Water Quality Report · Updated May 12, 2026
CITY OF BAYTOWN
CITY OF BAYTOWN delivers tap water graded D (61/100) by TapWaterSafety.org. The utility serves approximately 86,004 residents in BAYTOWN, Texas using surface water (purchased). 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 281-420-6500.
Is BAYTOWN tap water safe to drink?
CITY OF BAYTOWN 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 86,004 residents in BAYTOWN, drawing from surface water (purchased). 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 18 contaminants in this water above EWG's health-based guidelines, including: Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS), Haloacetic acids (HAA9), Bromochloroacetic acid, Haloacetic acids (HAA5), Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Bromodichloromethane, Dichloroacetic acid, Trichloroacetic acid, Chloroform, Dibromoacetic acid, Radium, combined (-226 and -228), Dibromochloromethane, Chromium (hexavalent), Chlorite*, Nitrate, Atrazine, Simazine. 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 BAYTOWN 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 BAYTOWN.
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 3.9 ppt, 3900x above the EWG health guideline of 0.001 ppt.
Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA9) detected at 37.0 ppb, 616x above the EWG health guideline of 0.06 ppb.
Bromochloroacetic acid significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernBromochloroacetic acid detected at 5.43 ppb, 271x above the EWG health guideline of 0.02 ppb.
Contact CITY OF BAYTOWN
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 BAYTOWN
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) PFAS |
4.75 ppt | 0.3 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 1 | — | EPA violation |
| Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) PFAS |
3.9 ppt | 0.001 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | 3900× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
37.0 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 616× over |
| Bromochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
5.43 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 271× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
23.7 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 237× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
31.4 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 209× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
9.52 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 159× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
16.2 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 81× over |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
6.13 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 61× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
18.9 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 47× over |
| Dibromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
1.3 ppb | 0.03 | — | — | — | — | — | 43× over |
| Radium, combined (-226 and -228) Radiological |
1.5 pCi/L | 0.05 | 5.0 | — | — | — | — | 30× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
2.94 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 29× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.163 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 8.1× over |
| Chlorite* Disinfection byproduct |
106.8 ppb | 50.0 | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | 2.1× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
0.28 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 2.0× over |
| Atrazine Pesticide/Herbicide |
0.126 ppb | 0.1 | 3.0 | 0.1 | 100 | 0.15 | — | Fails EU |
| Simazine Pesticide/Herbicide |
0.12 ppb | 0.1 | 4.0 | — | — | — | — | 1.2× over |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
16.4 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Barium Heavy metal |
47.0 ppb | 700.0 | 2000.0 | — | 1300 | 2000 | — | Below guideline |
| Molybdenum Other |
2.18 ppb | 40.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate* Semi-volatile organic compound |
0.064 ppb | 3.0 | 6.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Bromoform Disinfection byproduct |
0.0104 ppb | 0.5 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutanoic Acid (PFBA) PFAS |
9.44 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA) PFAS |
7.31 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) PFAS |
7.05 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) PFAS |
3.48 ppt | 2000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA) PFAS |
1.63 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Monochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.0604 ppb | 53.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.297 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Asbestos Other |
0.2 | — | 7.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Cyanide* Inorganic |
51.7 ppb | — | 200.0 | 50 | 70 | 150 | — | Fails EU |
| Fluoride Inorganic |
0.54 ppm | — | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Hexadecanoic acid* Other |
10.9 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Lithium Other |
3.4 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Octadecanoic acid* Other |
33.1 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 BAYTOWN service area
This water system serves 1 community in Harris County, Texas. Click any city for its dedicated tap water quality page.
Find the right filter for BAYTOWN water
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