Drinking water quality · 2024
· Verified
What's in Fort Worth, TX tap water
33 contaminants were measured in the Fort Worth, TX water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit — 3 sit at or above that limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 33
- Over federal limit
- 3
- Approaching the limit
- 1
- Worst contaminant
- Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid
- Service area
- TX
PFAS — EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025)
3 PFAS compounds above EPA limits in Fort Worth, TX
The EPA finalized the first-ever federal drinking-water limits for six PFAS compounds in April 2024. These numbers come straight from EPA's UCMR5 lab dataset — every U.S. system serving more than 3,300 people tested every PFAS sample at an entry point to its distribution system. PFAS not listed below were either tested and not detected, or not yet sampled.
PFHxS (Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid)
● Over EPA limit (2.6×)PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic acid)
● Over EPA limit (2.1×)PFOS (Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid)
● Over EPA limit (1.8×)PFHxA
● Detected (no federal limit)PFPeA
● Detected (no federal limit)PFBS
● Detected (no federal limit)PFBA
● Detected (no federal limit)Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Fort Worth, TX's drinking water comes from surface water, drawn from 6 sources.
Source
- INTAKE 9 - LK BENBROOK
- INTAKE 6 - EAGLE MOUNTAIN LAKE
- INTAKE 1 - LAKE WORTH
- INTAKE 2 - LAKE WORTH
- + 2 more
Treatment
- PLANT - EAGLE MOUNTAIN - PHASE I & II
- SWTP 3 - ROLLING HILLS
- SWTP 2 - SOUTH HOLLY - 1500 11TH AVE
- + 2 more
Distribution
Compliance history
Federal Safe Drinking Water Act violation & enforcement records (EPA SDWIS). A violation is a regulatory determination by the state or EPA — separate from the measured levels above.
- Treatment technique violationHealth-based1 violation on record · most recent Mar 2021resolved
Source: EPA SDWIS / ECHO. View the full federal record on EPA ECHO ↗
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChloramineA longer-lasting disinfectant made by combining chlorine with ammonia. | 3.4 mg/LReported levelSystem-wide | 4 mg/LMCL | Approaching the limit |
Disinfection byproducts
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| BromateA disinfection byproduct formed when bromide-containing water is treated with ozone. | 3.1 ug/LReported levelSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
| HAA5Haloacetic acids — a group of five disinfection byproducts formed when disinfectants react with organic matter. | 11 ug/LReported levelSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
| TTHMTotal trihalomethanes — a group of four chemicals (including chloroform) formed when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter. | 13 ug/LReported levelSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
| BromoformA trihalomethane disinfection byproduct. | 0 ug/LRangeRange of Detects | 0 ug/LPublic health goal | None detected |
| BromodichloromethaneA trihalomethane disinfection byproduct. | 3.42 ug/LAverageSystem-wide | 0 ug/LPublic health goal | Detected — no federal limit |
| ChloroformA trihalomethane formed when chlorine reacts with organic matter in water. | 3.3 ug/LAverageSystem-wide | 70 ug/LPublic health goal | Detected — no federal limit |
| DibromochloromethaneA trihalomethane disinfection byproduct. | 2.91 ug/LAverageSystem-wide | 60 ug/LPublic health goal | Detected — no federal limit |
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| CopperA metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing. | 0.4 mg/L90th percentileAt the tap | 1.3 mg/LAction level | Within the limit |
| LeadA toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures. | 3.3 ug/L90th percentileAt the tap | None set | Within the limit |
| ArsenicA naturally occurring element that also enters water from industry and agriculture. | 1.2 ug/LReported levelSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
| BariumA metal from erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge. | 0.07 mg/LReported levelSystem-wide | 2 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
Inorganic chemicals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| FluorideA mineral often added to drinking water to help prevent tooth decay. | 0.9 mg/LReported levelSystem-wide | 4 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
| Cyanide | 22.6 ug/LReported levelSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
| NitrateA compound from fertilizer runoff, septic systems, and erosion of natural deposits. | 0.7 mg/LReported levelSystem-wide | 10 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
| Dichloroacetic acidA haloacetic acid disinfection byproduct. | 4.04 ug/LAverageSystem-wide | 0 ug/LPublic health goal | Within the limit |
| Dibromoacetic acidA brominated haloacetic acid disinfection byproduct. | 1.25 ug/LAverageSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
| Trichloroacetic acidA haloacetic acid disinfection byproduct. | 0.06 ug/LAverageSystem-wide | 20 ug/LPublic health goal | Within the limit |
| Monobromoacetic acidA brominated haloacetic acid disinfection byproduct. | 0.02 ug/LAverageSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
Radionuclides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| UraniumA naturally occurring radioactive metal from erosion of natural deposits. | 1.6 ug/LReported levelSystem-wide | 30 ug/LMCL | Within the limit |
| Gross Beta Particle ActivityGross beta particle activity — a combined measure of beta-emitting radioactive substances. | 7.5 pCi/LReported levelSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Other
Microbial
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total ColiformA group of bacteria used as an indicator of overall water-system sanitation. | 0.3 %Reported levelSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TOCTotal organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water. | 1AverageSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| TurbidityA measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. | 0.35 %Reported levelSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
People also ask about Fort Worth, TX's water
+Is Fort Worth, TX tap water safe to drink in 2024?
The 2024 Consumer Confidence Report for the Fort Worth, TX water utility lists 3 contaminants at or above the federal limit: Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid, PFOS, and PFOA. Whether that means the water is "unsafe" depends on which contaminant, how long the exposure, and individual health factors. The table on this page shows the measured value, the federal threshold, and the regulated statistic used for compliance.
+What contaminants are in Fort Worth, TX tap water?
33 contaminants were measured in Fort Worth, TX's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning disinfection byproducts, inorganic chemicals, and pfas ("forever chemicals"). 13 have an enforceable federal limit; the rest are detected but unregulated. Every measured value, in the utility's own units, is on this page.
+Which contaminants exceed federal limits in Fort Worth, TX tap water?
3 contaminants in Fort Worth, TX's 2024 report sit at or above the federal limit: Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (1.9× the limit); PFOS (1.8× the limit); PFOA (1.6× the limit). The EPA enforces these limits against the regulated reporting statistic — typically a running annual average or 90th percentile — not a one-off sample spike.
+What is the worst contaminant in Fort Worth, TX tap water?
The contaminant with the highest measured value relative to its federal limit in the 2024 report is Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid, at 1.9× the federal threshold. It belongs to the pfas ("forever chemicals") family of contaminants.
+Are any contaminants in Fort Worth, TX tap water approaching the federal limit?
One contaminant is between 80% and 100% of the federal limit in this report: Chloramine. Approaching means measured but not in violation — a margin that can close quickly if conditions change.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from Fort Worth, TX's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. public water utility is required by federal law to publish. The original source document is archived and viewable on this site. A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
+How often is Fort Worth, TX's water quality data updated?
Each U.S. public water utility publishes one Consumer Confidence Report per year, covering the prior calendar year's measurements. This page reflects the 2024 report; a new report will replace it once the utility publishes its next annual update.