PFOS
1.2× the limitPerfluorooctanesulfonic acid
4.8ng/L
Each block = 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
EPA UCMR 5 · sampled 2023Evidence
City water report · 2026
Is Austin Tap Water Safe? 2026 Water Quality Report
Short answer: PFOS is above its federal limit (a 2024 limit that water systems have until at least 2029 to meet); the water is moderately hard. City of Austin Water & Wastewater serves 1,115,323 residents.
Likely match, check your bill
CITY OF AUSTIN WATER & WASTEWATER serves Austin
Your water bill or annual water quality report names your actual supplier.
- Source
- Surface water
- Disinfectant
- chloramine
- Lead service lines
- 0 lead, 777 galvanized
- CITY OF AUSTIN WATER & WASTEWATERThis reportTX2270001 · 1,115,323 served
Your water utility
What stands out
One PFAS above the 2024 federal limit
The bar is drawn in blocks of the 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024), so the length shows how far above it the result sits.
Coverage by group
34 results on record- PFAS (forever chemicals)1 above · 5 detected · 23 not detected
- Metals & lead1 not detected
- Disinfection by-products2 detected
- Other1 detected · 1 not detected
Every detected result
9 detected results, by distance from their limit
CITY OF AUSTIN WATER & WASTEWATER (EPA PWSID TX2270001) delivers surface water to 1,115,323 residents. This report reflects 29 individual PFAS result(s) from the source UCMR5 observations and the latest Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile result. The utility's 2025 CCR reports moderately hard water and chloramine disinfection.
- Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)EPA UCMR 5 · 20234.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)4.8ng/LAbove limit
- Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS)EPA UCMR 5 · 202310 ng/L federal MCL (2024)6.2ng/LWithin reference
- Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)Utility CCR · 202580 ppb federal MCL45.5ppbWithin reference
- Haloacetic acids (HAA5)Utility CCR · 202560 ppb federal MCL15.6ppbWithin reference
- Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)EPA UCMR 5 · 20232,000 ng/L EPA health advisory (screening, not a legal limit)5.1ng/LWithin reference
- Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)EPA UCMR 5 · 2023400,000 ng/L Michigan EGLE state MCL (strictest US state)3.3ng/LWithin reference
- Water hardnessUtility CCR · 2025Aesthetic, no federal health limit5.4gpgWithin reference
- Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA)EPA UCMR 5 · 2023No federal or state limit; shown for transparency8.4ng/LDetected · no limit
- Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)EPA UCMR 5 · 2023No federal or state limit; shown for transparency4.1ng/LDetected · no limit
25 other contaminants tested, none detected
- 11Cl-PF3OUdS
- 4:2 FTS
- 6:2 FTS
- 8:2 FTS
- 9Cl-PF3ONS
- ADONA
- HFPO-DA (GenX)
- NEtFOSAA
- NFDHA
- NMeFOSAA
- PFDA
- PFDoA
- PFEESA
- PFHpA
- PFHpS
- PFMBA
- PFMPA
- PFNA
- PFOA
- PFPeS
- PFTA
- PFTrDA
- PFUnA
- Lithium
- Lead (90th percentile)
Track record
2health-based violations in the last 10 years
From EPA SDWIS. Counted once per contaminant per year, as in the Track record score. All 5 EPA filings are listed below.
Health-based violations, last 10 years
Every filing is listed; the Track record score counts at most one per contaminant per year.
- Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
Resolved
- Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment RuleTT
to Resolved
- Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment RuleTT
to Resolved
- Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment RuleTT
to Resolved
- Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment RuleTT
to Resolved
- Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment RuleTT
to Resolved
What you can do
Test first, then treat what was found
- 01 · TestTest your own tap
Plumbing inside a home can add lead that the system record can't show. A tap test tells you what reaches your glass.
Certified labHow to test your tap → - 02 · Treat PFASReverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS
PFOS 4.8 ng/L, above the 4 ng/L limit (+5 more PFAS detected)
NSF/ANSI 58 or 53, with PFOS/PFBS/PFHxA/PFHxS/PFBA/PFPeA named on the listingTreatment for PFAS → - 03 · LeadLead-certified carbon filter, or reverse osmosis
777 galvanized lines to replace
NSF/ANSI 53 (lead)Treatment for Lead →
Test your own tap
Screening tells you if something is worth a closer look; a lab result is the number you can act on.
As an Amazon Associate, PurityMap earns from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.
Screening: quick check, not lab-grade
Safe Home DIY Lead in Drinking Water Combo Test Kit
Safe Home (EnviroTestKits)
Lead, read as one of three ranges: 0–4, 5–15 or 15+ ppb
- Turnaround: 5 minutes
What it can't tell you: It shows a lead range, not an exact level, and tests nothing else unless you pay extra for the optional lab test.
Lab-certified results
ETR Labs Basic Water Quality Test Kit
ETR Laboratories
50+ substances, including lead, copper, arsenic, nitrate, hardness and coliform bacteria
- Analyzed by Environmental Testing and Research Laboratories (ETR Labs), Leominster, MA · ISO/IEC 17025:2017, ANAB certificate AT-2638
- Turnaround: 2–4 business days after the lab receives it
What it can't tell you: It does not test PFAS, and not every result on the panel falls under the lab's accredited scope.
Commercial
Certified for a concern found here
Each card names which Austin findings its current certification covers, and which it doesn't.
As an Amazon Associate, PurityMap earns from qualifying purchases. A product appears here only when a current certification record covers at least one identified concern; every concern stays listed. The retail offer is looked up afterwards and never changes which products appear or their order. Affiliate disclosure.
Under-Sink Filter
Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Max Flow Under-Sink Filter (AQ-6300M)
- PFOS: eligible, evidence match
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), PFHxS and 2 more
Not suitable for (5)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
- Anyone who can't plumb, drill or hire an installer
- Renters who can't modify plumbing
Countertop System
Aquasana Clean Water Machine Countertop Filter (AQ-CWM2)
- PFOS: eligible, evidence match
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), PFHxS and 2 more
Not suitable for (3)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
See all 9 products certified for a Austin concern →
Countertop System
AquaTru Classic Countertop Reverse-Osmosis Purifier (AT2000)
- PFOS: eligible, evidence match
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), PFHxS and 2 more
Not suitable for (3)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
Under-Sink Filter
Under-Sink Reverse-Osmosis System
- PFOS: eligible, evidence match
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), PFHxS and 2 more
Not suitable for (5)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
- Anyone who can't plumb, drill or hire an installer
- Renters who can't modify plumbing
Under-Sink Filter
Waterdrop G3P600 Tankless Reverse-Osmosis System
- PFOS: eligible, evidence match
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), PFHxS and 2 more
Not suitable for (5)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
- Anyone who can't plumb, drill or hire an installer
- Renters who can't modify plumbing
Refrigerator Filter
Whirlpool Filter 3 Refrigerator Water Filter (WHR3RXD1)
- PFOS: eligible, evidence match
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), PFHxS and 2 more
Not suitable for (3)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
Water Pitcher
Culligan ZeroWater 10-Cup Pitcher (ZEROP10)
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: PFOS, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and 3 more
Not suitable for (3)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
Faucet Attachment
Faucet-Mount Filter
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: PFOS, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and 3 more
Not suitable for (3)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
Under-Sink Filter
Under-Sink Carbon Block Filter
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: PFOS, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and 3 more
Not suitable for (4)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
- Anyone who can't plumb, drill or hire an installer
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is Austin tap water safe to drink?
PurityMap does not give a safe/unsafe verdict; it shows what the public records measured. For Austin, PFOS 4.8 ng/L was measured above the 4 ng/L federal limit in EPA's 2024 testing. CITY OF AUSTIN WATER & WASTEWATER (PWSID TX2270001) has a Purity Score of 73/100 (confidence: high), assessed at the water-system level and computed only from contaminants that were measured. Water can change in your own pipes, so a certified test is the only way to know what comes out of your tap.
Who provides tap water in Austin?
CITY OF AUSTIN WATER & WASTEWATER (PWS ID TX2270001) is the public water system on record for Austin, Texas, serving about 1,115,323 people. Confirm the utility on your water bill before acting on a specific finding.
Where does Austin get its drinking water?
Surface water (primary source of record in EPA SDWIS).
Are PFAS "forever chemicals" in Austin's water?
Yes. In EPA's UCMR 5 testing (2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30), PFOS was measured at 4.8 ng/L against a 4 ng/L federal limit. PFBS (5.1 ng/L, below the 2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory), PFHxA (3.3 ng/L, below the 400,000 ng/L state limit) and PFHxS (6.2 ng/L, below the 10 ng/L federal limit) were also detected. PFBA (8.4 ng/L) and PFPeA (4.1 ng/L) were also detected; they have no federal or state limit. Reverse osmosis and filters certified to NSF/ANSI 53 for PFOA/PFOS reduce them at the tap.
Is there lead in Austin's tap water?
Lead is not in Austin's current published record. Lead usually enters from a building's own pipes and fixtures, so a certified home test is the way to know yours.
What does the latest Austin water report show?
PurityMap's current record for Austin holds 34 findings: 1 above a reference, 6 detected within the reference, 2 detected with no limit and 25 not detected. Each finding links to its dated public record; a parameter that was never monitored is shown as pending, not as a pass.
Is Austin's water hard?
Austin's water is recorded as 5.4 gpg, moderately hard. Hardness is an aesthetic and plumbing characteristic, not a health-based limit.
Follow this water
Follow Austin's water
One email when a new sampling round is published, a result moves above or below its reference, or the system's score changes.
Double opt-in: we email a confirmation link. Unsubscribe anytime. No spam.
Sources and dataAll 34 records and their sourcesEPA UCMR 5 · EPA SDWIS (Lead & Copper Rule) · Utility CCR
25 other contaminants tested — none detected
Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)
- Result
- 4.8 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS)
- Result
- 6.2 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
- Result
- 45.5 ppb
- Benchmark
- 80 ppb federal MCL
- Sampled
- 2025
- Result
- 15.6 ppb
- Benchmark
- 60 ppb federal MCL
- Sampled
- 2025
Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)
- Result
- 5.1 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory (screening, not a legal limit)Screening level, not a legal limit
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)
- Result
- 3.3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 400,000 ng/L Michigan EGLE state MCL (strictest US state)
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
- Result
- 5.4 gpg
- Benchmark
- Aesthetic, no federal health limit
- Sampled
- 2025
- Result
- 8.4 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)
- Result
- 4.1 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
25 other contaminants tested — none detected
11-Chloroeicosafluoro-3-oxaundecane-1-sulfonic acid (11Cl-PF3OUdS)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecane sulfonic acid (8:2 FTS)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (4:2 FTS)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (6:2 FTS)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
4,8-Dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoic acid (ADONA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
9-Chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanone-1-sulfonic acid (9Cl-PF3ONS)
- Result
- < 2 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) (GenX chemicals)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
- Result
- Non-Detect (ND)
- Benchmark
- 15 µg/L federal action level
- Sampled
- 2022–2024 monitoring period
- Result
- < 9 µg/L
- Benchmark
- 10 µg/L EPA health reference level (screening, not a legal limit)Screening level, not a legal limit
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
N-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NEtFOSAA)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NMeFOSAA)
- Result
- < 6 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
Nonafluoro-3,6-dioxaheptanoic acid (NFDHA)
- Result
- < 20 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
Perfluoro (2-ethoxyethane) sulfonic acid (PFEESA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
Perfluoro-3-methoxypropanoic acid (PFMPA)
- Result
- < 4 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
Perfluoro-4-methoxybutanoic acid (PFMBA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
Perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
- Result
- < 4 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
- Result
- < 4 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
Perfluoropentanesulfonic acid (PFPeS)
- Result
- < 4 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
Perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTA)
- Result
- < 8 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
Perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA)
- Result
- < 7 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA)
- Result
- < 2 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-10-02 to 2024-07-30
Every value is the published result from the cited public record. A reporting limit is the lowest level the method could reliably quantify; a non-detect is not a guarantee of zero.
UCMR5 Analytical Results
UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF AUSTIN WATER & WASTEWATER (TX2270001)
US EPA
State SDWIS Compliance Record
Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile: CITY OF AUSTIN WATER & WASTEWATER (TX2270001)
US EPA SDWIS
Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
Austin Water 2025 Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
Austin Water
Methodology: how we analyze water. Prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by the PurityMap Editorial Team before publication.
Something off with your water's smell, color or taste?
Start with the hot-or-cold tap check. Where City of Austin Water & Wastewater reported something related, it's shown below.
- Rotten-egg smell
- Cloudy or milky water
- Chlorine smell
Austin disinfects with chloramine (utility water-quality report).
- Brown or yellow water
- Metallic taste
Lead at City of Austin Water & Wastewater: not detected (90th percentile, 2022–2024 monitoring period). Lead has no taste, so a taste neither shows nor rules it out.