Programs and Services

Drinking Water

USF Environmental Health & Safety Department (EH&S), the Tampa campus utilities department, and local water utilities work together to maintain the best quality drinking water for campus consumers.

All water utilities conduct routine testing to meet federal and state regulations for drinking water. An outside, independent environmental consultant is used to complete the testing. Water samples are analyzed by an independent laboratory certified by the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP). 

Previous Water Quality Reports for other drinking water utilities are available on their websites (linked above).

Most of USF Tampa's water is sourced from four (4) ground water wells at depths from 120 to 340 feet. The water, pumped from the Floridan Aquifer, is chlorinated for disinfection purposes, treated with zinc phosphate for corrosion control, and distributed to the campus. Greek Housing and USF Health are supplied separately by the City of Tampa Water System. USF St Petersburg’s water is supplied by the City of St. Petersburg and USF Sarasota-Manatee is supplied by Manatee County Water Division.

Boil Water Notices

Occasionally, water utilities may issue a “Precautionary Boil Water Notice”.  A precautionary notice is issued when an incident, such as low or no water pressure or a water line break, occurred that could result in a slight chance of backflow or bacteria entering the drinking water system.  These notices are issued out of an abundance of caution. As applicable, EH&S or water utilities will notify consumers by various means, including signage.

When a boil water notice is issued, consumers should boil tap water before using it for drinking, making ice, washing dishes, brushing teeth or preparing food. Bring tap water to a rolling boil for at least one minute and let it cool. Bottled water can be used during advisories.

After the water system is repaired and the pressure is restored in the pipes to the building, the precautionary boil water notice will remain in effect for several days (typically two days) while bacteriological tests are conducted to assure the safety of the water. The notice will be lifted (rescinded) only after tests confirm the water is safe to drink. 

Once the advisory is lifted, EH&S or water utilities will notify consumers that the boil water notice is rescinded.

Lead and Copper 

Water utilities sample water in accordance with the monitoring requirements of the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR). For example, under the LCR, USF samples 30 locations across the Tampa campus for lead and copper.

The action levels for lead and copper (0.015 mg/L and 1.3 mg/L, respectively) are based on what is referred to as the 90th percentile assessment. The 90th percentile refers to the calculation of the results of all lead and copper samples collected during a compliance period. If the 90th percentile value of samples collected by the water system exceeds the action level, this means at least 10% of the public water system’s sample results are greater than 0.015 mg/L for lead or 1.3 mg/L for copper. In the most recent sampling event conducted in 2023, USF Tampa was below the 90th percentile for both lead and copper.

Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) periodically requires public water systems to conduct monitoring under the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR) for contaminants that may be present in drinking water but are not currently subjected to federal drinking water regulations.

EPA establishes a list of priority unregulated contaminants every five years that public water systems must monitor during a specified UCMR cycle, which typically runs for three calendar years. The results are used to inform future regulatory decisions at the federal level.

From Jan. 1, 2023, through Dec. 31, 2025, public water systems are conducting monitoring under the fifth UCMR (UCMR 5). EPA will release UCMR 5 monitoring data quarterly through 2026. 

UCMR monitoring data for the Tampa campus will be uploaded quarterly on EPA's occurrence data webpage.

Lead Service Lines

To address lead in drinking water, it is important for water systems to develop and maintain an inventory of service line materials. Developing an inventory and identifying the location of lead service lines (LSL) is the first step for beginning LSL replacement and protecting public health. The Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) requires water systems to prepare and maintain an inventory of service line materials.

USF Tampa Campus Lead Line Inventory

Supplemental Information

World Health Organization: Drinking-water quality guidelines
EPA: Ground and Drinking Water
EPA: Lead and Copper Rule
EPA: Understanding Your Annual Water Quality Report
 

USF Water Quality ConTact

Safety and Compliance Manager
Lindsey Hanson
lhanson3@usf.edu
(813) 974-0167