of subjective, user submitted opinions about the water quality and pollution in Jefferson, measured on a scale from 0% (lowest) to 100% (highest).

Related FAQS

Jefferson Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report)

The EPA mandates that towns and cities consistently monitor and test their tap water. They must report their findings in an annual Consumer Confidence Report. Below is the most recent water quality report from Jefferson's Water. If you would like to see the original version of the report, please click here.

LA1051001 and LA1051004

Water Quality Report

2 0 2 0

Jefferson Parish has always provided safe drinking water to its residents and, in its history, has never incurred a serious violation of a National Primary Drinking Water Regulation.

In 2020, our Water Department continued to supply very high-quality drinking water at a reasonable cost, which at $2.21 per thousand gallons, is one of the lowest in the country for utilities serving populations above 100,000.

Our goal is to provide a continuous supply of safe, high-quality drinking water to the residents of Jefferson Parish. This is accomplished through an intensive monitoring program combined with a multi- barrier water treatment process which includes clarification, filtration, primary and secondary disinfection, and corrosion control. The use

of powdered activated carbon and participation in the Water Works Warning Network provides additional protection from chemical spills.

Our Water Quality Laboratory monitors our water on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis, performing over 80,000 analyses annually. Quarterly and annual monitoring is also performed by the Louisiana Department of Health.

Our source of drinking water in Jefferson Parish is surface water from the Mississippi River.

A Source Water Assessment Plan is available for review at the laboratory that includes a list of potential sources of contamination within a delineated area around our water intakes. According to this plan, our water systems had a susceptibility rating of high.

Jefferson Parish supplements the fluoride in the Mississippi River to 0.7 parts per million as recommended by the American Dental Association. Jefferson Parish implemented its fluoridation program in 1983. Last year, both systems received Water Fluoridation Quality Awards from the CDC which commended our consistent and professional adjustment of fluoride. Jefferson Parish was also awarded a certificate of achievement from the Louisiana Oral Health Coalition for our outstanding service and efforts towards ensuring a healthy water system for the people of Louisiana.

Community Participation

The Jefferson Parish Water Department encourages public participation in decisions that may affect water quality at the regularly scheduled meetings of the Jefferson Parish Council. A schedule of these meetings and their agenda is available from www.jeffparish.net under the Government menu. Additional information concerning this report may be obtained from the Jefferson Parish Water Quality Laboratory at (504) 838-4300 or the Louisiana Department of Health at (504) 599-0100.

Jefferson Parish Water Quality Laboratory 2020 Consumer Confidence Report

2020 Detected REGULATED

 

Treatment Technique

 

 

East Jefferson

West Jefferson

MCL

 

 

Units

MCLG

 

 

 

 

 

 

Violation

Source of Contaminant

Contaminants

 

Trigger

Highest Month

Highest Month

 

 

 

Yes / No

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Coliform Bacteria

 

> 5% of monthly samples

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An indicator which is naturally present in the

(Percentage of monthly samples

 

%

0

 

0.6

 

2.6

No

 

containing coliform bacteria

 

 

environment and not in itself harmful.

containing coliform bacteria)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

East Jefferson

West Jefferson

Violation

 

 

 

 

MCL Violation If

Units

MCLG

Max

 

 

Max

 

 

Source of Contaminant

 

 

 

 

Min %

 

Min %

Yes / No

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Value

 

 

Value

 

 

 

 

Turbidity

 

 

 

%

NA

NA

 

100

NA

 

100

 

 

(Lowest monthly percentage

 

 

< 95% at or below 0.3 NTU

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Naturally present particulate matter derived from soil

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

of samples at or below 0.3

 

TT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No

runoff which is used as an indicator and is not in itself

 

or a single sample > 1 NTU

NTU

NA

0.21

 

NA

0.48

 

NA

NTU and the highest single

 

 

 

 

 

harmful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

sample result)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MCL Violation If

Units

MCLG

East Jefferson

West Jefferson

Violation

Source of Contaminant

 

 

 

Range

 

Min

Range

 

Min

Yes / No

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Organic Carbon (TOC)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Ratio of the percentage of the

 

 

Ratio < 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Harmless natural organic material which forms

TOC removed divided by the

 

TT

Ratio

NA

0.7 - 3.0

 

1.4

0.6 - 4.5

 

1.2

No

chlorinated by-products (TTHMs & THAAs) during

 

(Annual Average)

 

 

percentage TOC required to be

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

disinfection

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

removed)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Detected Regulated Contaminants

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MCL Violation If

Units

MCLG

East Jefferson

West Jefferson

Violation

Source of Contaminant

 

 

 

Range

 

Max

Range

 

Max

Yes / No

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alachlor

 

> 2 (Annual Average)

ppb

3

0.2 - 0.3

 

0.6

0.1 - 0.5

 

0.6

No

Runoff from herbicide used on row crops, primarily in the

 

 

 

corn belt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arsenic

 

> 10 (Annual Average)

ppb

0

0.5 - 1.7

 

1.1

0.5 - 1.5

 

1.1

No

Erosion of natural deposits; Runoff from orchards, glass

 

 

 

and electronics production wastes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Atrazine

 

> 3 (Annual Average)

ppb

3

BD - 0.2

 

0.1

BD - 0.2

 

BD

No

Runoff from herbicide used on row crops, primarily in the

 

 

 

corn belt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barium

 

> 2000 (Annual Average)

ppb

2000

46 - 66

 

58.3

46 - 67

 

58.1

No

Discharges of drilling wastes and metal refineries;

 

 

 

erosion of natural deposits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beta Particle Activity

 

> 50 (Annual Average)

pCi/L

0

2.3 - 3.2

 

3.2

BD

 

BD

No

Decay of natural and man-made deposits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carbon Tetrachloride

 

> 5 (Annual Average)

ppb

0

BD - 0.7

 

0.7

BD

 

BD

No

Discharge from chemical plants and other industrial

 

 

 

activities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chromium

 

> 100 (Annual Average)

ppb

100

0.2 - 0.3

 

0.4

0.2 - 0.4

 

0.4

No

Erosion of natural deposits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fluoride

 

> 4 (Annual Average)

ppm

4

0.5 - 0.9

 

0.9

0.2 - 0.9

 

0.9

No

Erosion of natural deposits and water additive promoting

 

 

 

strong teeth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nitrate (as nitrogen)

 

> 10 (Any time)

ppm

10

0.5 - 2.3

 

2.3

0.6 - 2.6

 

2.6

No

Runoff from fertilizer use and erosion of natural deposits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Simazine

 

> 3 (Annual Average)

ppb

3

BD - 0.9

 

0.5

BD - 6

 

0.9

No

Runoff from herbicide used on row crops, primarily in the

 

 

 

corn belt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Chlorine Residual

 

> 4 (Annual Average)

ppm

4

0.2 - 4.5

 

1.9

0.02 - 4.7

 

1.7

No

Required by EPA for Disinfection

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THAAs (Total haloacetic acids)

 

> 60 (Annual Average)

ppb

0

1.1 - 54.1

 

48.1

BD - 65.2

 

62.0

No

By-product of drinking water disinfection using chlorine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TTHMs (Total trihalomethanes)

 

> 80 (Annual Average)

ppb

0

14.0 - 78.6

 

72.8

BD - 81.9

 

69.7

No

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Action Level (AL)

Units

MCLG

East Jefferson

West Jefferson

Violation

Source of Contaminant

 

 

 

Exceeded If

90th Pct

 

# > AL

90th Pct

 

# > AL

Yes / No

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copper (2019 last required

 

> 1.3

ppm

1.3

0.3

 

0

0.3

 

0

No

Household plumbing corrosion and erosion of natural

monitoring)

 

 

 

deposits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lead (2019 last required monitoring)

> 15

ppb

0

3

 

1

3

 

1

No

Corrosion of household plumbing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is my water hard?

Water described as hard is high in dissolved minerals, specifically calcium and magnesium. Hard water is not a health risk, but a nuisance because of mineral buildup on fixtures and poor soap or detergent performance.

Very Soft

Moderately Hard

Very Hard

0 ppm

100 ppm

200 ppm

Jefferson Parish water is 138 ppm

TERMS USED IN THIS REPORT

To help you better understand these terms, the following definitions are provided:

AL (Regulatory Action Level):

The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements that a water system must follow.

BD (Below Detection):

Below detection of the analytical method - the contaminant was not found.

MCL (Maximum Contaminant Level):

The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology.

MCLG (Maximum Contaminant Level Goal): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow a margin of safety.

Unregulated Contaminants

Finished Water

Units

East Jefferson (2020)

West Jefferson (2019)

 

 

 

 

Range

Max

Range

Max

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HAA5

ppb

BD – 52.3

52.3

0.6 – 75.0

75.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

HAA6Br

ppb

BD – 29.9

29.9

BD – 14.9

14.9

 

 

 

 

 

 

HAA9

ppb

BD – 67.6

67.6

0.6 – 89.0

89.0

Manganese

ppb

BD – 3.0

3.0

BD – 0.4

0.4

Quinoline

ppb

BD – 0.05

0.05

BD

BD

Raw Water

Units

East Jefferson (2020)

West Jefferson (2019)

 

 

 

 

Range

Max

Range

Max

 

 

Bromide

ppb

29.6 – 63.0

63.0

33.0 – 41.0

41.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOC

ppb

2650 - 3430

3430

3170 - 3940

3940

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unregulated contaminants are those that don’t yet have a drinking water standard set by EPA. The purpose of monitoring for these contaminants is to help EPA decide whether the contaminants should have a standard.

MRDL (Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level): The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.

NA: Not Applicable

NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Units): Measurement of the clarity, or turbidity, of water. Turbidity in excess of 5 NTU is just noticeable to the average person.

pCi/L (picocuries per liter): A measure of radioactivity.

ppb (parts per billion):

One part substance per billion parts water (or micrograms per liter).

ppm (parts per million):

One part substance per million parts water (or milligrams per liter).

  1. (Treatment Technique):

A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

A note from the EPA

Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

Sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs and wells. As water travels over or through the ground, it can dissolve naturally-occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive materials, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity. Contaminants that may be present in source water include:

Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife.

Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally occurring or result from urban storm water runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharge, oil and gas production, mining or farming.

Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban storm water runoff, and residential uses.

Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban storm water runoff, and septic systems.

Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally- occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.

In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in the water provided by public water systems. FDA regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for human health.

Turbidity has no health effects. However, turbidity can interfere with disinfection and provide a medium for microbial growth. Turbidity may indicate the presence of disease-causing organisms. These organisms include bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can cause symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea and associated headaches.

While our drinking water exceeds the current minimum requirements for safe drinking water as well as those of the foreseeable future, some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-compromised persons such as some elderly and infants, persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, and people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.

EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

While lead levels were below the action level, infants and young children are typically more vulnerable to lead in drinking water than the general population.

If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. Jefferson Parish is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using the water for drinking or cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

Some people who drink trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous systems, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer. The MCLs for total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and total haloacetic acids (THAAs) are based on lifetime exposure over 70 years at the indicated level and are measured as annual running averages. These MCLs must be exceeded continuously year after year for 70 years in order for the drinking water to be considered unsafe.

The Jefferson Parish Water Department works hard for you!

The water systems in Jefferson Parish provide reliable and safe drinking water to almost 450,000 people.

Utility billing reads every meter in the parish bi-monthly, handles payments, new accounts, and troubleshooting services. Outside Maintenance oversees our extensive distribution system by repairing and replacing water mains, valves, and fire hydrants. The operations division staffs the treatment plants around the clock and ensures that only safe,

properly treated water is delivered to the public. The water quality laboratory scrupulously analyzes the water purified at the plant as well as in the distribution system to confirm that all potable water standards are met. Our compliance record is exemplary and with a steadfast goal of maintaining and furthering a culture of excellence through teamwork, we are proud of the service we provide to our customers and the impact we have on the overall quality of life in our parish.

2public water systems serve approximately

450,000

people.

277 employees provide all water-related services to

150,000

accounts.

The department continues to provide high-quality drinking water and has done so for more than 90 years despite the variable water quality of the Mississippi River.

The distribution system in Jefferson Parish is comprised of over:

20,000

1,600

1,500

Valves

Miles of

Fire Hydrants

 

Water Mains

 

Jefferson Parish Water Quality Laboratory 3600 Jefferson Highway, Building E Jefferson, LA 70121

(504) 838-4300 JPWater@jeffparish.net

© 2021 Goldstreet Design Agency, Inc.

Contaminants


East Jefferson Waterworks District 1

EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, as well as information from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History database (ECHO). For the latest quarter assessed by the U.S. EPA (January 2019 - March 2019), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.

Utility details

  • Serves: 243782
  • Data available: 2012-2017
  • Data Source: Surface water
  • Total: 29

Contaminants That Exceed Guidelines

  • Arsenic
  • Bromodichloromethane
  • Chloroform
  • Chromium (hexavalent)
  • Dibromochloromethane
  • Dichloroacetic acid
  • Nitrate and nitrite
  • Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
  • Trichloroacetic acid

Other Detected Contaminants

  • 1%2C2-Dichloroethane
  • 1%2C4-Dioxane
  • Aluminum
  • Atrazine
  • Barium
  • Bromoform
  • Chlorate
  • Cyanide
  • Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate
  • Dibromoacetic acid
  • Fluoride
  • Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
  • Hexachlorocyclopentadiene
  • Molybdenum
  • Monobromoacetic acid
  • Monochloroacetic acid
  • Radium%2C combined (-226 & -228)
  • Strontium
  • Uranium
  • Vanadium

Reminder

Always take extra precautions, the water may be safe to drink when it leaves the sewage treatment plant but it may pick up pollutants during its way to your tap. We advise that you ask locals or hotel staff about the water quality. Also, note that different cities have different water mineral contents.

Sources and Resources

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