PFAS Water Filter in Tamiami

A short primer

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances have been used since the mid-1900s in nonstick cookware, stain- and water-resistant fabrics, food packaging and some firefighting foams. They break down extremely slowly, which is why they show up in groundwater and surface water across the country. PFOA and PFOS are the two most studied. Federal drinking water limits for several PFAS are being phased in, and utilities are in the monitoring stage.

Finding Tamiami's results

WASD's 2025 report includes a separate table for contaminants whose standards were recently set. The Main System column, which covers the Orr, Hialeah and Preston plants that serve Tamiami, lists PFOS, PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS and a Hazard Index for certain PFAS mixtures, with a note that initial regulatory compliance monitoring is underway. The report is on miamidade.gov's Water Quality Reports page. Read the table directly and note the system and year each number covers.

Why we do not interpret it for you

A salesperson turning a utility's PFAS numbers into a verdict about your family's water is a red flag. Living Water does not do that. What we can do is explain where the numbers are, what the certification standards mean, and what Living Water does and does not claim.

Certification is the test of any PFAS claim

• NSF/ANSI 53: filters, including many carbon-based systems, for specific health-related reduction claims
• NSF/ANSI 58: reverse osmosis systems
• The listing must name PFOA and PFOS reduction
• It must match the exact model number, not just the brand
• The claim applies only within the rated capacity, so replacement timing matters

What Living Water claims, and does not

Living Water does not claim its systems remove PFAS. If PFAS is your main concern, Jorge will tell you to confirm certification for any system you consider, including RO models. Living Water's under-sink alkaline RO is for drinking water, and its whole-home systems are aimed at chlorine and chloramine taste and odor.

You can still ask Jorge any PFAS question during the visit; he will point you to the listing databases rather than give you an answer a listing does not support.

Private wells

WASD's report does not cover private wells. A certified laboratory can test well water for PFAS; ask which method it uses. See well water in Tamiami. Questions? Call, text or WhatsApp (305) 793-5974.

If you are buying a home on a well, ask the lab about PFAS alongside the Florida Department of Health's recommended tests.

Updated 2026-10-17 · Living Waters · Jorge Canela, Water Quality Specialist