Water Quality Report · Updated May 12, 2026
DALLAS WATER UTILITY
DALLAS WATER UTILITY delivers tap water graded D (55/100) by TapWaterSafety.org. The utility serves approximately 1,356,479 residents in DALLAS, 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 214-670-3301.
Is DALLAS tap water safe to drink?
DALLAS WATER UTILITY delivers tap water that earns a grade of D (55/100) from TapWaterSafety.org — a below-average rating, with multiple concerns including pfas contamination.
The utility serves 1,356,479 residents in DALLAS, 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 18 contaminants in this water above EWG's health-based guidelines, including: Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS), Haloacetic acids (HAA9), Bromochloroacetic acid, Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Haloacetic acids (HAA5), Bromodichloromethane, Dibromoacetic acid, Dibromochloromethane, Bromate, Dichloroacetic acid, Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), Chromium (hexavalent), Chloroform, Nitrate, Trichloroacetic acid, Bromoform, Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), 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.
Quick actions for DALLAS residents
Top concerns in this water
Based on the most recent EPA and EWG data, these are the most significant water quality issues for DALLAS WATER UTILITY.
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 0.867 ppt, 867x above the EWG health guideline of 0.001 ppt.
Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA9) detected at 10.9 ppb, 181x above the EWG health guideline of 0.06 ppb.
Bromochloroacetic acid significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernBromochloroacetic acid detected at 2.86 ppb, 143x above the EWG health guideline of 0.02 ppb.
Contact DALLAS WATER UTILITY
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 DALLAS
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 55/100 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 |
0.867 ppt | 0.001 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | 867× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
10.9 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 181× over |
| Bromochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
2.86 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 143× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
14.1 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 94× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
7.46 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 75× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
4.41 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 73× over |
| Dibromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
1.7 ppb | 0.03 | — | — | — | — | — | 57× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
4.35 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 44× over |
| Bromate Disinfection byproduct |
2.38 ppb | 0.1 | 10.0 | 10 | 10 | 0.1 | — | 24× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
4.33 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 22× over |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) PFAS |
1.6 ppt | 0.09 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | — | 18× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.275 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 14× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
3.87 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 9.7× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
0.69 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 4.9× over |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.413 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 4.1× over |
| Bromoform Disinfection byproduct |
1.4 ppb | 0.5 | — | — | — | — | — | 2.8× over |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) PFAS |
0.792 ppt | 0.3 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 1 | — | 2.6× over |
| Atrazine Pesticide/Herbicide |
0.111 ppb | 0.1 | 3.0 | 0.1 | 100 | 0.15 | — | Fails EU |
| Simazine Pesticide/Herbicide |
0.0844 ppb | 0.1 | 4.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Chlorate Disinfection byproduct |
12.6 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Barium Heavy metal |
31.1 ppb | 700.0 | 2000.0 | — | 1300 | 2000 | — | Below guideline |
| Molybdenum Other |
1.7 ppb | 40.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Aluminum Heavy metal |
11.4 ppb | 600.0 | — | 200 | — | 600 | — | Below guideline |
| Monochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.913 ppb | 53.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutanoic Acid (PFBA) PFAS |
9.75 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA) PFAS |
9.16 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) PFAS |
8.79 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Vanadium Other |
0.117 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Monobromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.101 ppb | 25.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
0.376 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) PFAS |
4.67 ppt | 2000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA) PFAS |
1.32 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.305 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Acetone Other |
6.38 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Chromium (total) Heavy metal |
0.544 ppb | — | 100.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Cyanide Inorganic |
95.5 ppb | — | 200.0 | 50 | 70 | 150 | — | Fails EU |
| Fluoride Inorganic |
0.651 ppm | — | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Nitrite Inorganic |
0.0058 ppm | — | 1.0 | — | — | — | — | 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.
DALLAS WATER UTILITY service area
This water system serves 1 community in Dallas County, Texas. Click any city for its dedicated tap water quality page.
Find the right filter for DALLAS water
Browse filter categories by water-quality concern. Each option below is NSF-certified for the matched contaminant type.