What was found in Opelousas's water
The level at the city's main supplier, the highest level anywhere in the city, the EPA limit for each, and where every figure comes from.
| Contaminant | Level vs EPA limit | Suppliers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barium | 228 µg/L 11% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF OPELOUSAS WATER SYSTEM · 20,388 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 760 µg/L — PLAISANCE WATER SYSTEM · 6,465 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 300 µg/L 23% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF OPELOUSAS WATER SYSTEM · 20,388 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 740 µg/L — PLAISANCE WATER SYSTEM · 6,465 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 411 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF OPELOUSAS WATER SYSTEM · 20,388 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 507.5 µg/L — LEWISBURG BELLEVUE WATER SYSTEM · 8,226 people · 2017 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 200 µg/L 2% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF OPELOUSAS WATER SYSTEM · 20,388 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 28.74 µg/L 36% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF OPELOUSAS WATER SYSTEM · 20,388 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 61.82 µg/L — LEWISBURG BELLEVUE WATER SYSTEM · 8,226 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 29.8 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF OPELOUSAS WATER SYSTEM · 20,388 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 39.1 µg/L — LEWISBURG BELLEVUE WATER SYSTEM · 8,226 people · 2025 | 3/3 | UCMR-5 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 8.1 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF OPELOUSAS WATER SYSTEM · 20,388 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 28.845 µg/L — LEWISBURG BELLEVUE WATER SYSTEM · 8,226 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 10.7 µg/L 18% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF OPELOUSAS WATER SYSTEM · 20,388 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 23.4 µg/L — LEWISBURG BELLEVUE WATER SYSTEM · 8,226 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 2.06 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF OPELOUSAS WATER SYSTEM · 20,388 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 18.83 µg/L — LEWISBURG BELLEVUE WATER SYSTEM · 8,226 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 3.5 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF OPELOUSAS WATER SYSTEM · 20,388 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 13 µg/L — LEWISBURG BELLEVUE WATER SYSTEM · 8,226 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 9.33 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF OPELOUSAS WATER SYSTEM · 20,388 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 12.98 µg/L — LEWISBURG BELLEVUE WATER SYSTEM · 8,226 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 2.585 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF OPELOUSAS WATER SYSTEM · 20,388 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 10.545 µg/L — LEWISBURG BELLEVUE WATER SYSTEM · 8,226 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 9.7 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF OPELOUSAS WATER SYSTEM · 20,388 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 9.895 µg/L — PLAISANCE WATER SYSTEM · 6,465 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 8.8 µg/L 88% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF OPELOUSAS WATER SYSTEM · 20,388 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 7.055 µg/L 7.1% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Highest in the city: PLAISANCE WATER SYSTEM · 6,465 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 5.185 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF OPELOUSAS WATER SYSTEM · 20,388 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 4.7 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF OPELOUSAS WATER SYSTEM · 20,388 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 2.762 pCi/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF OPELOUSAS WATER SYSTEM · 20,388 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 3.797 pCi/L — PLAISANCE WATER SYSTEM · 6,465 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 1 µg/L 6.7% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF OPELOUSAS WATER SYSTEM · 20,388 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 3.55 µg/L — PLAISANCE WATER SYSTEM · 6,465 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 0.8880 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF OPELOUSAS WATER SYSTEM · 20,388 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 3.09 µg/L — PLAISANCE WATER SYSTEM · 6,465 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 1.73075 pCi/L 35% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: CITY OF OPELOUSAS WATER SYSTEM · 20,388 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 2.2228 pCi/L — PLAISANCE WATER SYSTEM · 6,465 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 1.49 µg/L 5% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF OPELOUSAS WATER SYSTEM · 20,388 people · 2018 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| P-Dichlorobenzene | 1.002 µg/L 1.3% of the EPA limit 75 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF OPELOUSAS WATER SYSTEM · 20,388 people · 2018 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Antimony, Total | 1 µg/L 17% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF OPELOUSAS WATER SYSTEM · 20,388 people · 2018 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate | 0.7060 µg/L 12% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF OPELOUSAS WATER SYSTEM · 20,388 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 0.7570 µg/L — PLAISANCE WATER SYSTEM · 6,465 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0020 mg/L 13% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: CITY OF OPELOUSAS WATER SYSTEM · 20,388 people · 2023 | 3/3 | LCR |
Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is
well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the
limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there
means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a
running annual average while the figure is the 95th percentile of the
system's samples — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a
violation.
Formal violations are listed separately.
These are the utilities' own EPA-reported results, not a city-wide
average. A detection means the lab measured the
substance — it isn't the same as exceeding a legal limit. Hover a source
tag to see the EPA program and years behind each figure.
Water suppliers serving Opelousas
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| CITY OF OPELOUSAS WATER SYSTEM | 20,388 |
| LEWISBURG BELLEVUE WATER SYSTEM | 8,226 |
| PLAISANCE WATER SYSTEM | 6,465 |
Frequently asked questions about Opelousas tap water
Is Opelousas tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 26 contaminants in the water serving Opelousas. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most detected levels are within federal limits. Check the level and source for each contaminant above, and your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for the official compliance status.
How many water suppliers serve Opelousas?
3 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Opelousas, Louisiana to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Opelousas's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Opelousas include Barium, Copper, Fluoride, Nitrate-Nitrite, TTHM. The full list, with the level at the main supplier and the data source, is in the table above.
Where does this data come from?
Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.