Water Quality Report · Updated May 12, 2026
CITY OF PASADENA
CITY OF PASADENA delivers tap water graded F (53/100) by TapWaterSafety.org. The utility serves approximately 152,000 residents in PASADENA, 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; Arsenic* significantly above health guideline. For questions, the utility can be reached at 713-475-5545.
Is PASADENA tap water safe to drink?
CITY OF PASADENA delivers tap water that earns a grade of F (53/100) from TapWaterSafety.org — a poor rating, with significant contamination concerns and/or recent violations.
The utility serves 152,000 residents in PASADENA, drawing from surface water (purchased).
Public testing data identifies 19 contaminants in this water above EWG's health-based guidelines, including: Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS), Haloacetic acids (HAA9), Arsenic*, Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Haloacetic acids (HAA5), Bromochloroacetic acid, Bromodichloromethane, Dichloroacetic acid, Trichloroacetic acid, Chloroform, Dibromochloromethane, Radium, combined (-226 and -228)*, Dibromoacetic acid, Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), Uranium*, Nitrate and nitrite, Nitrate, Bromoform, 6:2 Fluorotelomer Sulfonic Acid (6:2 FTSA) *. 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 PASADENA 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 PASADENA.
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 1.49 ppt, 1489x above the EWG health guideline of 0.001 ppt.
Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA9) detected at 39.5 ppb, 658x above the EWG health guideline of 0.06 ppb.
Arsenic* significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernArsenic* detected at 2.06 ppb, 516x above the EWG health guideline of 0.004 ppb.
Contact CITY OF PASADENA
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 PASADENA
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.
Reverse Osmosis
$249-$750Arsenic is most effectively removed by reverse osmosis. Some specialized adsorptive filters also work.
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 53/100 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 |
1.49 ppt | 0.001 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | 1489× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
39.5 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 658× over |
| Arsenic* Heavy metal |
2.06 ppb | 0.004 | 10.0 | 10 | 10 | 0.004 | — | 516× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
36.8 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 245× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
24.2 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 242× over |
| Bromochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
4.11 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 205× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
8.36 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 139× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
16.7 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 83× over |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
6.3 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 63× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
22.1 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 55× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
2.59 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 26× over |
| Radium, combined (-226 and -228)* Radiological |
0.85 pCi/L | 0.05 | 5.0 | — | — | — | — | 17× over |
| Dibromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.423 ppb | 0.03 | — | — | — | — | — | 14× over |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) PFAS |
1.53 ppt | 0.3 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 1 | — | 5.1× over |
| Uranium* Radiological |
2.19 pCi/L | 0.43 | 20.0 | 30 | 30 | 0.43 | — | 5.1× over |
| Nitrate and nitrite Inorganic |
0.417 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 3.0× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
0.298 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 2.1× over |
| Bromoform Disinfection byproduct |
1.02 ppb | 0.5 | — | — | — | — | — | 2.0× over |
| 6:2 Fluorotelomer Sulfonic Acid (6:2 FTSA) * Other |
1.69 ppt | 1.0 | — | — | — | — | — | 1.7× over |
| Atrazine Pesticide/Herbicide |
0.0958 ppb | 0.1 | 3.0 | 0.1 | 100 | 0.15 | — | Below guideline |
| Simazine Pesticide/Herbicide |
0.0447 ppb | 0.1 | 4.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.00573 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Aluminum* Heavy metal |
101.9 ppb | 600.0 | — | 200 | — | 600 | — | Below guideline |
| Bromochloromethane Other |
0.00984 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Chlorate* Disinfection byproduct |
31.3 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Barium Heavy metal |
86.2 ppb | 700.0 | 2000.0 | — | 1300 | 2000 | — | Below guideline |
| Molybdenum Other |
4.47 ppb | 40.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
9.42 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Thallium* Heavy metal |
0.00483 ppb | 0.1 | 2.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Selenium* Heavy metal |
1.28 ppb | 30.0 | 50.0 | 20 | 40 | 30 | — | Below guideline |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate* Semi-volatile organic compound |
0.0822 ppb | 3.0 | 6.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| 1,4-Dioxane* Semi-volatile organic compound |
0.00599 ppb | 0.35 | — | — | 50 | 1 | — | Below guideline |
| Monochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.809 ppb | 53.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Vanadium Other |
0.125 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA) PFAS |
3.99 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) PFAS |
3.42 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutanoic Acid (PFBA) PFAS |
3.27 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) PFAS |
1.07 ppt | 2000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA) PFAS |
0.367 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Cobalt* Other |
0.0106 ppb | 70.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.174 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Toluene* Volatile organic compound |
0.0134 ppb | 150.0 | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Xylenes (total)* Volatile organic compound |
0.13 ppb | 1800.0 | 10000.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Ethylbenzene* Volatile organic compound |
0.0152 ppb | 300.0 | 700.0 | 1 | 10 | 0.15 | — | Below guideline |
| Picloram* Other |
0.00476 ppb | 166.0 | 500.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| 2-methyl-1-propene* Other |
3.5 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| 4-Androstene-3,17-dione Other |
0.038 ppt | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Cyanide Inorganic |
5.71 ppb | — | 200.0 | 50 | 70 | 150 | — | Below guideline |
| Dalapon Pesticide/Herbicide |
0.0362 ppb | — | 200.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Erucylamide* Other |
3.0 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Ethinyl estradiol Other |
0.173 ppt | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Fluoride Inorganic |
0.724 ppm | — | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Germanium Other |
0.0909 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Hexadecanoic acid Other |
7.29 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Lithium Other |
7.3 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Methyl isobutyl ketone* Other |
0.0777 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Nitrite Inorganic |
0.0369 ppm | — | 1.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| o-toluidine * Other |
0.0012 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Octadecanoic acid Other |
33.7 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Oleic acid* Other |
3.2 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 PASADENA service area
This water system serves 1 community in Harris County, Texas. Click any city for its dedicated tap water quality page.
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