Highlands, FL

Moderate Risk (35/100)

Transparent derived index from EPA TRI / SDWIS / Superfund extracts: not an official EPA rating. Fixed caps: facilities ≤25 pts (50+ = max), log10 releases ≤25 pts, Superfund ≤25 pts (5/site), health-violation systems ≤15 pts (3/system), high-chemical facilities ≤10 pts. Bands: High ≥60, Moderate ≥30. See methodology.

Environmental data for Highlands in Florida · Population: 103,808

TRI sites such as Alpha General Services LLC; Dod, Usaf, Avon Park Air Force Range; Turf Care Supply Llc.; SDWIS systems such as SEBRING WATER ; SEWER SYSTEM; AVON PARK, CITY OF; SUN N LAKES OF SEBRING WATER anchor Highlands, FL's EPA extract. Derived burden score 35/100 (Moderate Risk) uses fixed national caps on density, log release volume, Superfund count, and health-flagged systems - not an official EPA rating.

Health-flagged SDWIS rows in Highlands include SEBRING WATER ; SEWER SYSTEM; PLACID LAKES UTILITIES, INC; HIDDEN ACRES ESTATES, while Alpha General Services LLC leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. AQS median AQI 35 / peak 77 in 2024.

Burden score 35/100 (Moderate Risk) is the only weighted composite on this page. The tables below list every TRI facility, SDWIS system, and Superfund site EPA has on record for Highlands -- not just the names called out above -- reproducing the disclosure history as filed, not a current-safety verdict. Extract current as of 2026-08-25.

Release-over-release change

What changed for Highlands, FL: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year

2022 → 2023

Same facilities, both years

-7.2%

6 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023

Whole inventory

-7.2%

72.3 thousand lb → 67.1 thousand lb, every facility that filed

Between the two reporting years, 0 facilities filed for the first time and 1 stopped filing. Facilities entering or leaving the inventory are excluded from the same-facility comparison above.

  • Highlands, FL's total reported releases fell from 72.3 thousand lb in 2022 to 67.1 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Highlands, FL's off-site transfers rose from 3.8 thousand lb in 2022 to 8.9 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Highlands, FL's water releases rose from 17 lb in 2022 to 32 lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Highlands, FL's land releases fell from 30.4 thousand lb in 2022 to 19.4 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
County population (Census ACS)
103,808
TRI Facilities
7
Water Systems
19
Superfund Sites
0
Total Releases
355.3K lbs

Air Quality History (2020–2024)

EPA Air Quality Index (AQI) data showing how many days per year fall into each air quality category.

Year Good Moderate Unhealthy (SG) Max AQI
2024 333 (92%) 30 0 77
2023 345 (96%) 14 1 108
2022 337 (97%) 11 1 112
2021 344 (96%) 14 0 93
2020 345 (96%) 13 0 74
2024 Good Air Quality: 92% of days
Median AQI: 35

Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County AQI categories: Good (0-50), Moderate (51-100), Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150), Unhealthy (151-200), Very Unhealthy (201-300), Hazardous (301+)

For real-time air quality readings and pollutant breakdowns in Florida, see the EPA's AirNow.gov.

Water Systems (19)

System System pop (SDWIS) Violations
SEBRING WATER ; SEWER SYSTEM 46,295 21
AVON PARK, CITY OF 19,361 0
SUN N LAKES OF SEBRING WATER 7,710 0
SPRING LAKE IMPROVEMENT DISTIRCT 4,098 0
PLACID LAKES UTILITIES, INC 3,307 13
TOMOKA HEIGHTS 2,699 0
LAKE PLACID, TOWN OF 2,675 0
HIGHWAY PARK WTP 1,168 0
TROPICAL HARBOR ESTATES 650 0
LAKE BONNET VILLAGE 400 0
MARANATHA VILLAGE 400 0
HIDDEN ACRES ESTATES 250 60
LAKE PLACID CAMPGROUND 225 2
MALLARD MOBILE HOME PARK 147 0
MEADOWLAKE SUBDIVISION 146 0
THE PALMS ESTATES WTP 131 0
DEEANN LAKEFRONT ESTATES 130 0
PICCIOLA LANDING 125 0
EAGLE'S NEST ESTATES 50 0

TRI Facilities (7)

# Facility Total Releases
1 Alpha General Services LLC 140.0K lbs
2 Dod, Usaf, Avon Park Air Force Range 85.8K lbs
3 Turf Care Supply Llc. 82.2K lbs
4 E-Stone USA Corp 47.4K lbs
5 Heartland Metals Inc 9 lbs
6 Howard Fertilizer & Chemical Co Inc 0 lbs
7 Wedgworth's Inc Lake Placid 0 lbs

Cities in Highlands (3)

Lake Placid
3 facilities · 10 water
Sebring
3 facilities · 6 water
Lorida
0 facilities · 2 water

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the environmental risk level in Highlands, Florida?
Highlands, FL has an environmental risk score of 35/100 (Moderate Risk), based on 7 TRI facilities, 0 Superfund sites, and 19 water systems on record. 4 water systems have health-based violations. Source: EPA TRI, SDWIS, and Superfund NPL.
Are there Superfund sites in Highlands?
No Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) sites are currently registered in Highlands, FL in the EPA database.
How many toxic release facilities are in Highlands?
Highlands, FL has 7 TRI-reporting facilities on record with the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, with a combined total of 355.3K lbs in reported toxic releases. TRI facilities self-report annual chemical release data to the EPA.
What is the air quality in Highlands?
In 2024, Highlands, FL recorded a median AQI of 35 and a peak AQI of 77. 92% of monitored days had "Good" air quality (AQI 0–50). Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County.
Is the drinking water safe in Highlands?
Highlands, FL has 19 EPA-regulated water systems. 4 systems have reported health-based violations (MCL exceedances). A past violation does not necessarily mean water is currently unsafe. For current water quality, contact your local water utility. Source: EPA SDWIS.
What environmental agencies cover Highlands?
Environmental compliance in Highlands, Florida is overseen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at the federal level and the Florida state environmental agency. Facilities report to the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, water systems are regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and contaminated sites are managed under the Superfund program. Contact your state environmental agency for local concerns.

What does this county environmental profile show?

This county environmental profile rolls up EPA Toxics Release Inventory facility reports, Safe Drinking Water Information System public-water-system filings, and Superfund National Priorities List sites for the county boundary defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Facility counts reflect facilities with a reporting address inside the county, not where downstream environmental effects may be observed. Population figures are from the most recent Census ACS 5-year estimate. The county detail page is updated whenever the upstream EPA programs publish revised data; see the methodology page for the documented ingest cadence and the editorial choices governing how aggregations are computed.

Related

Data sourced from U.S. EPA environmental datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainEnviro