Is Houston, TX tap water safe?

Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it

No federal limits exceeded in EPA data for City of Houston. 4 PFAS were detected below the limits.

40 public water systems serve parts of Houston. The largest, City of Houston, serves 3 million people, and one system here had PFAS above a federal limit. Your water bill names your system.

Largest system

City of Houston

3 million people · Surface water · EPA ID TX1010013

Buys treated water from Pine Trails Utility.

PFAS	Highest average	Limit	Status
PFOA Not detected	–	4 ppt	Not detected
PFOS Not detected	–	4 ppt	Not detected
PFHxS Not detected	–	10 ppt	Not detected
PFNA Not detected	–	10 ppt	Not detected
HFPO-DA (GenX) Not detected	–	10 ppt	Not detected

ppt = parts per trillion. "Highest average" is the highest average at any of the system's entry points, the way EPA compares results with the limits.

Lead: 5 ppb at the 90th percentile (Jun 2024, and 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it) Below action level
Health-based violations since 2016: 1

Full City of Houston results

Across Texas, 28 of 1,130 water systems EPA tested had PFAS above a 2024 federal limit, and 13 systems were above the lead action level in results from the last five years. Texas results.

Houston homes and lead pipes

47%

of homes built before 1980 (Texas 33%, US 50%)

built before 1950 (Texas 6%)

58%

of households rent (Texas 37%)

Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so homes from before then are the ones to check. Renting? Ask your landlord what the service line is made of, because it's their pipe to replace. How to check your own line.

Housing: Census American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for Houston city (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.

Which system serves your ZIP code

Based on the ZIP codes each system reported serving. Boundaries don't follow ZIP lines exactly, so your water bill is the final word.

System	ZIP codes in Houston
City of Houston 3 million people	77002, 77003, 77004, 77005, 77006, 77007, 77008, 77009, 77010, 77011, 77012, 77013, 77015, 77016, 77017, 77018, 77019, 77020, 77021, 77022, 77023, 77024, 77025, 77026, 77027, 77028, 77029, 77030, 77031, 77032, 77033, 77034, 77035, 77036, 77037, 77038, 77040, 77041, 77042, 77043, 77045, 77046, 77047, 77048, 77051, 77053, 77054, 77055, 77056, 77057, 77059, 77060, 77061, 77063, 77064, 77067, 77071, 77072, 77074, 77075, 77076, 77077, 77078, 77079, 77080, 77081, 77082, 77084, 77085, 77086, 77087, 77088, 77089, 77090, 77091, 77092, 77093, 77094, 77096, 77098, 77099, 77204, 77338, 77396, 77489, 77598
Clear Lake City Water Authority 89,702 people	77058, 77062
City of Houston Utility District 5 – Kingwood 80,073 people	77339, 77345
Cimarron Municipal Utility District 19,338 people	77450
City of Houston Willow Chase 14,169 people	77070

Other water systems serving Houston

Clear Lake City Water Authority
89,702 people · Purchased surface water · Texas · reported ZIPs here
PFOS above limitAlso: PFOA detected · PFHxS detected
City of Houston Utility District 5 – Kingwood
80,073 people · Groundwater · Texas · reported ZIPs here
Lithium above screening level
Cimarron Municipal Utility District
19,338 people · Groundwater · Texas · reported ZIPs here
Lithium above screening level
Clear Brook City Municipal Utility District
18,246 people · Purchased surface water · Texas · reported ZIPs here
PFOS detectedAlso: PFHxS detected
Northwest Park Municipal Utility District
18,168 people · Groundwater · Texas · reported ZIPs here
No PFAS above limits
Harris County Municipal Utility District 26
17,178 people · Groundwater · Texas · reported ZIPs here
Lithium above screening level

33 more systems

Harris County Municipal Utility District 55 Heritage Park
16,392 people · Purchased surface water · Texas · reported ZIPs here
No PFAS above limits
Pecan Grove Municipal Utility District
14,913 people · Surface water · Texas · reported ZIPs here
PFHxS detected
CNP Utility District
14,718 people · Purchased surface water · Texas · reported ZIPs here
Lithium above screening level
Harris County Municipal Utility District 285
14,268 people · Purchased surface water · Texas · reported ZIPs here
PFHxS detected
City of Houston Willow Chase
14,169 people · Groundwater · Texas · reported ZIPs here
No PFAS above limits
Remington Municipal Utility District 1
13,746 people · Purchased surface water · Texas · reported ZIPs here
PFHxS detectedAlso: Lithium above screening level
Harris County Municipal Utility District 120
13,197 people · Groundwater · Texas · reported ZIPs here
Lithium above screening level
Northampton Municipal Utility District
12,162 people · Groundwater · Texas · reported ZIPs here
Lithium above screening level
Harris County Municipal Utility District 81
11,475 people · Groundwater · Texas · reported ZIPs here
Lithium above screening level
Memorial Villages Water Authority
11,382 people · Purchased surface water · Texas · reported ZIPs here
Haloacetic acids (HAA5) violationAlso: Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) violation · Lithium above screening level
Harris County Utility District 6
11,262 people · Purchased surface water · Texas · reported ZIPs here
No PFAS above limits
Harris County Water Control & Improvement District 36
11,073 people · Purchased surface water · Texas · reported ZIPs here
PFOS detectedAlso: Lithium above screening level
Harris County Municipal Utility District 49
10,893 people · Purchased surface water · Texas · reported ZIPs here
No PFAS above limits
Harris County Municipal Utility District 278
10,584 people · Purchased surface water · Texas · reported ZIPs here
Lithium above screening level
Harris County Water Control & Improvement District 96
10,530 people · Groundwater · Texas · reported ZIPs here
No PFAS above limits
Harris County Municipal Utility District 230
10,404 people · Purchased surface water · Texas · reported ZIPs here
No PFAS above limits
Harris County Municipal Utility District 102
10,401 people · Purchased surface water · Texas · reported ZIPs here
PFHxS detectedAlso: Lithium above screening level
Mission Bend Municipal Utility District 2
10,155 people · Groundwater · Texas · reported ZIPs here
Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) violationAlso: Lithium above screening level
Harris County Water Control & Improvement District 109
10,134 people · Purchased surface water · Texas · reported ZIPs here
Lithium above screening level
Ponderosa Forest Utility District
10,101 people · Groundwater · Texas · reported ZIPs here
Lead near 2027 level
Hunters Glen Municipal Utility District
9,405 people · Groundwater · Texas · reported ZIPs here
No PFAS above limits
Harris County Water Control & Improvement District 119
9,150 people · Purchased surface water · Texas · reported ZIPs here
Lithium above screening level
Harris County Water Control & Improvement District 89
9,033 people · Purchased surface water · Texas · reported ZIPs here
Lithium above screening level
Barker Cypress Municipal Utility District
8,976 people · Purchased surface water · Texas · reported ZIPs here
No PFAS above limits
Mason Creek Utility District
8,900 people · Groundwater · Texas · reported ZIPs here
Lithium above screening level
Jackrabbit Road Public Utility District
8,346 people · Purchased surface water · Texas · reported ZIPs here
PFHxS detectedAlso: Lithium above screening level
West Harris County Municipal Utility District 11
8,205 people · Groundwater · Texas · reported ZIPs here
Lithium above screening level
Bissonnet Municipal Utility District
8,160 people · Groundwater · Texas · reported ZIPs here
Lithium above screening level
Addicks Utility District
8,076 people · Purchased surface water · Texas · reported ZIPs here
PFHxS detected
Harris County Municipal Utility District 468
7,944 people · Purchased surface water · Texas · reported ZIPs here
No PFAS above limits
Harris County Municipal Utility District 238
7,773 people · Purchased surface water · Texas · reported ZIPs here
Gross alpha violationsAlso: Lithium above screening level
Blue Ridge West Municipal Utility District
7,545 people · Groundwater · Texas · reported ZIPs here
Gross alpha violationsAlso: Lithium above screening level
Emerald Forest Utility District
7,326 people · Groundwater · Texas · reported ZIPs here
No PFAS above limits

How nearby cities compare

City	Main water system	PFAS	Lead (90th pct.)
Pearland 16 mi City of Pearland	City of Pearland	None above limits	2.1 ppb
Pasadena 17 mi City of Pasadena	City of Pasadena	None above limits	3.72 ppb
Deer Park 18 mi City of Deer Park	City of Deer Park	None above limits	0 ppb
Missouri City 18 mi Quail Valley Utility District	Quail Valley Utility District	None above limits	0 ppb
Sugar Land 20 mi City of Sugar Land	City of Sugar Land	None above limits	1.51 ppb
La Porte 22 mi City of la Porte	City of la Porte	None above limits	2.35 ppb

Questions

Is Houston tap water safe to drink?

City of Houston had 1 health-based violation since 2016. Utility data can't show lead from your own pipes: if your home was built before 1986, test your tap. Your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report is the official summary.

Who supplies water in Houston, TX?

40 public water systems serve parts of Houston. The largest is City of Houston (3 million people). Your water bill names your system. The EPA ID is also on your utility's Consumer Confidence Report.

Does Houston tap water have PFAS?

City of Houston had 4 PFAS detected at least once in EPA's 2023–2025 testing, all with averages below the federal limits.

Do Houston homes have lead pipes?

Census estimates put 47% of Houston homes as built before 1980 (Texas: 33%). Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so older homes are more likely to have them. City of Houston's service line inventory says what your line is made of. The only way to know for your home is to check the line where it enters the house and test your tap.

Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.