Is There Fluoride in Your Tap Water? Levels by ZIP Code

Fluoride by ZIP code

Our ZIP check shows the fluoride level each water system serving a ZIP code reported, where our data has one, and where that level sits against the key numbers above.

How common fluoride is in US tap water

CDC's 2022 Water Fluoridation Statistics report that 62.8% of the U.S. population received fluoridated water that year.

That figure is national. The ZIP check above shows the level reported by each system serving a ZIP code.

As of 2026-10-11, our state-law review lists Florida and Utah as statewide bans on adding fluoride, as the National Conference of State Legislatures does. The National Conference of State Legislatures' fluoride snapshot, updated September 24, 2025, names Utah and Florida as the first states to enact laws prohibiting the addition of fluoride in public water systems. Florida's SB 700 (2025) prohibits any additive in a public water system that does not meet the statute's definition of a water quality additive (one used to meet drinking water standards, remove contaminants or improve water quality). Utah's H.B. 81 (2025) provides that a person may not add fluoride to water in, or water that will be introduced into, a public water system, and that a political subdivision may not enact or enforce an ordinance that requires or permits it.

State fluoridation laws

How to find fluoride on your water quality report

Under EPA's Consumer Confidence Report rule, a community water system's water quality report, its Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), must give, for each detected regulated contaminant, the highest level detected and the range of detected levels, together with the contaminant's MCL and MCLG in the same units. Fluoride has an EPA MCL, so when it is detected it is one of those regulated contaminants.

The rule's table of regulated contaminants lists fluoride in parts per million (ppm) and gives its typical sources as erosion of natural deposits, a water additive which promotes strong teeth, and discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories. The U.S. Public Health Service, for example, writes its recommendation for systems that add fluoride as 0.7 mg/L (parts per million).

The federal figures are EPA's: its enforceable maximum contaminant level (MCL) for fluoride is 4.0 mg/L, and its health goal (MCLG) is also 4.0 mg/L.

EPA's secondary standard for fluoride is 2.0 mg/L. It is not enforceable, but a system that exceeds it must issue a special public notice. CDC states that when fluoride in a water system exceeds 2.0 mg/L, the system must notify its customers of the increased potential for dental fluorosis.

Why your report may show fluoride even if none is added

CDC notes that almost all water contains some naturally occurring fluoride, but usually at levels too low to prevent cavities.

The rule also requires the report to give the likely sources of each detected contaminant. For fluoride, the typical sources the rule lists are erosion of natural deposits, a water additive which promotes strong teeth, and discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories.

The U.S. Public Health Service recommends 0.7 mg/L for community water systems that add fluoride, to keep its tooth-decay prevention benefit while reducing the risk of dental fluorosis. EPA's enforceable 4.0 mg/L limit is set for fluoride in public drinking water.

CDC's My Water's Fluoride site says the best source of information on fluoride levels in community water systems is the local water provider (utility).

What our data shows and what it does not

The ZIP check shows the fluoride level each water system reported, from the water quality data we hold for that system. Where fluoride was found in only some of a system's samples, it shows the share of samples in which it was detected instead of a level.

It does not show whether a system adds fluoride. Our data holds measured levels, not fluoridation decisions, so the check never labels a system fluoridated or not fluoridated.

Where our data has no fluoride result for a system, the check says so and points to that system's annual water quality report. It shows no sample dates, because the dates in our data are a system's newest sample of any kind, not its newest fluoride sample.

If your state is missing from CDC's lookup

CDC's My Water's Fluoride says states provide its information voluntarily and may not report it every year, so it does not include all states and communities. The site also says it does not contain real-time information, and its list of participating states marks Arizona, Hawaii, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, South Dakota, Washington and Wyoming as not participating.

The ZIP check on this page does not depend on that lookup: it reads the levels water systems reported, so for a town in New Jersey or New York it shows the level its system reported wherever our data has one.

More on fluoride

• Fluoride in water: overview
• What these levels mean for health
• Fluoride and baby formula
• State fluoridation laws
• EPA fluoride limit

Frequently asked questions