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Not health advice. Contact your local water utility for concerns.
Data from EPA Water Quality Reports. For official information, contact your water utility or health department.
EPA SDWIS/ECHO 2026Q2 · UCMR5 (2023–2026, July 2026 release) · SYR4 six-year review 2012–2019 · Methodology
Grade C — based on EPA compliance records, lead testing and PFAS monitoring
CITY OF HOUSTON has a mixed record — read the reasons below; the deductions come from real EPA violations, lead results or PFAS detections, not from a template.
Houston, TX tap water is legal to drink but grades C on EPA's records, mainly because of 1 health-based EPA violation in the last five years and lead at 5 ppb (90th percentile) — under the 15 ppb action level but above 5 ppb. A certified filter matched to those findings is a reasonable precaution.
Houston, TX tap water is legal to drink but grades C on EPA's records, mainly because of 1 health-based EPA violation in the last five years and lead at 5 ppb (90th percentile) — under the 15 ppb action level but above 5 ppb. A certified filter matched to those findings is a reasonable precaution.
CITY OF HOUSTON's most recent Lead and Copper Rule result (2024-01-01 to 2024-06-30) was 5 ppb at the 90th percentile, below EPA's 15 ppb action level. Because lead usually comes from service lines and household plumbing, homes built before 1986 should still test at the tap.
Yes. EPA's UCMR5 sampling (2023-02-06 to 2025-02-21) detected 6:2 FTS, PFBA, PFHxA, PFPeA, all below federal MCLs. Reverse osmosis and certified activated-carbon filters reduce PFAS.
CITY OF HOUSTON has 2 violations on file since 2016: 1 health-based in the last five years and 0 monitoring or reporting violations in that window. Monitoring violations are paperwork lapses, not measured contamination.
CITY OF HOUSTON reports surface water as its primary source and serves about 2,970,543 people (EPA PWSID TX1010013).
We recommend one. An NSF/ANSI 53 lead-certified filter addresses lead.
CITY OF HOUSTON has 1 health-based EPA violation in the last five years.
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