Water Quality Report · Updated May 12, 2026
CITY OF AUSTIN WATER & WASTEWATER
CITY OF AUSTIN WATER & WASTEWATER delivers tap water graded D (61/100) by TapWaterSafety.org. The utility serves approximately 1,115,323 residents in AUSTIN, 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; Bromochloroacetic acid significantly above health guideline. For questions, the utility can be reached at 512-972-0108.
Is AUSTIN tap water safe to drink?
CITY OF AUSTIN WATER & WASTEWATER delivers tap water that earns a grade of D (61/100) from TapWaterSafety.org — a below-average rating, with multiple concerns including pfas contamination.
The utility serves 1,115,323 residents in AUSTIN, 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 14 contaminants in this water above EWG's health-based guidelines, including: Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS), Haloacetic acids (HAA9), Bromochloroacetic acid, Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Bromodichloromethane, Haloacetic acids (HAA5), Dibromochloromethane, Dibromoacetic acid, Dichloroacetic acid, Chloroform, Trichloroacetic acid, Chromium (hexavalent), Bromoform, Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). 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.
Quick actions for AUSTIN 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 AUSTIN WATER & WASTEWATER.
PFAS contamination
Severe concernPerfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) 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 2.33 ppt, 2333x above the EWG health guideline of 0.001 ppt.
Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA9) detected at 28.3 ppb, 471x above the EWG health guideline of 0.06 ppb.
Bromochloroacetic acid significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernBromochloroacetic acid detected at 4.18 ppb, 209x above the EWG health guideline of 0.02 ppb.
Contact CITY OF AUSTIN WATER & WASTEWATER
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 AUSTIN
Filters matched to the specific contaminants in this water supply.
Reverse Osmosis or NSF P473 certified carbon
$80-$750Activated carbon and RO are the only technologies proven to remove PFAS at certified levels.
Carbon block (NSF/ANSI 42 + 53)
$40-$750Activated carbon is highly effective for disinfection byproducts like TTHM and HAA5.
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 61/100 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 |
2.33 ppt | 0.001 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | 2333× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
28.3 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 471× over |
| Bromochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
4.18 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 209× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
31.4 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 209× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
10.1 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 168× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
10.4 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 104× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
10.2 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 102× over |
| Dibromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
2.83 ppb | 0.03 | — | — | — | — | — | 94× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
6.01 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 30× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
8.67 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 22× over |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
1.57 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 16× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.175 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 8.7× over |
| Bromoform Disinfection byproduct |
2.6 ppb | 0.5 | — | — | — | — | — | 5.2× over |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) PFAS |
1.06 ppt | 0.3 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 1 | — | 3.5× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
0.108 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | Below guideline |
| Vanadium Other |
3.33 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Molybdenum Other |
1.79 ppb | 40.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Diquat Pesticide/Herbicide |
0.2 ppb | 6.0 | 20.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Barium Heavy metal |
11.5 ppb | 700.0 | 2000.0 | — | 1300 | 2000 | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutanoic Acid (PFBA) PFAS |
2.39 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA) PFAS |
1.57 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) PFAS |
1.89 ppt | 2000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) PFAS |
0.7 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Monochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.0271 ppb | 53.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.132 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Cyanide Inorganic |
71.1 ppb | — | 200.0 | 50 | 70 | 150 | — | Fails EU |
| Fluoride Inorganic |
0.682 ppm | — | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Hexadecanoic acid Other |
7.67 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Octadecanoic acid Other |
4.4 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 AUSTIN WATER & WASTEWATER service area
This water system serves 1 community in Travis County, Texas. Click any city for its dedicated tap water quality page.
Find the right filter for AUSTIN water
Browse filter categories by water-quality concern. Each option below is NSF-certified for the matched contaminant type.