Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) is a stable organic pollutant with potential toxicity. The accumulation of TFA in water environment results in elevated concentration and also leads to ecological health risk. In this study, a total of 43 water samples, including tap water and surface water, were collected in 16 cities all over China. TFA in these water samples was pretreated through derivatization and analyzed by Gas Chromatography equipped with Mass Spectroscopy Detector. The results showed TFA was detectable in all water samples ranged from 13.7 ng x L(-1) to 7 850 ng x L(-1), and the values notably varied from city to city. Shanghai had the highest TFA concentration, with 3 054 ng x L(-1) in tap water and 7 850 ng x L(-1) in river water respectively. Spatial distribution analysis displayed that several areas in eastern China, like Shanghai, Anhui province, and Yantai in Shandong province, had relatively higher TFA concentrations as compared to other cities. The fluorochemical industrial area centralizes in eastern China, from which the direct or indirect emission of fluorochemicals as a source of TFA likely resulted in higher TFA concentrations in water environment in relevant areas.