What was found in South Houston's water
The level at the city's main supplier, the highest level anywhere in the city, the EPA limit for each, and where every figure comes from.
| Contaminant | Level vs EPA limit | Suppliers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 810 µg/L 8.1% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 593 µg/L 5.9% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2015 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 582 µg/L 15% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2017 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 346 µg/L 27% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 54.18 µg/L 2.7% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2017 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 47.66 µg/L 60% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 46.42 µg/L 77% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 37.14 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 33.7 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 27.5 µg/L 2.8% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2015 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 25.3 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 13.66 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 11.16 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 10.755 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 6 µg/L 40% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 5.65 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 5.31 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 5.2 pCi/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2017 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 1.5 pCi/L 30% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2017 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 1.2 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Atrazine | 0.4200 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 3 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Hexachlorocyclopentadiene | 0.2300 µg/L 0.5% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Simazine | 0.2200 µg/L 5.5% of the EPA limit 4 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Pfba | 0.0082 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfpea | 0.0056 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhxa | 0.0048 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOS | 0.0042 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| PFHXS | 0.0034 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| PFBS | 0.0032 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| Lead | 0.0012 mg/L 8% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON · 17,397 people · 2025 | 1/1 | LCR |
Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is
well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the
limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there
means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a
running annual average while the figure is the 95th percentile of the
system's samples — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a
violation.
Formal violations are listed separately.
These are the utilities' own EPA-reported results, not a city-wide
average. A detection means the lab measured the
substance — it isn't the same as exceeding a legal limit. Hover a source
tag to see the EPA program and years behind each figure.
Water suppliers serving South Houston
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| CITY OF SOUTH HOUSTON | 17,397 |
Frequently asked questions about South Houston tap water
Is South Houston tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 30 contaminants in the water serving South Houston. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most detected levels are within federal limits. Check the level and source for each contaminant above, and your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for the official compliance status.
How many water suppliers serve South Houston?
1 public water supplier report drinking-water monitoring for South Houston, Texas to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in South Houston's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in South Houston include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Fluoride, Copper, Barium. The full list, with the level at the main supplier and the data source, is in the table above.
Where does this data come from?
Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.