Water Health Check Report
Houston, TX
Houston Public Works (Houston Water) · Surface water source · Entirely surface water — no groundwater in municipal supply. Three reservoirs: Lake Houston (San Jacinto River), Lake Conroe (West Fork San Jacinto), and Lake Livingston (Trinity River). Treated at four plants: East, West, Northeast, and Southeast. Free chlorine disinfection used throughout distribution.
Fair — with 6 concerns
Houston Public Works (Houston Water) meets all federal legal limits but 6 contaminants exceed EWG health guidelines. Lead levels within limits at treatment plant
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Lead—source matters
Lead in tap water comes from household plumbing, not the source water or treatment plant. Houston water leaves the treatment plant lead-free. Risk depends on your building's internal plumbing—highest in homes built before 1986, when lead solder was common. A NSF/ANSI 53 certified pitcher or under-sink filter removes lead at point of use.
Source water—blended supply
Houston Public Works (Houston Water) blends surface water and local groundwater. The figures above reflect utility-wide averages across all distribution zones. Water chemistry—particularly hardness, nitrates, and naturally occurring minerals—can vary meaningfully by district and season depending on the blend ratio. If your neighbourhood draws primarily from the groundwater portion, contaminant levels for minerals and agricultural compounds may differ from the utility average shown here.
Source: Entirely surface water — no groundwater in municipal supply. Three reservoirs: Lake Houston (San Jacinto River), Lake Conroe (West Fork San Jacinto), and Lake Livingston (Trinity River). Treated at four plants: East, West, Northeast, and Southeast. Free chlorine disinfection used throughout distribution.
Contaminants tested
32 total · 6 above EWG guideline| Contaminant | Level | Status |
|---|---|---|
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) CAS Various | 58.4 ppb | Above guideline |
Haloacetic acids (HAA5) CAS Various | 38.7 ppb | Above guideline |
PFBA (perfluorobutanoic acid) CAS 375-22-4 | 7.2 ppt | Above guideline |
Nitrate CAS 14797-55-8 | 1.8 ppm | Above guideline |
PFPeA (perfluoropentanoic acid) CAS 2706-90-3 | 4.0 ppt | Above guideline |
Arsenic CAS 7440-38-2 | 0.60 ppb | Above guideline |
PFHxA (perfluorohexanoic acid) CAS 307-24-4 | 3.7 ppt | Within limits |
Lithium CAS 7439-93-2 | 17.3 ppb | Within limits |
Lead CAS 7439-92-1 | 5.0 ppb | Within limits |
6:2 FTS (6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonic acid) CAS 27619-97-2 | 15.9 ppt | Within limits |
Fluoride CAS 16984-48-8 | 0.70 ppm | Within limits |
8:2 FTS (8:2 fluorotelomer sulfonic acid) CAS 39108-34-4 | ND | Not detected |
PFPeS (perfluoropentane sulfonic acid) CAS 2706-91-4 | ND | Not detected |
PFHpS (perfluoroheptane sulfonic acid) CAS 375-92-8 | ND | Not detected |
ADONA (4,8-dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoic acid) CAS 919005-14-4 | ND | Not detected |
PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) CAS 335-67-1 | ND | Not detected |
PFDA (perfluorodecanoic acid) CAS 335-76-2 | ND | Not detected |
ND | Not detected | |
ND | Not detected | |
ND | Not detected | |
PFTA (perfluorotetradecanoic acid) CAS 376-06-7 | ND | Not detected |
PFTrDA (perfluorotridecanoic acid) CAS 72629-94-8 | ND | Not detected |
PFUnA (perfluoroundecanoic acid) CAS 2058-94-8 | ND | Not detected |
PFNA (perfluorononanoic acid) CAS 375-95-1 | ND | Not detected |
PFBS (perfluorobutane sulfonic acid) CAS 375-73-5 | ND | Not detected |
PFHpA (perfluoroheptanoic acid) CAS 375-85-9 | ND | Not detected |
PFHxS (perfluorohexane sulfonic acid) CAS 355-46-4 | ND | Not detected |
ND | Not detected | |
PFDoA (perfluorododecanoic acid) CAS 307-55-1 | ND | Not detected |
HFPO-DA / GenX (hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid) CAS 13252-13-6 | ND | Not detected |
PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) CAS 1763-23-1 | ND | Not detected |
4:2 FTS (4:2 fluorotelomer sulfonic acid) CAS 757124-72-4 | ND | Not detected |
Filter recommendation
6 contaminants above guidelines. Here's what removes them.
A guided 4-question flow matches you to the right filter for your setup, budget, and household.
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- Your contaminant profile explained in plain English
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Data sources
Status flags compare detected levels against both EPA legal limits and EWG health-based guidelines—which are stricter and science-derived, independent of political feasibility.