Table of Contents
Can You Drink Tap Water in North Miami?
Yes, North Miami's tap water is generally considered safe to drink as North Miami 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, North Miami's water utility, City of North Miami, 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 City of North Miami 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 North Miami Tap Water
The most recent publicly available numbers for measured contaminant levels in North Miami 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 North Miami's water quality reports, or getting your home's tap water tested to see if you should be filtering your water.
North Miami Tap Water Safe Drinking Water Act Violation History - Prior 10 Years
Below is a ten year history of violations for the water system named City of North Miami for North Miami in Florida. For more details please see the "What do these Violations Mean?" section below.
Is there Lead in North Miami Water?
Based on the EPA’s ECHO Database, 90% of the samples taken from the North Miami water system, City of North Miami, between sample start date and sample end date, were at or below, 0.0013 mg/L of lead in North Miami water. This is 8.7% of the 0.015 mg/L action level. This means 10% of the samples taken from North Miami contained more lead.
While North Miami water testing may have found 0.0013 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 North Miami 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 - Homestead AFB - near North Miami 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 North Miami 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.
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
- Maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) - maximum allowed contaminant level was exceeded.
- Maximum residual disinfectant levels (MRDLs) - maximum allowed disinfectant level was exceeded.
- Other violations (Other) - the exact required process to reduce the amounts of contaminants in drinking water was not followed.
Non-Health Based Violations
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
|
| Health-Based? | Whether the violation is health based. |
| Category Code |
The category of violation that is reported.
|
| 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.
|
| Rule Group Code |
Code that uniquely identifies a rule group.
|
| Rule Family Code |
Code for rule family.
|
For more clarification please visit the EPA's data dictionary.
North Miami Water - Frequently Asked Questions
| By Phone: | 305-893-6511 |
| By Mail: | 776 NE 125 ST N. MIAMI, FL, 33161 |
Existing customers can login to their City of North Miami account to pay their North Miami water bill by clicking here.
If you want to pay your City of North Miami 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 North Miami water bill.
If you don't want to make an account, or can't remember your account, you can make a one-time payment towards your North Miami 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.
Moving to a new house or apartment in North Miami means you will often need to put the water in your name with City of North Miami. 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.
Leaving your house or apartment in North Miami means you will likely need to take your name off of the water bill with City of North Miami. 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.
USER SUBMITTED RATINGS
- Drinking Water Pollution and Inaccessibility
- Water Pollution
- Drinking Water Quality and Accessibility
- Water Quality
The above data is comprised of subjective, user submitted opinions about the water quality and pollution in North Miami, measured on a scale from 0% (lowest) to 100% (highest).
Related FAQS
North Miami 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 North Miami's Water. If you would like to see the original version of the report, please click here.
Reliable Water For Our Communities
2 0 2 0
Water
Quality Report
Este informe contiene información muy importante sobre su agua potable. Para leer este informe en español, visite NMBWater.com o llame al (305)
Rapò sila gen infomasyon ki enpòtan sou dlo potab ou bwè a. Pou ou ka li yon kopi rapò sa an kreyòl, le nan NMBWater.com oubien rele (305)
Water System ID: 4131618
Message from the City of North Miami Beach
The City of North Miami Beach (NMB) owns and operates the Norwood Water Treatment Plant, which processes ground water from both the Biscayne and Floridan aquifers. A series of 20 production wells ranging in depth from approximately 60 to 1,250 feet extract up to 25 million gallons per day. This water is then passed through one of three treatment processes, lime softening, nanofiltration, or reverse osmosis. Once the water is treated, it then travels through our distribution system to homes and businesses.
We have taken great steps to improve our services and with great pride we are pleased to announce the NMB Water 2020 Annual Quality Report, also known as the Consumer Confidence report. This annual report provides information on the quality of water delivered to our customers between January 1, 2020 thru December 31, 2020. Our drinking water meets all federal and state requirements.
After reviewing this report, you will have a better understanding of how our utility professionals are working every day to improve water quality and to protect our precious water resources. We have developed an extensive program of improvements in infrastructure. Our current Capital Improvement Project plan includes an investment of about $100 million dollars in our infrastructure which will help us continue to provide reliable service and high- quality water to our customers.
The NMB Water professionals have been working extremely hard throughout the pandemic to make sure our customers have potable water when they need it the most. Through the water demand increase and the CDC guidelines, we kept our customers and our professionals safe. Special thanks to the Public Utilities Commission, which acts as an advisory committee to the City’s Mayor and Council regarding decisions on water utility rates, expansions and expenditures. We are committed to providing our customers with the highest quality water at a reasonable cost. We hope you use this report as a tool to learn more about the water you use daily.
Please contact us at (305)
Sincerely, |
|
Arthur H. Sorey III |
Samuel Zamacona, E.I. |
City Manager |
Interim Director |
City of North Miami Beach |
NMB Water |
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We are pleased to present our 2020 Annual Water Quality Report. This report includes detailed information on the quality of water delivered to our customers between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020. On the following pages you will learn how our water quality met or surpassed all state and federal regulatory requirements in 2020.
NMB Water professionals work around the clock to provide customers in northeastern
The information shared in this report was prepared in accordance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s regulations and the Safe Drinking Water Act. Reviewing this report will provide you with a better understanding of how our utility professionals continually improve the
Thank you for reviewing this important document. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not
hesitate to contact us. Visit us online at NMBWater.com or call us at (305)
Source Water Assessment and Protection Program
In 2020, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) performed a Source Water Assessment on our system. The assessment was conducted to provide information about any potential sources of contamination in the vicinity of our wells. There are 12 potential sources of contamination identified for this system with low susceptibility levels. The assessment results are available on the DEP SWAPP website at https://fldep.dep.state.fl.us/swapp/ or by contacting the Water Quality Manager at (305)
Sampling and Analysis
NMB Water’s staff collects and analyzes drinking water samples for numerous contaminants on an hourly, daily, monthly and annual basis. NMB Water’s laboratory is state certified for the analysis in microbiology and ensures that the water delivered to our customers is of the highest quality possible. Water samples from 66 locations throughout the water service are tested twice per month. NMB Water is required to monitor for numerous of possible contaminants.
A summary of detected contaminants is listed on the table provided in this report. Our results are well
within the regulatory standards set by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP).
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Water Quality Data
The table in this report lists all the drinking water contaminants we detected during the 2020 calendar year. The presence of these contaminants in the water does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk. Unless otherwise noted, the data presented in this table is from testing done January 1 through December 31, 2020. The State requires us to monitor for certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants are not expected to vary significantly from year to year. Some of the data, though representative of the water quality, is more than one year old.
2020
WATER QUALITY REPORT
Terms & Abbreviations
AL - Action Level - The concentration of a contaminant which if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements that a water system must follow
LRAA - Locational Running Annual Average
- The average of sample analytical results for samples taken at a particular monitoring location during the previous four calendar quarters
Inorganic Contaminants
Contaminant and Unit of Measurement |
Dates of Sampling (mo./yr) |
MCL Violation (Y/N) |
MCLG |
MCL |
Level Detected |
Range of Results |
Likely Source of Contamination |
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Fluoride (ppm) |
01/01/2020 - 12/31/2020 |
N |
4 |
4.0 |
0.88 |
0.16 - 0.88 |
Erosion of natural deposits;discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories. Water additive which |
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promotes strong teeth when at optimum level of 0.7 ppm |
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Barium (ppm) |
02/2020 |
N |
2 |
2 |
0.0030 |
0.0030 |
Discharge of drilling wastes; discharge from metal refineries; erosion of natural deposits |
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Sodium (ppm) |
02/2020 |
N |
N/A |
160 |
33 |
33 |
Salt water intrusion, leaching from soil |
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Arsenic (ppb) |
02/2020 |
N |
0 |
10 |
0.44 |
0.44 |
Erosion of natural deposits; runoff from orchards; runoff from glass and electronic production |
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wastes |
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Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts
For chloramines, the level detected is the highest running annual average (RAA), computed quarterly, of monthly averages of all samples collected. The range of results is the range of results of all the individual samples collected during the past year.
Contaminant and Unit of Measurement |
Dates of Sampling (mo./yr) |
MCL or MRDL |
MRDLG |
MRDL |
Level Detected |
Range of Results |
Likely Source of Contamination |
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Violation (Y/N) |
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Chlorine and Chloramines (ppm) |
01/01/2020 - 12/31/2020 |
N |
4 |
4.0 |
3.4 |
0.6 - 4.0 |
Water additive used to control microbes |
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Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts
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Contaminant and Unit of Measurement |
Dates of Sampling (mo./yr) |
MCL Violation (Y/N) |
MCLG |
MCL |
Level Detected |
Range of Results |
Likely Source of Contamination |
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Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) (ppb) (a) |
02/2020, 05/2020, |
N |
N/A |
60 |
13.5 |
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6.9 - 14.8 |
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08/2020, 11/2020 |
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Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) (ppb) (a) |
02/2020, 05/2020, |
N |
N/A |
80 |
18.9 |
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5.4 - 15.6 |
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08/2020, 11/2020 |
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Lead and Copper (Tap Water) |
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AL |
90th Percentile |
No. of sampling |
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Contaminant and Unit of Measurement |
Dates of Sampling (mo/yr) |
AL Exceeded (Y/N) |
MCLG |
(Action |
sites exceeding |
Likely Source of Contamination |
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Result |
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Level) |
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AL |
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Copper (tap water) (ppm) (b) |
06/2018 |
N |
1.3 |
AL = 1.3 |
0.06 |
0 |
(No homes |
Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits; leaching from |
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exceeding AL) |
wood preservatives |
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Lead (tap water) (ppb) (b) |
06/2018 |
N |
0 |
AL = 15 |
2.1 |
1 |
home out of |
Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits. |
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55 exceeded AL |
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Legend
- A total of 2 samples per quarter was collected under Stage 2 D/DBP Rule for Total Trihalomethanes and Haloacetic Acids 5, the highest LRAA (locational Running Annual Average) level detected and the range of individual results reported.
- 90th percentile value reported. If the 90th percentile value does not exceed the AL (less than 10% of the homes have levels above the AL), the system is in compliance and uses the prescribed corrosion control measures. Lead and copper monitoring is reduced from annually to once every three years approved by the Florida Department of Health, last available data is from year 2018.
MCL - Maximum Contaminant Level - The highest level of contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to 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 for a margin of safety
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 the control of microbial contaminants
MRDLG - Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal - The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there
is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants
N/A - Not Applicable
RAA - Running Annual Average
ppm - Parts per million or Milligrams per liter (mg/L) - one part by weight of analyte to 1 million parts by weight of the water sample
ppb - Parts per billion or Micrograms per liter (μg/L) - one part by weight of analyte to 1 billion parts by weight of the water sample
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2020 WATER QUALITY REPORT
About Lead
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. NMB Water 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 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: epa.gov/safewater/lead.
Public Participation
NMB Water promotes water conservation and education through community outreach. We partner with local schools and participate in community events to encourage conservation. To learn more about water conservation and education, visit our conservation page at NMBWater.com.
We encourage our customers to be informed about their water utility. You can learn more about plans for the utility by attending monthly meetings of the Public Utilities Commission. Public Utilities Commission meetings are normally held the second Wednesday of each month in the North Miami Beach City Hall, second floor, Commission Chambers, 17011 NE 19th Avenue, at 6 p.m. Please call (305)
About Contaminants
The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material, 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.
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Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be
naturally-occurring or result from urban stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming. - Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential uses.
- Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are
- 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, the EPA prescribes regulations, which limit the
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NMBWATER.COM
NMB WATER / Reliable Water For Our Communities
amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health. 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 the 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 at (800)
Vulnerable Populations
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population.
Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800) 426-4791
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Contact Us
For questions about this report, call the Water Quality Manager at
-
654-7137. To learn more about NMB Water, visit us on our website at NMBWater.com.
NMB Water
17050 NE 19th Avenue
North Miami Beach, FL 33162
Contaminants
City of North Miami
EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, 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: 80000
- Data available: 2012-2017
- Data Source: Groundwater
- Total: 15
Contaminants That Exceed Guidelines
- Chromium (hexavalent)
- Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)
- Radium%2C combined (-226 & -228)
- Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
- Uranium
Other Detected Contaminants
- 1%2C4-Dioxane
- Aluminum
- Barium
- Chlorate
- Fluoride
- Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
- Molybdenum
- Nitrate
- Strontium
- 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.