PFOS
2.1× the limitPerfluorooctanesulfonic acid
8.5ng/L
Each block = 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
EPA UCMR 5 · sampled 2023Evidence
City water report · 2026
Is El Paso 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); lithium sits above a screening level, and the water is hard. El Paso Water Utilities serves 747,168 residents.
Likely match, check your bill
EL PASO WATER UTILITIES serves El Paso
Your water bill or annual water quality report names your actual supplier.
- Source
- Surface water
- Disinfectant
- chlorine
- Lead service lines
- 0 lead, 9 galvanized, 134,633 unknown
- EL PASO WATER UTILITIESThis reportTX0710002 · 747,168 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 detected
- Disinfection by-products2 detected
- Other2 above
Every detected result
11 detected results, by distance from their limit
EL PASO WATER UTILITIES (EPA PWSID TX0710002) delivers surface water to 747,168 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 2024 CCR reports hard water and chlorine disinfection.
- LithiumEPA UCMR 5 · 202310 µg/L EPA health reference level (screening, not a legal limit)133.4µg/LAbove screening
- Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)EPA UCMR 5 · 20234.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)8.5ng/LAbove limit
- Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)Utility CCR · 202480 ppb federal MCL71ppbWithin reference
- Haloacetic acids (HAA5)Utility CCR · 202460 ppb federal MCL35.4ppbWithin reference
- Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS)EPA UCMR 5 · 202310 ng/L federal MCL (2024)5.5ng/LWithin reference
- Lead (90th percentile)EPA SDWIS (Lead & Copper Rule) · 202315 µg/L federal action level1.16µg/LWithin reference
- Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)EPA UCMR 5 · 20232,000 ng/L EPA health advisory (screening, not a legal limit)8.5ng/LWithin reference
- Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)EPA UCMR 5 · 2023400,000 ng/L Michigan EGLE state MCL (strictest US state)4.5ng/LWithin reference
- Water hardnessUtility CCR · 2024Aesthetic, no federal health limit10.2gpgAbove aesthetic
- Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA)EPA UCMR 5 · 2023No federal or state limit; shown for transparency11ng/LDetected · no limit
- Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)EPA UCMR 5 · 2023No federal or state limit; shown for transparency5.9ng/LDetected · no limit
23 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
Track record
0health-based violations in the last 10 years
From EPA SDWIS. A clean violation history means no enforcement action was recorded; it does not cover contaminants without a limit.
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 8.5 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
lead 1.16 µg/L, below the 15 µg/L action level (detected below the limit); 9 galvanized lines to replace (context, not a tap measurement)
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
Varify 17-in-1 Complete Water Test Kit
Varify
17 strip readings, including lead, chlorine, fluoride, iron and hardness, plus 2 coliform bacteria tests
- Turnaround: About 1 minute; the bacteria test takes 48 hours
What it can't tell you: Strip colors give rough ranges, not lab numbers, and it cannot detect PFAS or arsenic.
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 El Paso 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: Lithium, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and 4 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: Lithium, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and 4 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 11 products certified for a El Paso concern →
Countertop System
AquaTru Classic Countertop Reverse-Osmosis Purifier (AT2000)
- PFOS: eligible, evidence match
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: Lithium, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and 4 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: Lithium, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and 4 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: Lithium, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and 4 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: Lithium, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and 4 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, Lithium, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) and 5 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, Lithium, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) and 5 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
Whole-House System
GE GXSH35W Water Softener (35,000-grain)
- Hardness / scale: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: PFOS, Lithium, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) and 5 more
Not suitable for (4)
- Treating only the drinking-water tap
- Lead from plumbing after the point it treats
- Anyone who can't plumb, drill or hire an installer
- Renters who can't modify plumbing
Whole-House System
Kenmore 420 Water Softener (40,000-grain)
- Hardness / scale: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: PFOS, Lithium, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) and 5 more
Not suitable for (4)
- Treating only the drinking-water tap
- Lead from plumbing after the point it treats
- Anyone who can't plumb, drill or hire an installer
- Renters who can't modify plumbing
Under-Sink Filter
Under-Sink Carbon Block Filter
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: PFOS, Lithium, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) and 5 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 El Paso tap water safe to drink?
PurityMap does not give a safe/unsafe verdict; it shows what the public records measured. For El Paso, PFOS 8.5 ng/L was measured above the 4 ng/L federal limit in EPA's 2024 testing; the lead 90th-percentile result was 1.16 µg/L against the 15 µg/L action level. EL PASO WATER UTILITIES (PWSID TX0710002) has a Purity Score of 58/100 (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 El Paso?
EL PASO WATER UTILITIES (PWS ID TX0710002) is the public water system on record for El Paso, Texas, serving about 747,168 people. Confirm the utility on your water bill before acting on a specific finding.
Where does El Paso get its drinking water?
Surface water (primary source of record in EPA SDWIS).
Are PFAS "forever chemicals" in El Paso's water?
Yes. In EPA's UCMR 5 testing (2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20), PFOS was measured at 8.5 ng/L against a 4 ng/L federal limit. PFBS (8.5 ng/L, below the 2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory), PFHxA (4.5 ng/L, below the 400,000 ng/L state limit) and PFHxS (5.5 ng/L, below the 10 ng/L federal limit) were also detected. PFBA (11 ng/L) and PFPeA (5.9 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 El Paso's tap water?
EL PASO WATER UTILITIES's most recent lead 90th-percentile result (2023–2025) was 1.16 µg/L, below the 15 µg/L action level. That figure comes from sampled homes; lead usually enters from a building's own pipes and fixtures, so only a test at your tap tells you what you drink.
What does the latest El Paso water report show?
PurityMap's current record for El Paso holds 34 findings: 3 above a reference, 6 detected within the reference, 2 detected with no limit and 23 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 El Paso's water hard?
El Paso's water is recorded as 10.2 gpg, hard. Hardness is an aesthetic and plumbing characteristic, not a health-based limit.
Follow this water
Follow El Paso's water
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Sources and dataAll 34 records and their sourcesEPA UCMR 5 · EPA SDWIS (Lead & Copper Rule) · Utility CCR
23 other PFAS tested — none detected
- Result
- 133.4 µg/L
- Benchmark
- 10 µg/L EPA health reference level (screening, not a legal limit)Screening level, not a legal limit
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)
- Result
- 8.5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
- Result
- 10.2 gpg
- Benchmark
- Aesthetic, no federal health limit
- Sampled
- 2024
- Result
- 71 ppb
- Benchmark
- 80 ppb federal MCL
- Sampled
- 2024
- Result
- 35.4 ppb
- Benchmark
- 60 ppb federal MCL
- Sampled
- 2024
Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS)
- Result
- 5.5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
- Result
- 1.16 µg/L
- Benchmark
- 15 µg/L federal action level
- Sampled
- 2023–2025 monitoring period
Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)
- Result
- 8.5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory (screening, not a legal limit)Screening level, not a legal limit
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)
- Result
- 4.5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 400,000 ng/L Michigan EGLE state MCL (strictest US state)
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
- Result
- 11 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)
- Result
- 5.9 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
23 other PFAS 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
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecane sulfonic acid (8:2 FTS)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (4:2 FTS)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (6:2 FTS)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
4,8-Dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoic acid (ADONA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
9-Chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanone-1-sulfonic acid (9Cl-PF3ONS)
- Result
- < 2 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) (GenX chemicals)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
N-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NEtFOSAA)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NMeFOSAA)
- Result
- < 6 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
Nonafluoro-3,6-dioxaheptanoic acid (NFDHA)
- Result
- < 20 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
Perfluoro (2-ethoxyethane) sulfonic acid (PFEESA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
Perfluoro-3-methoxypropanoic acid (PFMPA)
- Result
- < 4 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
Perfluoro-4-methoxybutanoic acid (PFMBA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
Perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
- Result
- < 4 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
- Result
- < 4 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
Perfluoropentanesulfonic acid (PFPeS)
- Result
- < 4 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
Perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTA)
- Result
- < 8 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
Perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA)
- Result
- < 7 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA)
- Result
- < 2 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-07-11 to 2026-05-20
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: EL PASO WATER UTILITIES (TX0710002)
US EPA
State SDWIS Compliance Record
Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile: EL PASO WATER UTILITIES (TX0710002)
US EPA SDWIS
Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
El Paso Water 2024 Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
El Paso 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 El Paso Water Utilities reported something related, it's shown below.
- Rotten-egg smell
- Cloudy or milky water
- Chlorine smell
El Paso disinfects with chlorine (utility water-quality report).
- Brown or yellow water
- Metallic taste
Lead at El Paso Water Utilities: 1.16 µg/L (90th percentile, 2023–2025 monitoring period). Lead has no taste, so a taste neither shows nor rules it out.