In the fall of 2024, The Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans (TWC) launched its third water quality study — and second focused on residential tap water. Building on the foundation of our 2022 Mississippi River PFAS Study and 2023 Orleans Lead Testing Study, this project shifted the focus to households across seven parishes: St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Charles, Jefferson, Orleans, St. Bernard, and Plaquemines.
Over the course of eleven weeks, a team of five trained fellows collected water samples from 107 households across 14 public water systems, testing for 25 contaminants, including 18 PFAS compounds and 7 metals. This work was carried out in collaboration with six community organizations who helped connect us with residents, ensuring the study was rooted in trust and participation.
Together, this partnership created one of the most comprehensive assessments of household water quality in the region to date and underscores the need for stronger protections, equity, and investment in safe drinking water for every community.
FROM RIVER TO TAP
Southeast Louisiana relies almost entirely on the Mississippi River for drinking water. The river is the largest watershed in North America, draining about 40 percent of the continental United States and parts of Canada. Everything carried downstream, from natural sediment to industrial pollution, must be treated before reaching our taps.
Our 2022 Mississippi River PFAS Study revealed that contaminants in the river have the potential to reach households. PFAS were detected six times across five different sites, specifically PFBA and PFOS, with PFOS measured at a maximum of 5.37 parts per trillion. The 2025 residential study connects that source water to what residents actually drink, providing a clearer picture of how treatment systems perform and where additional safeguards are needed.
WATCH THE STUDY DOCUMENTARY
WATCH THE REPORT RELEASE WEBINAR
