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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 records for CITY OF HOUSTON • Updated September 2026
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.
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CITY OF HOUSTON has 1 health-based EPA violation in the last five years.
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CITY OF HOUSTON · SDWIS records since 2016 · 5-year window starts 2021-09-07
EPA records 1 health-based violation for this system in the last five years, all of which are marked resolved or archived. Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded its Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) or a required treatment step was not met.
| Violation | Category | Compliance period | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single Turbidity Exceed (Enhanced SWTR)Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment technique | 2025-05-01 → 2025-05-31 | Resolvedreturned 2025-05-31 |
| Monitoring, Routine (RTCR)Revised Total Coliform Rule | Monitoring | 2019-12-01 → 2019-12-31 | Resolvedreturned 2019-12-31 |
Source: ECHO SDWA bulk download (SDWA_VIOLATIONS_ENFORCEMENT.csv, SDWIS 2026Q2, file dated 2026-07-09, fetched 2026-09-06)
EPA Lead and Copper Rule 90th-percentile results reported by CITY OF HOUSTON
Below the action level, but detectable. In the most recent monitoring period on file (2024-01-01 to 2024-06-30), 90% of the homes CITY OF HOUSTON sampled had lead at or below 5 ppb.
EPA's action level is 15 ppb (dropping to 10 ppb under the 2024 Lead and Copper Rule Improvements). There is no safe level of lead; the 90th-percentile figure describes the system, not your tap — homes with lead service lines or pre-1986 plumbing can be higher.
| Monitoring period | Lead 90th percentile | vs 15 ppb action level |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-01-01 → 2024-06-30 | 5 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 2023-07-01 → 2023-12-31 | 3 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2022-01-01 → 2022-06-30 | 0 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2021-07-01 → 2021-12-31 | 3.4 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2017-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | 4.01 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2016-01-01 → 2016-12-31 | 4 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2013-01-01 → 2015-12-31 | 4 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2010-01-01 → 2012-12-31 | 3.72 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2007-01-01 → 2009-12-31 | 3.38 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2003-01-01 → 2005-12-31 | 4.2 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2000-01-01 → 2002-12-31 | 4.1 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 1999-01-01 → 1999-12-31 | 5.2 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
Source: ECHO SDWA bulk download (SDWA_LCR_SAMPLES.csv, SDWIS 2026Q2, file dated 2026-07-09, fetched 2026-09-06)
EPA UCMR5 monitoring, 2023-02-06 to 2025-02-21 · 2,784 PFAS results at entry points to the distribution system
6:2 FTS, PFBA, PFHxA, PFPeA detected at low levels; no compound was at or above its federal MCL. Detections below the MCL are common in surface-water systems and are reported here exactly as EPA published them.
| Compound | Detects / samples | Max (ppt) | Reporting limit | EPA MCL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFOA | 0 / 96 | < 4 | 4 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFOS | 0 / 96 | < 4 | 4 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS | 0 / 96 | < 3 | 3 ppt | 10 ppt |
| PFNA | 0 / 96 | < 4 | 4 ppt | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA | 0 / 96 | < 5 | 5 ppt | 10 ppt |
| PFBS | 0 / 96 | < 3 | 3 ppt | hazard index only |
| 6:2 FTS | 10 / 96 | 42.6 | 5 ppt | hazard index only |
| PFBA | 9 / 96 | 10.6 | 5 ppt | hazard index only |
| PFHxA | 16 / 96 | 5.1 | 3 ppt | hazard index only |
| PFPeA | 11 / 96 | 6.7 | 3 ppt | hazard index only |
“< 4 ppt” means below the laboratory reporting limit, not zero. ppt = parts per trillion (ng/L). Results are for finished water leaving the treatment plant.
Lithium (also monitored under UCMR5, not a PFAS): detected in 69 of 96 samples, max 33.9 µg/L. There is no federal limit for lithium.
What PFAS are and how to remove them → · Best filters for PFAS →
Source: UCMR5 occurrence data, EPA Data Summary July 2026 (UCMR5_All.txt)
EPA Six-Year Review 4 compliance samples for CITY OF HOUSTON · finished water only · dated data, released 2024
These are the regulated-contaminant samples CITY OF HOUSTON reported to its state between 2012 and 2019 — the most recent nationwide sample-level dataset EPA has published. Arsenic, Radium-226/228, Haloacetic acids (HAA5) are flagged below; the status column explains why. Treat this as history, not today's tap water.
| Contaminant | Samples | Average | Max | EPA limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic | 15984 detects | 2.042 µg/L | 11 µg/L | 10 µg/LMCL | 1 of 159 samples over MCL |
| Nitrate (as N) | 352266 detects | 0.197 mg/L | 1.23 mg/L | 10 mg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Fluoride | 156151 detects | 0.302 mg/L | 0.76 mg/L | 4 mg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Chromium (total) | 1533 detects | 0.241 µg/L | 14.3 µg/L | 100 µg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Uranium (combined) | 6633 detects | 2.606 µg/L | 16.9 µg/L | 30 µg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Radium-226/228 | 6146 detects | 1.535 pCi/L | 5.3 pCi/L | 5 pCi/LMCL | 1 of 61 samples over MCL |
| Gross alpha | 6650 detects | 4.43 pCi/L | 11.1 pCi/L | 15 pCi/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) | 518514 detects | 30.779 µg/L | 75.8 µg/L | 80 µg/LMCL (LRAA) | Within MCL |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) | 518504 detects | 24.718 µg/L | 73.1 µg/L | 60 µg/LMCL (LRAA) | 12 single samples over MCL; average within limit |
| Lead (tap samples) | 30776 detects | 1.015 µg/L | 48.9 µg/L | 15 µg/Laction level (90th percentile) | Reported, not scored (compliance is on the 90th percentile) |
| Copper (tap samples) | 307220 detects | 63.712 µg/L | 1930 µg/L | 1300 µg/Laction level (90th percentile) | Reported, not scored (compliance is on the 90th percentile) |
Averages count non-detects as zero. TTHM and HAA5 limits are locational running annual averages, so a single high sample is not a violation — we grade those on the average only. Lead and copper rows are individual tap samples and are shown for context; compliance (and our score) uses the 90th-percentile result above. LRAA = locational running annual average; ND = not detected.
Source: SYR4 Six-Year Review compliance monitoring data 2012–2019 (released 2024-03)
CITY OF HOUSTON · 508,198 service lines inventoried · Q2 2026 snapshot
CITY OF HOUSTON reports no confirmed lead service lines, but 427,111 lines (84%) have not yet been verified, so lead cannot be ruled out for those homes. Utilities must keep investigating unknown lines under EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Improvements.
Source: EPA SDWIS Service Line Inventory (Q2 2026) · PWS ID TX1010013 · See all Texas lead service lines. We may earn a commission from filters and test kits, at no extra cost to you.
Surface-water systems draw from rivers, lakes or reservoirs and must filter and disinfect, which is why disinfection byproducts (TTHM, HAA5) are the readings to watch.
How to test your tap water and the treatment options that actually fit Houston homes
The most reliable way to know what is actually coming out of your tap is a certified mail-in lab test. City-wide EPA data (like the report above) reflects the water leaving the treatment plant, but contaminants such as lead and copper can be picked up from your own service line and household plumbing — so the water at your Houston faucet can differ from the system average. A state-certified lab measures dozens of contaminants at once with results you can trust; you can also find one near you through the EPA's certified-lab list at epa.gov/dwlabcert. Hardware-store test strips are cheaper and instant, but they only screen for a few basics (chlorine, hardness, pH, and a rough lead pass/fail) and are far less accurate — treat them as a first look, not a diagnosis.
Match the treatment to what your test finds. Reverse osmosis (RO) removes the widest range of contaminants — lead, arsenic, nitrate, PFAS, and dissolved solids — which makes an under-sink reverse osmosis system the most thorough choice for Houston households with heavy-metal or PFAS concerns. If your main issue is taste, odor, or chlorine, an activated carbon filter (pitcher, faucet, or under-sink) is simpler and cheaper and handles chlorine and many organic compounds well, though carbon alone does not remove arsenic, nitrate, or most PFAS. NSF-certified pitchers rated for lead reduction are the easiest way to start today while you decide on a permanent setup.
We may earn a commission from testing kits and filters purchased through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Houston ranks #6 of 11 graded Texas cities.
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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