Texas Water Quality Report 2026

20 cities10,824,701 residentsUpdated March 2026

C74.5/100State Average
Texas has 20 cities in our database, serving approximately 10,824,701 residents. The average PurityMap score is 74.5/100 (Grade: C), which is 3.4 points below the US average of 77.9/100. Irving has the cleanest water (79/100) while Houston scores lowest (59/100) due to PFAS detected, hard water.
Is Texas Tap Water Safe to Drink?
Safe — Filtration Recommended

Texas tap water is safe — filtration recommended based on our analysis of 20 water systems serving 10,824,701 residents. The average PurityMap score is 74.5/100 (Grade: C), which is 3.4 points below the national average.

  • PFAS detected in 2 of 20 cities (10%). Forever chemicals require reverse osmosis filtration.
  • 20 cities (100%) have hard or very hard water (7+ GPG) which causes scale buildup and appliance damage.
  • 5 cities exceed the EPA secondary TDS guideline of 500 ppm, which affects taste and may indicate elevated minerals.
  • 20 cities use chloramine or have elevated chlorine residuals. Standard Brita pitchers do not remove chloramine.
Our Recommendation

We recommend an under-sink reverse osmosis system for drinking water in PFAS-affected areas of Texas. RO removes 99%+ of PFAS, lead, and other contaminants. For hard water cities, add a whole-house softener.

All 20 cities in Texas meet EPA federal drinking water standards as of 2026. However, EPA standards set legal limits — not health goals. Many contaminants are detected at levels that are legal but may still pose long-term health risks according to independent health organizations like the EWG.
Texas at a Glance
74.5Avg Purity Score
11.9Avg Hardness (GPG)
Very Hard
2Cities with PFAS
20Cities with Hard Water
3Avg Lead (ppb)
428Avg TDS (ppm)

Texas is 3.4 points below the US average of 77.9/100. Hardness is 5.6 GPG above the US average of 6.3 GPG.

Best & Worst Water in Texas
Cleanest

Irving

79/100

Source: DFW and Lake Chapman

Most Concerns

Houston

59/100

PFAS detected, hard water

Cities with Most Water Concerns in Texas

Cities ranked by lowest score. Click any city for the full report and filter recommendations.

RankCityScoreHardnessLeadKey Issues
1Houston 59/1008.0 GPG4.2 ppbPFAS (3.8 ppt), Hard (8.0 GPG)
2Dallas 64/1007.9 GPG3.5 ppbPFAS (2.1 ppt), Hard (7.9 GPG)
3Lubbock 71/10022.2 GPG3.5 ppbVery Hard (22.2 GPG), TDS (780 ppm)
4San Antonio 73/10016.7 GPG2.5 ppbVery Hard (16.7 GPG), TDS (585 ppm)
5Amarillo 73/10018.5 GPG2.5 ppbVery Hard (18.5 GPG), TDS (650 ppm)
6Midland 73/10018.5 GPG3.0 ppbVery Hard (18.5 GPG), TDS (660 ppm)
7Odessa 73/10019.0 GPG3.2 ppbVery Hard (19.0 GPG), TDS (680 ppm)
8El Paso 75/10011.4 GPG2.2 ppbVery Hard (11.4 GPG)
9Corpus Christi 75/10010.8 GPG2.8 ppbVery Hard (10.8 GPG)
10Laredo 75/10012.5 GPG3.0 ppbVery Hard (12.5 GPG)
Score Distribution

How Texas's 20 cities score on the PurityMap 0–100 scale:

Excellent (85–100)
0 cities
Good (70–84)
18 cities
Moderate (60–69)
1 city
Poor (below 60)
1 city
Largest Cities in Texas — Water Quality

Water quality for the most populated cities. Click any city for details.





















CityPopulationScoreHardnessKey Issues
Houston2.3M 59/1008.0 GPGPFAS, Hard
San Antonio1.4M 73/10016.7 GPGVery Hard
Dallas1.3M 64/1007.9 GPGPFAS, Hard
Austin979K 78/10010.5 GPGVery Hard
Fort Worth936K 78/1008.8 GPGHard
El Paso679K 75/10011.4 GPGVery Hard
Arlington399K 78/1009.1 GPGHard
Corpus Christi318K 75/10010.8 GPGVery Hard
Plano285K 78/1008.6 GPGHard
Laredo262K 75/10012.5 GPGVery Hard
Lubbock259K 71/10022.2 GPGVery Hard
Irving257K 79/1008.5 GPGHard
Garland247K 78/1009.2 GPGHard
Frisco200K 78/1009.8 GPGHard
Amarillo199K 73/10018.5 GPGVery Hard
McKinney199K 78/1009.8 GPGHard
Midland170K 73/10018.5 GPGVery Hard
Denton148K 79/1008.2 GPGHard
Round Rock133K 75/10010.8 GPGVery Hard
Odessa116K 73/10019.0 GPGVery Hard
Hard Water in Texas

20 of 20 cities (100%) in Texas have hard or very hard water (7+ GPG). Lubbock has the hardest at 22.2 GPG. Cities: Lubbock, Odessa, Midland, Amarillo, San Antonio, Laredo, El Paso, Round Rock. A water softener is recommended.

Hard Water Guide Softener Solutions
PFAS in Texas Water

PFAS have been detected in 2 of 20 cities (10%) in Texas. Highest: Houston at 3.8 ppt. Affected: Houston, Dallas. A reverse osmosis filter is recommended.

PFAS Guide RO for PFAS
Lead in Texas Water

All Texas cities have lead below 5 ppb. Average: 3.0 ppb. Individual homes with older plumbing may have higher levels.

High TDS in Texas

5 cities in Texas have TDS above 500 ppm. Cities: Lubbock, Odessa, Midland, Amarillo, San Antonio. RO effectively reduces TDS.

RO Reduces TDS
Water Sources in Texas

Where Texas gets its drinking water, based on 20 water systems.





Source TypeCities% of Total
Surface Water1260%
Groundwater315%
Mixed (Ground + Surface)315%
Other210%
Recommended Filter for Texas

Texas has both PFAS (2 cities) and hard water (20 cities). RO for drinking water + softener for whole house.

All Texas Cities — Ranked
#CityPop.ScoreHardnessLeadPFASTDS
1Houston2.3M 59/1008.0 GPG (Hard)4.2 ppb⚠️ Yes (3.8 ppt)290 ppm
2Dallas1.3M 64/1007.9 GPG (Hard)3.5 ppb⚠️ Yes (2.1 ppt)280 ppm
3Lubbock259K 71/10022.2 GPG (Very Hard)3.5 ppb✅ No780 ppm
4San Antonio1.4M 73/10016.7 GPG (Very Hard)2.5 ppb✅ No585 ppm
5Amarillo199K 73/10018.5 GPG (Very Hard)2.5 ppb✅ No650 ppm
6Midland170K 73/10018.5 GPG (Very Hard)3.0 ppb✅ No660 ppm
7Odessa116K 73/10019.0 GPG (Very Hard)3.2 ppb✅ No680 ppm
8Laredo262K 75/10012.5 GPG (Very Hard)3.0 ppb✅ No480 ppm
9Corpus Christi318K 75/10010.8 GPG (Very Hard)2.8 ppb✅ No385 ppm
10Round Rock133K 75/10010.8 GPG (Very Hard)2.5 ppb✅ No385 ppm
11El Paso679K 75/10011.4 GPG (Very Hard)2.2 ppb✅ No460 ppm
12Arlington399K 78/1009.1 GPG (Hard)3.2 ppb✅ No320 ppm
13Garland247K 78/1009.2 GPG (Hard)3.5 ppb✅ No325 ppm
14Fort Worth936K 78/1008.8 GPG (Hard)3.0 ppb✅ No310 ppm
15Austin979K 78/10010.5 GPG (Hard)2.5 ppb✅ No380 ppm
16Plano285K 78/1008.6 GPG (Hard)2.8 ppb✅ No305 ppm
17McKinney199K 78/1009.8 GPG (Hard)3.0 ppb✅ No345 ppm
18Frisco200K 78/1009.8 GPG (Hard)2.5 ppb✅ No345 ppm
19Irving257K 79/1008.5 GPG (Hard)3.0 ppb✅ No300 ppm
20Denton148K 79/1008.2 GPG (Hard)2.8 ppb✅ No290 ppm
Water Utilities in Texas

Texas has 19 utilities. Major: City of Houston Public Works, San Antonio Water System SAWS, Dallas Water Utilities, Austin Water, Fort Worth Water Department.

Sources: Lake Houston and Lake Livingston, Edwards Aquifer groundwater, Elm Fork Trinity River Lake Lewisville, Colorado River Lake Austin and Lake Travis, Eagle Mountain Richland-Chambers Cedar Creek reservoirs.

Frequently Asked Questions
Which city has the best water in Texas?
Irving scores highest at 79/100. Source: DFW and Lake Chapman.
Which city has the worst water in Texas?
Houston scores lowest at 59/100 due to PFAS detected, hard water.
Is Texas water hard or soft?
Average hardness: 11.9 GPG (Very Hard). 5.6 GPG above the US average of 6.3 GPG. 20 of 20 cities have hard/very hard water.
Has PFAS been found in Texas water?
PFAS have been detected in 2 of 20 cities (10%) in Texas. Highest: Houston at 3.8 ppt. Affected: Houston, Dallas. A reverse osmosis filter is recommended.
What water filter should I use in Texas?
Texas has both PFAS (2 cities) and hard water (20 cities). RO for drinking water + softener for whole house.
How does Texas water compare to the US average?
Score: 74.5/100 (3.4 points below US avg 77.9). Hardness: 11.9 GPG (5.6 GPG above US avg 6.3).
Where does Texas get its drinking water?Where does Texas get its drinking water?
Texas water comes from: Surface Water: 12 cities (60%), Groundwater: 3 cities (15%), Mixed (Ground + Surface): 3 cities (15%), Other: 2 cities (10%).
Data Sources & Methodology
  • EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System
  • EWG Tap Water Database
  • State utility Consumer Confidence Reports
  • USGS regional water monitoring data

PurityMap compiles publicly available data and does not perform independent testing.

How we analyze water Data sources
All Texas Cities with Water Reports

20 city water quality reports available for Texas.

20 Reports
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Showing all 20 cities
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