Water Quality Report · Updated October 07, 2026
CLEAR LAKE CITY WATER AUTHORITY
CLEAR LAKE CITY WATER AUTHORITY delivers tap water graded D (56/100) by TapWaterSafety.org. The utility serves approximately 89,702 residents in HOUSTON, 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 281-488-1164.
Is HOUSTON tap water safe to drink?
CLEAR LAKE CITY WATER AUTHORITY 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 89,702 residents in HOUSTON, 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 16 contaminants in this water above EWG's health-based guidelines, including: Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS), Haloacetic acids (HAA9), Bromochloroacetic acid, Haloacetic acids (HAA5), Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Bromodichloromethane, Dichloroacetic acid, Trichloroacetic acid, Chloroform, Dibromoacetic acid, Dibromochloromethane, Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), Radium, combined (-226 and -228), Nitrate, Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), Atrazine. 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 CLEAR LAKE CITY WATER AUTHORITY (system ID TX1010056) 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 HOUSTON residents
Top concerns in this water
Based on the most recent EPA and EWG data, these are the most significant water quality issues for CLEAR LAKE CITY WATER AUTHORITY.
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 3.04 ppt, 3039x above the EWG health guideline of 0.001 ppt.
Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA9) detected at 49.6 ppb, 827x above the EWG health guideline of 0.06 ppb.
Bromochloroacetic acid significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernBromochloroacetic acid detected at 5.75 ppb, 287x above the EWG health guideline of 0.02 ppb.
Contact CLEAR LAKE CITY WATER AUTHORITY
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 HOUSTON
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.
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 |
3.04 ppt | 0.001 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | 3039× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
49.6 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 827× over |
| Bromochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
5.75 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 287× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
26.0 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 260× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
35.9 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 239× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
10.0 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 167× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
17.4 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 87× over |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
6.47 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 65× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
20.7 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 52× over |
| Dibromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
1.52 ppb | 0.03 | — | — | — | — | — | 51× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
3.38 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 34× over |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) PFAS |
3.79 ppt | 0.3 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 1 | — | 13× over |
| Radium, combined (-226 and -228) Radiological |
0.5 pCi/L | 0.05 | 5.0 | — | — | — | — | 10× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
0.387 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 2.8× over |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) PFAS |
0.222 ppt | 0.09 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | — | 2.5× over |
| Atrazine Pesticide/Herbicide |
0.122 ppb | 0.1 | 3.0 | 0.1 | 100 | 0.15 | — | Fails EU |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.0175 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Bromoform Disinfection byproduct |
0.397 ppb | 0.5 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Simazine Pesticide/Herbicide |
0.0754 ppb | 0.1 | 4.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Bromochloromethane Other |
0.00674 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Barium Heavy metal |
68.0 ppb | 700.0 | 2000.0 | — | 1300 | 2000 | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
6.53 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Molybdenum Other |
2.27 ppb | 40.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate Semi-volatile organic compound |
0.123 ppb | 3.0 | 6.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Vanadium Other |
0.281 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Monochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.565 ppb | 53.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutanoic Acid (PFBA) PFAS |
7.16 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) PFAS |
5.83 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA) PFAS |
5.67 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) PFAS |
2.68 ppt | 2000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA) PFAS |
1.28 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Monobromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.0292 ppb | 25.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.269 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Cyanide Inorganic |
42.5 ppb | — | 200.0 | 50 | 70 | 150 | — | Below guideline |
| Dalapon Pesticide/Herbicide |
0.012 ppb | — | 200.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Fluoride Inorganic |
0.478 ppm | — | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Germanium Other |
0.0172 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Hexadecanoic acid Other |
6.97 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Lithium Other |
3.77 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Octadecanoic acid Other |
17.0 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.
CLEAR LAKE CITY WATER AUTHORITY 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 HOUSTON water
Browse filter categories by water-quality concern. Each option below is NSF-certified for the matched contaminant type.