Water Quality Report · Updated October 07, 2026
CITY OF ABILENE
CITY OF ABILENE delivers tap water graded D (56/100) by TapWaterSafety.org. The utility serves approximately 125,182 residents in ABILENE, Texas using surface water. The most significant water quality concerns are: PFAS contamination; Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) significantly above health guideline; Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline; Dibromoacetic acid significantly above health guideline; Arsenic detected. For questions, the utility can be reached at 325-676-6200.
Is ABILENE tap water safe to drink?
CITY OF ABILENE delivers tap water that earns a grade of D (56/100) from TapWaterSafety.org — a below-average rating, with multiple concerns including pfas contamination.
The utility serves 125,182 residents in ABILENE, drawing from surface water. Despite being legal under US EPA standards, this water would fail the European Union's Drinking Water Directive, primarily due to pfas contamination.
Public testing data identifies 19 contaminants in this water above EWG's health-based guidelines, including: Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS), Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), Haloacetic acids (HAA9), Dibromoacetic acid, Bromochloroacetic acid, Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Haloacetic acids (HAA5), Dibromochloromethane, Bromodichloromethane, Bromoform, Arsenic, Dichloroacetic acid, Chlorite, Nitrate, Chloroform, Chlorate, Chromium (hexavalent), Uranium. For most residents, a properly certified home filter at the kitchen tap is the most cost-effective way to reduce exposure to whatever's in your water. See our filter recommendations below, matched specifically to this utility's contaminant profile.
EPA compliance record
Official U.S. EPA records for CITY OF ABILENE (system ID TX2210001) for the last 3 years. Checked 2026-10-07.
Source: U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO), from the Safe Drinking Water Information System. See EPA's full report.
Quick actions for ABILENE residents
Top concerns in this water
Based on the most recent EPA and EWG data, these are the most significant water quality issues for CITY OF ABILENE.
PFAS contamination
Severe concernPerfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) detected. PFAS are persistent chemicals linked to cancer and immune effects with no known safe exposure threshold.
Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernPerfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) detected at 18.8 ppt, 18792x above the EWG health guideline of 0.001 ppt.
Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA9) detected at 31.2 ppb, 520x above the EWG health guideline of 0.06 ppb.
Dibromoacetic acid significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernDibromoacetic acid detected at 10.2 ppb, 341x above the EWG health guideline of 0.03 ppb.
Arsenic detected
Moderate concernArsenic detected at 0.144 ppb.
Contact CITY OF ABILENE
Reach the utility directly for service issues, water quality concerns, or to request your Consumer Confidence Report.
General Contact
Treatment Plant
Recommended water filters for ABILENE
Filters matched to the specific contaminants in this water supply.
Filter certified for PFOA/PFOS (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58)
$180-$750Reverse osmosis and some carbon block filters reduce PFAS. Look for certification to NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 for PFOA/PFOS.
Carbon filter certified for VOCs (NSF/ANSI 53)
$180-$599Activated carbon is effective for disinfection byproducts. Look for NSF/ANSI 53 VOC reduction.
Reverse osmosis certified for arsenic (NSF/ANSI 58)
$429-$599Reverse osmosis certified under NSF/ANSI 58 for arsenic is the most reliable home option.
Disclosure: TapWaterSafety earns a commission from purchases made through these links. This does not influence our scoring methodology or filter selection.
Score breakdown
This utility's overall score of 56/100 breaks down across five weighted components. Read the full methodology →
Contaminants detected — international standards comparison
Every contaminant detected, compared side-by-side against US EPA legal limits, the EU Drinking Water Directive (2020/2184), WHO Guidelines, and California's Public Health Goal (the strictest US benchmark). Why we show multiple standards →
| Contaminant | Detected | EWG US health-based |
EPA US legal |
EU DWD Europe |
WHO global |
CA PHG strictest US |
Tested sample year |
Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) PFAS |
18.8 ppt | 0.001 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | EPA violation |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) PFAS |
16.4 ppt | 0.3 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 1 | — | EPA violation |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) PFAS |
4.47 ppt | 0.09 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | — | EPA violation |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
31.2 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 520× over |
| Dibromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
10.2 ppb | 0.03 | — | — | — | — | — | 341× over |
| Bromochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
5.25 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 262× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
35.1 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 234× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
15.1 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 151× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
9.7 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 97× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
3.71 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 62× over |
| Bromoform Disinfection byproduct |
20.1 ppb | 0.5 | — | — | — | — | — | 40× over |
| Arsenic Heavy metal |
0.144 ppb | 0.004 | 10.0 | 10 | 10 | 0.004 | — | 36× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
2.69 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 13× over |
| Chlorite Disinfection byproduct |
284.6 ppb | 50.0 | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | 5.7× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
0.253 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 1.8× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
0.666 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 1.7× over |
| Chlorate Disinfection byproduct |
256.3 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | 1.2× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.0229 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 1.1× over |
| Uranium Radiological |
0.49 pCi/L | 0.43 | 20.0 | 30 | 30 | 0.43 | — | 1.1× over |
| Perfluoropentane sulfonic acid (PFPeS) PFAS |
0.733 ppt | 1.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.0604 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Benzo[a]pyrene Other |
0.00167 ppb | 0.007 | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Barium Heavy metal |
157.8 ppb | 700.0 | 2000.0 | — | 1300 | 2000 | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
10.4 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Molybdenum Other |
3.71 ppb | 40.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Monobromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
1.52 ppb | 25.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Aluminum Heavy metal |
25.4 ppb | 600.0 | — | 200 | — | 600 | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutanoic Acid (PFBA) PFAS |
15.7 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) PFAS |
13.7 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Monochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.647 ppb | 53.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA) PFAS |
11.4 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA) PFAS |
6.27 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Vanadium Other |
0.106 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) PFAS |
6.03 ppt | 2000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.885 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Chromium (total) Heavy metal |
0.267 ppb | — | 100.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Cyanide Inorganic |
93.0 ppb | — | 200.0 | 50 | 70 | 150 | — | Fails EU |
| Fluoride Inorganic |
0.74 ppm | — | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Germanium Other |
0.0333 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Lithium Other |
16.1 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
All values in the unit of the detected level. Red cells indicate the detected level exceeds that standard. Some contaminants have limits in some jurisdictions but not others (shown as —). The "Tested" column shows the year each contaminant sample was collected.
Sources: US EPA, EU Drinking Water Directive 2020/2184, WHO Guidelines (4th ed.), California OEHHA PHGs, EWG Tap Water Database.
CITY OF ABILENE service area
This water system serves 1 community in Taylor County, Texas. Click any city for its dedicated tap water quality page.
Find the right filter for ABILENE water
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