| | I live in TX and have nice drinkable water piped in 24-7-365. Not like your socialist paradise, VZ.
ewg.org
National Drinking Water Database
Texas4,641 systems serving 20,389,435 people
This drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by water utilities in Texas, provided to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality . It is part of EWG's national database that includes 47,667 drinking water utilities and 20 million test results from 45 states and the District of Columbia. Water utilities nationwide detected more than 300 pollutants between 2004 and 2009. More than half of these chemicals are unregulated, legal in any amount. Despite this widespread contamination, the federal government invests few resources in protecting rivers, reservoirs, and groundwater from pollution in the first place. The information below summarizes drinking water quality for this state.
Chemicals
Water Utilities
Population Served
| Detected Chemicals |
122
|
4,641
|
20,352,009
| | Exceed health guidelines* |
49
|
4,397
|
20,205,298
| | Exceed Legal Limits* |
33
|
1,538
|
10,502,329
| | Unregulated chemicals detected |
60
|
2,296
|
17,901,528
| | * Water utilities are noted as exceeding the legal limit if any test is above the maximum contaminant level (MCL). Most MCLs are based on annual averages so exceeding the MCL for one test does not necessarily indicate that the system is out of compliance. |
49 Contaminants Exceeding Health Based LimitsContaminants detected in Texas drinking water above health guidelines, according to an Environmental Working Group analysis of data obtained from state water authorities
Contaminant
Population
Number of Systems
At Any LevelAbove Health LimitsAt Any LevelAbove Health Limits|
|
| Dibromochloromethane | 19,418,382 | 19,326,412 | 3,358 | 3,264 | | Bromodichloromethane | 18,672,807 | 18,672,807 | 2,814 | 2,814 | | Bromoform | 18,224,266 | 18,224,266 | 3,036 | 3,036 | | Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) | 19,620,471 | 17,705,817 | 3,635 | 2,390 | | Dichloroacetic acid | 17,593,159 | 17,593,159 | 2,087 | 2,087 | | Total haloacetic acids (HAAs) | 16,000,265 | 15,878,134 | 1,739 | 1,710 | | Chloroform | 17,938,734 | 14,972,214 | 2,458 | 1,389 | | Alpha particle activity | 7,856,260 | 7,856,260 | 1,638 | 1,638 | | Trichloroacetic acid | 15,950,014 | 6,337,156 | 1,600 | 433 | | Lead (total) | 5,817,405 | 5,817,405 | 900 | 900 |
Water Utilities in Texas Reporting Chemicals Exceeding Health GuidelinesWater utilities in Texas reporting chemicals exceeding health guidelines, according to an Environmental Working Group analysis of data obtained from state water authorities, include:
System
Population
Chemicals tested
Chemicals found
Chemicals exceeding
health guidelines
|
| City of Houston Public Works | 2,700,000 | 193 | 46 | 18 | | Jim Wells County Fwsd 1 | 1,557 | 37 | 27 | 16 | | City of Paint Rock | 320 | 164 | 27 | 16 | | Paul Cobb Water System | 40 | 153 | 26 | 15 | | City of Levelland | 13,805 | 100 | 28 | 15 | | Plainview Municipal Water System | 2,000 | 159 | 27 | 15 | | City of Chico East | 1,044 | 165 | 28 | 14 | | City of Roby | 616 | 102 | 26 | 14 | | Manville Wsc | 14,280 | 101 | 26 | 13 | | Country Estates Mobile Home Park | 230 | 128 | 20 | 13 | | Lakeshore Hills Estates | 633 | 145 | 25 | 13 | | City of Woodway | 8,695 | 32 | 25 | 13 | | Lakeshore Sites Water Co | 148 | 152 | 27 | 13 | | City of Jersey Village | 5,430 | 116 | 26 | 13 | | Fayette Wsc West | 2,390 | 139 | 28 | 13 | | Devilla Mobile Home Park | 56 | 153 | 19 | 13 | | Clwsc Triple Peak Plant | 10,518 | 166 | 24 | 13 | | Canyon Lake Shores | 5,178 | 188 | 25 | 13 | | Silverton Municipal Water System | 786 | 149 | 25 | 13 | | Atascosa Rural Wsc | 8,193 | 104 | 27 | 13 |
Sources of Texas Drinking Water ContaminantsThe contaminants identified in Texas drinking water come from a wide variety of sources, including agriculture, industry, water treatment plants, and polluted storm runoff from urban areas.
| 122 | Total Contaminants Detected (2004 - 2009) | | 23 | Agricultural Pollutants
(pesticides, fertilizer, factory farms) Arsenic (total), Cyanide, Nitrate & nitrite, Nitrate, Nitrite, Selenium (total), Lindane, Prometon , Dalapon, Simazine, Metolachlor, Atrazine, Alachlor (Lasso), Butachlor, Bromacil, Bromomethane, Benzoic acid, Iodomethane, Chloroacetonitrile, o-Dichlorobenzene, p-Dichlorobenzene, 1,2-Dichloropropane, Ethylbenzene
| | 39 | Sprawl and Urban Pollutants
(road runoff, lawn pesticides, human waste) Nitrate, Copper, Nitrate & nitrite, Lead (total), Arsenic (total), Tetrachloroethylene, MTBE, Nitrite, Xylenes (total), Dalapon, Cadmium (total), Antimony (total), Mercury (total inorganic), m- & p- Xylene, Dichloromethane (methylene chloride), Cyanide, o-Xylene, Benzene, Acetone, Silver (total), p-Dichlorobenzene, Methyl ethyl ketone, Di(2-Ethylhexyl) adipate, Di-n-butylphthalate, Naphthalene, Lindane, Diethylphthalate, bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, n-Propylbenzene, Phenanthrene, Butane, Pyrene, Butyl Benzylphthalate, Chrysene, Benzofluoranthene, Benzo[k]fluoranthene, Benzo[a]anthracene, Isopropyl alcohol, Benzoic acid
| | 93 | Industrial Pollutants Aluminum, Arsenic (total), Barium (total), Cadmium (total), Chromium (total), Cyanide, Lead (total), Manganese, Mercury (total inorganic), Nitrate & nitrite, Nitrate, Nitrite, Selenium (total), Silver (total), Antimony (total), Thallium (total), Lindane, p-Isopropyltoluene, Di(2-Ethylhexyl) adipate, Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, Hexachlorocyclopentadiene, Cyanogen Chloride, Butane, 1-Chlorobutane, Ethyl Acetate, Isopropyl alcohol, Chloromethane, Chloroethane, Benzoic acid, Acetone, Methyl ethyl ketone, Naphthalene, Methyl isobutyl ketone, MTBE, Tetrahydrofuran, 2-Hexanone, Phenanthrene, Diethylphthalate, Pyrene, Di-n-butylphthalate, Butyl Benzylphthalate, Methyl methacrylate, Chrysene, bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, Benzofluoranthene, Pentane, n-Hexane, cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene, Dibromomethane, 1,3-Dichloropropane, 2,2-Dichloropropane, 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, n-Butylbenzene, 1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene, Bromochloromethane, Methyl Acetate, Iodomethane, Chloroacetonitrile, Acetaldhyde, Propanal, Butanal, Pentanal, Heptanal, Nonanal, Xylenes (total), Dichloromethane (methylene chloride), p-Dichlorobenzene, 1,1-Dichloroethylene, 1,1-Dichloroethane, 1,2-Dichloroethane, 1,1,1-Trichloroethane, Carbon tetrachloride, 1,2-Dichloropropane, Trichloroethylene, Tetrachloroethylene, Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Isopropylbenzene, Styrene, o-Xylene, n-Propylbenzene, m- & p- Xylene, Alpha particle activity (excl radon and uranium), Alpha particle activity (incl. radon & uranium), Combined Uranium (mg/L), Radium-226, Radium-228, Alpha, Dissolved, Alpha particle activity, Bromide-82, Combined Uranium (pCi/L), Gross beta particle activity (pCi/L)
| | 23 | Water Treatment and Distribution Byproducts
(pipes and fixtures, treatment chemicals and byproducts) Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Total haloacetic acids (HAAs), Chloroform, Bromodichloromethane, Dibromochloromethane, Dichloroacetic acid, Trichloroacetic acid, Bromoform, Dibromoacetic acid, Monochloroacetic acid, Bromochloroacetic acid, Monobromoacetic acid, Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, Cadmium (total), Chloromethane, Dibromomethane, Bromochloromethane, Chloroethane, Dichloroacetonitrile, 2-Hexanone, Benzo[k]fluoranthene, Benzo[a]anthracene, Dichloroiodomethane
| | 25 | Naturally Occurring
(naturally present but increased for lands denuded by sprawl, agriculture, or industrial development) Nitrate, Copper, Nitrate & nitrite, Barium (total), Lead (total), Arsenic (total), Manganese, Radium-228, Radium-226, Alpha particle activity, Alpha particle activity (excl radon and uranium), Gross beta particle activity (pCi/L), Combined Uranium (pCi/L), Chromium (total), Alpha particle activity (incl. radon & uranium), Combined Uranium (mg/L), Aluminum, Selenium (total), Nitrite, Mercury (total inorganic), Chloromethane, Cyanide, Silver (total), Alpha, Dissolved, Bromide-82
| | 61 | Unregulated Contaminants
EPA has not established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for these contaminants Lead (total), Prometon , p-Isopropyltoluene, Metolachlor, Butachlor, Cyanogen Chloride, Butane, 1-Chlorobutane, Ethyl Acetate, Isopropyl alcohol, Bromacil, Chloromethane, Bromomethane, Chloroethane, Benzoic acid, Acetone, Methyl ethyl ketone, Naphthalene, Methyl isobutyl ketone, MTBE, Tetrahydrofuran, 2-Hexanone, Phenanthrene, Diethylphthalate, Pyrene, Di-n-butylphthalate, Butyl Benzylphthalate, Methyl methacrylate, Chrysene, bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, Benzo[a]anthracene, Benzofluoranthene, Benzo[k]fluoranthene, Pentane, n-Hexane, Dibromomethane, 1,3-Dichloropropane, 2,2-Dichloropropane, 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, n-Butylbenzene, 1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene, Bromochloromethane, Methyl Acetate, Bromochloroacetic acid, Iodomethane, Dichloroacetonitrile, Chloroacetonitrile, Acetaldhyde, Propanal, Butanal, Pentanal, Heptanal, Nonanal, Dichloroiodomethane, 1,1-Dichloroethane, Isopropylbenzene, n-Propylbenzene, Alpha, Dissolved, Bromide-82, Uranium-234 (pCi/L), Uranium-238 (pCi/L)
|
TESTING SUMMARY FOR TEXASThe federal government has set standards for some of the pollutants found in tap water supplies.
| Contaminants reported as tested by water suppliers in Texas | 214 | | | Contaminants tested due to federal law: | 97 | | | Contaminants tested in addition to those required by federal law: | 117 |
VIOLATION SUMMARY FOR TEXASData from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency includes the following violations of federal standards in Texas since 2004
Violation TypeNumber of Violations|
| Over maximum contaminant level, Average | 4,441 | | Failure to monitor, Routine Major (Coliform bacteria) | 2,490 | | Public Notification Violation for National Primary Drinking Water Regulations | 2,116 | | Over maximum contaminant level, Single Sample | 1,003 | | Failure to report information to the public or state agency in the Consumer Confidence Report | 595 | | Failure to monitor, Routine Minor (Coliform bacteria) | 505 | | Maximum contaminant level, Monthly (Coliform bacteria) | 424 | | Filter Turbidity Reporting | 368 | | Failure to monitor, Repeat Major (Coliform bacteria) | 203 | | Failure to monitor, Repeat Minor (Coliform bacteria) | 130 | | Excess Turbidity at 0.3 NTU | 90 | | Failure to monitor or report, Routine/Repeat (Indicators of microbial or virus contamination) | 79 | | Excess Turbidity at 1 NTU | 62 | | Treatment Technique (Surface Water Treatment Rule) | 39 | | Maximum contaminant level, Acute (Coliform bacteria) | 29 | | Monitoring and Reporting Disinfection Byproduct Rule | 14 | | Failure to monitor or report, Routine/Repeat (Indicators of microbial or virus contamination) | 1 |
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