Table of Contents
Can You Drink Tap Water in Fort Worth?
Yes, Fort Worth's tap water is generally considered safe to drink as Fort Worth has no active health based violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) that we are aware of. Other factors such as lead piping in a home, or low levels of pollutants on immunocompromised individuals, should also be considered, however. To find more recent info we might have, you can check out our boil water notice page, the city's water provider website, or Fort Worth's local Twitter account.
According the EPA’s ECHO database, from April 30, 2019 to June 30, 2022, Fort Worth's water utility, City of Fort Worth, had 1 health-based violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act. For more details on the violations, please see our violation history section below. The last violation for Fort Worth was resolved on March 31, 2021. This assessment is based on the City of Fort Worth water system, other water systems in the city may have different results.
While tap water that meets the EPA health guidelines generally won’t make you sick to your stomach, it can still contain regulated and unregulated contaminants present in trace amounts that could potentially cause health issues over the long-run. These trace contaminants may also impact immunocompromised and vulnerable individuals.
The EPA is reviewing if it’s current regulations around pollutant levels in tap water are strict enough, and the health dangers posed by unregulated pollutants, like PFAS.
Water Quality Report for Fort Worth Tap Water
The most recent publicly available numbers for measured contaminant levels in Fort Worth tap water are in its 2020 Water Quality Report. As you can see, there are levels which the EPA considers to be acceptable, but being below the maximum allowable level doesn’t necessarily mean the water is healthy.
Lead in tap water, for example, is currently allowed at up to 15ppb by the EPA, but it has set the ideal goal for lead at zero. This highlights how meeting EPA standards doesn’t necessarily mean local tap water is healthy.
EPA regulations continue to change as it evaluates the long term impacts of chemicals and updates drinking water acceptable levels. The rules around arsenic, as well as, lead and copper are currently being re-evaluated.
There are also a number of "emerging" contaminants that are not currently. For example, PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), for which the EPA has issued a health advisory. PFAS are called "forever chemicals" since they tend not to break down in the environment or the human body and can accumulate over time.
We recommend looking at the contaminants present in Fort Worth's water quality reports, or getting your home's tap water tested to see if you should be filtering your water.
Fort Worth Tap Water Safe Drinking Water Act Violation History - Prior 10 Years
Below is a ten year history of violations for the water system named City of Fort Worth for Fort Worth in Texas. For more details please see the "What do these Violations Mean?" section below.
From March 1, 2021 to March 31, 2021, Fort Worth had 1 health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Treatment Technique Violation, more specifically, the violation code was Treatment Technique (SWTR and GWR) which falls into the Microbials rule code group, and the Surface Water Treatment Rules rule code family for the following contaminant code: Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule.
For the compliance period beginning Nov. 10, 2014, Fort Worth had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Other Violation, more specifically, the violation code was Public Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation which falls into the Other rule code group, and the Public Notice Rule rule code family for the following contaminant code: Public Notice.
From July 1, 2014 to July 31, 2014, Fort Worth had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring, Repeat Minor (TCR) which falls into the Microbials rule code group, and the Total Coliform Rules rule code family for the following contaminant code: Coliform (TCR).
Is there Lead in Fort Worth Water?
Based on the EPA’s ECHO Database, 90% of the samples taken from the Fort Worth water system, City of Fort Worth, between sample start date and sample end date, were at or below, 0.0075 mg/L of lead in Fort Worth water. This is 50.0% of the 0.015 mg/L action level. This means 10% of the samples taken from Fort Worth contained more lead.
While Fort Worth water testing may have found 0.0075 mg/L of lead in its water, that does not mean your water source has the same amount. The amount of lead in water in a city can vary greatly from neighborhood to neighborhood, or even building to building. Many buildings, particularly older ones, have lead pipes or service lines which can be a source of contamination. To find out if your home has lead, we recommend getting you water tested.
No amount of lead in water is healthy, only less dangerous. As lead accumulates in our bodies over time, even exposure to relatively small amounts can have negative health effects. For more information, please check out our Lead FAQ page.
Are there PFAS in Fort Worth Tap Water?
Currently, testing tap water for PFAS isn’t mandated on a national level. We do have a list of military bases where there have been suspected or confirmed leaks. There appears to be at least one military base - Carswell AFB - near Fort Worth with suspected leaks.
With many potential sources of PFAS in tap water across the US, the best information we currently have about which cities have PFAS in their water is this ewg map, which you can check to see if Fort Worth has been evaluated for yet.
Our stance is better safe than sorry, and that it makes sense to try to purify the tap water just in case.
Fort Worth SDWA Violation History Table - Prior 10 Years
| Compliance Period | Status | Health-Based? | Category Code | Code | Rule Code | Contaminant Code | Rule Group Code | Rule Family Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03/01/2021 - 03/31/2021 | Resolved | Yes | Treatment Technique Violation (TT) | Treatment Technique (SWTR and GWR) (41) | Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (123) | Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (0800) | Microbials (100) | Surface Water Treatment Rules (120) |
| 11/10/2014 - | Resolved | No | Other Violation (Other) | Public Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation (75) | Public Notice Rule (410) | Public Notice (7500) | Other (400) | Public Notice Rule (410) |
| 07/01/2014 - 07/31/2014 | Resolved | No | Monitoring and Reporting (MR) | Monitoring, Repeat Minor (TCR) (26) | Total Coliform Rule (110) | Coliform (TCR) (3100) | Microbials (100) | Total Coliform Rules (110) |
What do these Violations Mean?
Safe Drinking Water Act Violations categories split into two groups, health based, and non-health based. Generally, health based violations are more serious, though non-health based violations can also be cause for concern.
Health Based Violations
- Maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) - maximum allowed contaminant level was exceeded.
- Maximum residual disinfectant levels (MRDLs) - maximum allowed disinfectant level was exceeded.
- Other violations (Other) - the exact required process to reduce the amounts of contaminants in drinking water was not followed.
Non-Health Based Violations
- Monitoring and reporting violations (MR, MON) - failure to conduct the required regular monitoring of drinking water quality, and/or to submit monitoring results on time.
- Public notice violations (Other) - failure to immediately alert consumers if there is a serious problem with their drinking water that may pose a risk to public health.
- Other violations (Other) - miscellaneous violations, such as failure to issue annual consumer confidence reports or maintain required records.
SDWA Table Key
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Compliance Period | Dates of the compliance period. |
| Status |
Current status of the violation.
|
| Health-Based? | Whether the violation is health based. |
| Category Code |
The category of violation that is reported.
|
| Code | A full description of violation codes can be accessed in the SDWA_REF_CODE_VALUES (CSV) table. |
| Contaminant Code | A code value that represents a contaminant for which a public water system has incurred a violation of a primary drinking water regulation. |
| Rule Code |
Code for a National Drinking Water rule.
|
| Rule Group Code |
Code that uniquely identifies a rule group.
|
| Rule Family Code |
Code for rule family.
|
For more clarification please visit the EPA's data dictionary.
Fort Worth Water - Frequently Asked Questions
| By Mail: | 200 TEXAS ST FORT WORTH, TX, 76102-6314 |
Existing customers can login to their City of Fort Worth account to pay their Fort Worth water bill by clicking here.
If you want to pay your City of Fort Worth bill online and haven't made an account yet, you can create an account online. Please click here to create your account to pay your Fort Worth water bill.
If you don't want to make an account, or can't remember your account, you can make a one-time payment towards your Fort Worth water bill without creating an account using a one time payment portal with your account number and credit or debit card. Click here to make a one time payment.
Moving to a new house or apartment in Fort Worth means you will often need to put the water in your name with City of Fort Worth. In order to put the water in your name, please click the link to the start service form below. Start service requests for water bills typically take two business days.
Leaving your house or apartment in Fort Worth means you will likely need to take your name off of the water bill with City of Fort Worth. In order to take your name off the water bill, please click the link to the stop service form below. Stop service for water bills requests typically take two business days.
The estimated price of bottled water
$2.03 in USD (1.5-liter)
USER SUBMITTED RATINGS
- Drinking Water Pollution and Inaccessibility
- Water Pollution
- Drinking Water Quality and Accessibility
- Water Quality
The above data is comprised of subjective, user submitted opinions about the water quality and pollution in Fort Worth, measured on a scale from 0% (lowest) to 100% (highest).
Related FAQS
Fort Worth Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report)
The EPA mandates that towns and cities consistently monitor and test their tap water. They must report their findings in an annual Consumer Confidence Report. Below is the most recent water quality report from Fort Worth's Water. If you would like to see the original version of the report, please click here.
2020Water Quality Report
HereForYOU!
Compromised immune systems may be more vulnerable
You may be more vulnerable than the general population to certain microbial contaminants, such as Cryptosporidium, in drinking water. Infants, some elderly, or immunocompromised persons such as those undergoing chemotherapy for cancer; those who have undergone organ transplants; those who are undergoing treatment with steroids; and people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders can be particularly at risk from infections. You should seek advice about drinking water from your physician or health care provider. Additional guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800)
On the cover: Water samples being taken at our Rolling Hills Water Treatment plant.
Message From the Director
Providing safe, reliable and affordable drinking water to our customers is our top priority.
This report provides details about our drinking wa- ter’s quality in 2020. Sometimes the requirements for this report make the information hard to un- derstand. Please contact us at either
The most important thing you need to know is that the quality of our drinking water is very good.
It takes a team of dedicated employees to make that possible. The team includes treatment operators, mechanics, maintenance workers, chemists, micro- biologists, engineers, accountants, customer service representatives, office staff and many others.
The pandemic required adapting how we get our jobs done. Our staff has shown resiliency and per- severance as they worked to keep safe water flow- ing to your homes and businesses.
In addition to the required information, please read the stories about Fort Worth’s efforts to improve the environment and protect our water supply.
With kind regards,
Chris Harder, Director
Fort Worth Water
1 Water Quality Report | 2020 |
2020 | Water Quality Report 2 |
Fresh Start for Citizen Scientists
volunteer citizen scientist program that for |
Expanding the program slowed during the pandem- |
||||
three decades has researched water quality |
ic in 2020, but efforts to grow the team are again |
||||
Ain Texas waterways is getting a fresh start |
underway, Miller said. |
|
|||
in Fort Worth. |
“Basically, anyone who is interested qualifies,” Miller |
||||
Leading the city’s Texas Stream Team is Kayla Miller, |
|||||
said. “I have probably a dozen people who have reached |
|||||
a senior environmental specialist in water quality mon- |
out to me interested in training. I have one mom who |
||||
itoring in Fort Worth’s Code Compliance Department. |
wants to monitor with her |
||||
Miller started Fort Worth’s partner program in the |
Housed at the Meadows Center for Water and the |
||||
fall of 2019 at the request of Cody Whittenburg, Fort |
Environment at Texas State University in San |
||||
Worth’s environmental program manager. Miller is |
Marcos, the Texas Stream Team has more than |
||||
a certified citizen scientist and instructor. |
11,000 citizen scientists trained to collect surface |
||||
Currently, she has two high school students con- |
water and environmental quality data that is used |
||||
to protect the 191,000 miles of Texas waterways, |
|||||
ducting research, one at a spot along the Trinity |
|||||
according to their website. |
|
||||
River and the other at an unnamed tributary that |
|
||||
|
|
|
|
||
feeds into the Trinity on the city’s southwest side. |
The |
team is |
comprised |
of community mem- |
|
The Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge in far |
bers, |
students, |
educators, |
academic researchers, |
|
north Fort Worth is also monitoring three sites on |
|
|
|
|
|
its property. |
|
|
|
|
|
environmental professionals, and, public and private sector partners. They monitor water conditions at more than 400 sites annually.
Citizen scientists monitor basics such as dissolved oxygen, pH, and temperature to advanced skills monitoring of
Citizen scientists pick their research location and
collect data once a month, which takes about two hours, Miller said. The volunteers are asked to par- ticipate for a minimum of one year, she said.
“To get data we can use, it needs to be
Miller submits the local data to the Texas Stream Team database.
The data can be used in many ways, such as a warn- ing to potential problems in a waterbody, to track water quality trends and to develop watershed pro- tections plans.
3 Water Quality Report | 2020
Photo: Two citizen scientists pulling water sample from Trinity River
2020 | Water Quality Report 4
Removing Litter Impacts Water Quality
Fort Worth’s surface waters are a valuable resource for drinking wa- ter, flood control, economic development, recreation and aesthetics. Minimizing pollution reduces public costs for cleaning waterways and
helps provide affordable clean, safe drinking water for all residents.
Litter is a pervasive surface
One of the most exciting new initiatives in 2021 is the fundraising effort to build a
move up to 50,000 pounds of solid waste per day, the equivalent of
Contact Enviromental@FortWorthTexas.gov for more information on the city’s litter abatement programs.
Photo & statistics courtesy of
Clearwater Mills LLC
www.clearwatermills.com
5 Water Quality Report | 2020
Initiatives
- Engaging tens of thousands of volunteers in cleanup events
- Abating hundreds of illegal dumping sites
- Installing surveillance cameras at illegal dump sites
- Placing floatable litter and debris collection devices on local waterways
- Contributing to regional and statewide litter initiatives to protect watersheds
- Providing safe alternatives for the disposal of tires, bulk waste, household hazardous waste, electronics, compostable mate- rials, yard waste and recyclable goods
- Supporting a city street sweeping program to keep litter and contaminants out of storm drains
- Inventorying trash/recycling bins in public places and se- curing grant funding to strategically place new containers
- Enforcing city ordinances
- Studying solutions to existing and new litter issues, in- cluding microplastics
Drinking Water Quality Test Results
Microorganism Testing Shows Low Detections in Raw Water
Compound Measure Year Violation |
MCL |
Your |
Public |
|
|
Health |
Common Sources of Substance |
||
water |
|||
Goal |
|
||
|
|
Tarrant Regional Water District monitors raw water at all intake sites for Cryptosporidium,
|
|
|
|
TT=1 |
|
Turbidity |
NTU |
2020 |
No |
TT= Lowest monthly % of |
|
|
|
|
|
samples ≤ 0.3 NTU |
|
Compound |
Year |
Violation |
MCL |
||
Total Coliforms |
|
|
|
TT = 5% of monthly sam- |
|
(including fecal coliform |
2020 |
No |
|||
ples are positive |
|||||
& E. coli) |
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
||
0.3
99.9% N/A
Your Range water
1.7% 0 to 1.7%
Soil runoff (Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of water. It is monitored because it is a good indicator of the effectiveness of the filtration system.)
Public
Health Common Sources of Substance
Goal
Coliforms are naturally present in the
0 environment as well as feces; fecal coliforms and E. coli only come from human and animal fecal waste.
Giardia Lamblia and viruses. The source is human and animal fecal waste in the watershed.
The 2020 sampling showed occasional low level de- tections of Cryptosporidium and Giardia lamblia
TCEQ Assesses Raw Water Supplies for Susceptibility
Fort Worth uses surface water from Lake
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Your |
|
|
|
Public |
|
|
Compound |
Measure |
Year |
|
Violation |
|
MCL |
Range |
|
|
Health |
|
Common Sources of Substance |
||
|
|
water |
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Goal |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beta/photon emitters |
pCi/L |
2020 |
|
No |
50 |
|
6.8 |
0 to 6.8 |
|
0 |
Decay of natural and |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Arsenic |
ppb |
2020 |
|
No |
10 |
|
1.5 |
0 to 1.5 |
|
0 |
Erosion of natural deposits; runoff from orchards; |
|||
|
|
|
runoff from glass and electronics production wastes |
|||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Atrazine |
ppb |
2020 |
|
No |
3 |
|
0.1 |
0 to 0.1 |
|
3 |
Runoff from herbicide used on row crops |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Barium |
ppm |
2020 |
|
No |
2 |
|
0.06 |
0.05 to 0.06 |
2 |
Discharge of drilling wastes; discharge from metal |
||||
|
|
refineries; erosion of natural deposits |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chromium |
ppb |
2020 |
|
No |
100 |
|
3.3 |
0 to 3.3 |
|
100 |
Erosion of natural deposits; discharge from steel |
|||
|
|
|
and pulp mills |
|||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cyanide |
ppb |
2020 |
|
No |
200 |
|
159 |
0 to 159 |
|
200 |
Discharge from plastic and fertilizer factories; |
|||
|
|
|
discharge from steel and metal factories |
|||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Water additive which promotes strong teeth; |
|
Fluoride |
ppm |
2020 |
|
No |
4 |
|
0.52 |
0.15 to 0.52 |
4 |
erosion of natural deposits; discharge from |
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
fertilizer and aluminum factories |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nitrate (as Nitrogen) |
ppm |
2020 |
|
No |
10 |
|
0.58 |
0.19 to 0.58 |
10 |
Runoff from fertilizer use; leaching from septic |
||||
|
|
tanks, sewage; erosion of natural deposits |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nitrite (as Nitrogen) |
ppm |
2020 |
|
No |
1 |
|
0.02 |
0.01 to 0.02 |
1 |
Runoff from fertilizer use; leaching from septic |
||||
|
|
tanks, sewage; erosion of natural deposits |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bromate |
ppb |
2020 |
|
No |
10 |
|
4.79 |
0 to 11.4 |
|
0 |
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Haloacetic Acids |
ppb |
2020 |
|
No |
60 |
|
10.6 |
3 to 23 |
|
|
N/A |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Trihalomethanes |
ppb |
2020 |
|
No |
80 |
|
21.0 |
1.37 to 56 |
|
|
N/A |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Your |
|
|
|
Public |
|
Compound |
Measure |
Year |
Violation |
|
MRDL |
|
Range |
Health |
Common Sources of Substance |
|||||
|
water |
|
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Goal |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chloramines |
ppm |
2020 |
No |
|
|
4 |
3.5 |
|
1 to 11 |
4 |
Water additive used to control microbes |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Public |
|
Compound |
MCL |
Year |
Violation |
|
|
High |
Low |
Average |
Health |
Common Sources of Substance |
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Goal |
|
Total Organic Carbon |
TT = % |
2020 |
No |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
1 |
N/A |
Naturally occurring |
|||
removal |
|
|
|
|||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
It is used to determine disinfection
Information About Drinking Water
Contaminants found in drinking water may cause taste, color, or odor problems. These types of problems are not necessarily causes for health concerns. For more information on taste, odor, or color of drinking water, please contact customer service at
Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at
7 Water Quality Report | 2020
Worth, Eagle Mountain Lake, Lake Bridge- port, Richland Chambers Reservoir, Cedar
Creek Reservoir, Lake Benbrook and the Clear Fork Trinity River.
Fort Worth owns Lake Worth. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for Benbrook Lake. The other four lakes are owned and operated by Tarrant Regional Water District.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality completed an assessment of Fort Worth’s source wa- ters. TCEQ classified the risk to our source waters as high for most contaminants.
High susceptibility means there are activities near the source water or watershed that make it very
Photo: Two |
|
|
Pretreatment |
|
|
employees take |
|
|
sample from a water |
|
|
testing site |
2020 | Water Quality Report |
8 |
|
Secondary Constituents
These items do not relate to public health but rather to the aesthetic effects. These items are often important to industry.
Compound |
Measure |
Your water |
Bicarbonate |
ppm |
108 to 131 |
Calcium |
ppm |
37.9 to 50.8 |
Chloride |
ppm |
19.3 to 37.6 |
Conductivity |
µmhos/cm |
324 to 440 |
pH |
units |
8.2 to 8.4 |
Magnesium |
ppm |
4.24 to 8.12 |
Sodium |
ppm |
18 to 26.9 |
Sulfate |
ppm |
20.6 to 36.5 |
Total Alkalinity as CaCO3 |
ppm |
108 to 131 |
Total Dissolved Solids |
ppm |
181 to 277 |
Total Hardness as CaCO3 |
ppm |
112 to 160 |
Total Hardness in Grains |
grains/gallon |
7 to 9 |
Potential Raw Water Impurities
- Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife.
-
Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be
naturally-occurring or result from urban stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming. - Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban storm water runoff and residential uses.
-
Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are
by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban storm water runoff, and septic systems. -
Radioactive contaminants, which can be
naturally-occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.
Abbreviations Used in Tables
MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level – the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology.
MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level Goal – the level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.
MRDL: Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level – the highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.
MRDLG: Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal – the level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants.
N/A - not applicable/does not apply
NTU – Nephelometric Turbidity Unit; a measure of water turbidity or clarity pCi/L – Picocuries per liter; a measure of radioactivity
ppb – Parts per billion or micrograms per liter (µg/L) ppm – Parts per million or milligrams per liter (mg/L)
- Treatment Technique – a required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water
Level 1 assessment: A Level 1 assessment is a study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine (if possible) why total coliform bacteria were found. Fort Worth was not required to conduct a Level 1 assessment in 2020.
Level 2 assessment: A Level 2 assessment is a very detailed study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine (if possible) why an Escherichia coli (E. coli) maximum contaminant level (MCL) violation has occurred and/or why total coliform bacteria were found on multiple occasions. Fort Worth was not required to conduct a Level 2 assessment in 2020.
Unregulated Contaminants
Unregulated contaminants are those for which the EPA has not established drinking water standards. The purpose of unregulated contaminant monitoring is to assist EPA in determining the occurrence of unregulated contaminants in drinking water and whether future regulation is warranted.
Compound
Bromoform
Bromodichloromethane
Chloroform
Dibromochloromethane
Dibromoacetic Acid
Dichloroacetic Acid
Monobromoacetic Acid
Monochloroacetic Acid
Trichloroacetic Acid
Measure |
|
|
Public |
|
Range of |
MRDL |
|
||||
|
Health |
Average |
|||
|
Detects |
||||
|
|
|
Goal |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ppb |
Not regulated |
0 |
0.85 |
0 to 3.53 |
|
ppb |
Not regulated |
0 |
2.93 |
3.18 to 17.5 |
|
ppb |
Not regulated |
70 |
3.05 |
3.10 to 24.7 |
|
ppb |
Not regulated |
60 |
2.73 |
1.59 to 11.8 |
|
ppb |
Not regulated |
|
N/A |
1.33 |
1.70 to 3 |
ppb |
Not regulated |
0 |
4.11 |
4.20 to 11 |
|
ppb |
Not regulated |
|
N/A |
0.02 |
0 to 1 |
ppb |
Not regulated |
70 |
0.49 |
1 to 5 |
|
ppb |
Not regulated |
20 |
0.1 |
0 to 5 |
|
Common Sources
of Substance
regulated individually but regulated as a group called Total Trihalomethanes
Photo: Basins & storage tank at Westside Water Treatment Plant
9 Water Quality Report | 2020
Conservation First
|
In 2020 saved |
Per capita usage |
|||
2.6 |
billion |
152 |
gallons |
||
|
|
gallons |
|
per day |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In 2020, Fort Worth saved 2.6 billion gallons of water. A much higher number of gallons, when compared to the 51 million gallons from 2019, and due to the inclusion of reuse water, not included in the past.
On average, during 2020 each Fort Worth resident used 152 gallons of water per day, an increase of 5 gallons a day from the 147 gallons per day recorded in 2019. Experts attribute the increase to people working from home, using more water, and staying
Getting the Lead Out
Why Backflow Matters to Water Quality
|
ive years ago, Fort Worth decided to locate |
If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious |
||||||||
|
and then remove all |
health problems, especially for pregnant women |
||||||||
Fvice lines. |
|
|
|
|
and young children. Lead in drinking water is |
|||||
|
As of March 31, the utility has surveyed 86 percent |
primarily from materials and components associ- |
||||||||
|
ated with service lines and home plumbing. |
|||||||||
|
of the nearly 276,000 water meters citywide and |
|||||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
98.5 percent of the meters inside Loop 820, where |
Fort Worth is responsible for providing high qual- |
||||||||
|
the bulk of the lead lines are found. |
|
|
ity drinking water, but cannot control the variety |
||||||
|
Replacing the lead lines is 78 percent completed. |
of materials used in plumbing components. When |
||||||||
|
your water has been sitting for several hours, you |
|||||||||
|
The City Council recently approved spending an ad- |
|||||||||
|
can minimize the potential for lead exposure by |
|||||||||
|
ditional $400,000 on the project, which began about |
|||||||||
|
running your faucet for 30 seconds to two min- |
|||||||||
|
five years ago. So far, 1,444 of the 1,830 lead service |
|||||||||
|
utes before using water for drinking or cooking. |
|||||||||
|
lines identified are replaced. |
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
|
|
If you are concerned about lead in your water, you |
||||||
|
The service line is the piping that connects the |
|||||||||
|
can have it tested. The test is free for Fort Worth |
|||||||||
|
home or business to the water main. The city |
|||||||||
|
customers with known lead service lines. If you |
|||||||||
|
and the property owner share ownership of the |
|||||||||
|
do not have a known lead service line, the cost is |
|||||||||
|
service line. |
|
|
|
|
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
$15 per water sample. Email MyWaterAccount@ |
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
|
The city owns the portion from the main to the wa- |
FortWorthTexas.gov or call |
||||||||
|
ter meter, including the water meter. The property |
make arrangements. |
|
|||||||
|
owner is responsible for the portion from the me- |
Information on lead in drinking water, testing |
||||||||
|
ter to the point it enters the home or business, as |
|||||||||
|
methods and steps you can take to minimize ex- |
|||||||||
|
well as all the plumbing in the home or building. |
|||||||||
|
posure is available from the Safe Drinking Water |
|||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Eliminating lead service lines may not eliminate |
Hotline or at www.epa.gov/safewater/lead. |
||||||||
|
lead in drinking water. The plumbing materials |
|||||||||
|
used in the home or business could contain lead, |
|||||||||
|
lead for tips to reduce your exposure to lead in |
|||||||||
|
such as solder, pipes, faucets (brass) and fittings. |
|||||||||
|
drinking water and more information about Fort |
|||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Lead dissolves into water over time through cor- |
Worth’s program. |
|
|||||||
|
rosion – a dissolving or wearing of metal caused |
|
|
|
||||||
Corrosion Control |
||||||||||
|
by a chemical reaction between water and plumb- |
|||||||||
|
ing materials. Fort Worth adjusts the water’s pH |
To meet the requirements of the Lead |
||||||||
|
to control this reaction. |
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
|
|
and Copper Rule, Fort Worth achieves |
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
corrosion control through pH adjustment. |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|
Lead and Copper Testing |
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|
Action |
90th |
# of sites exceeding |
Public |
Common Sources |
|
|
Contaminant |
Measure |
Year |
Violation |
Health |
|||||
|
Level |
percentile |
action level |
of Substance |
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
Goal |
|||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Lead |
ppb |
2020 |
No |
15 |
7.7 |
1 |
0 Corrosion of household plumbing |
||
|
Copper |
ppm |
2020 |
No |
1.3 |
0.4 |
0 |
1.3 |
systems; erosion of natural deposits |
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
90th Percentile Value:
90 percent of the samples were at or below this value. EPA considers the 90th percentile value the same as an “average” value for other contaminants. Lead and copper are regulated by a treatment technique that requires systems to control the corrosiveness of their water. If more than 10 percent of tap water samples exceed the action level, water systems must take additional steps.
Action Level:
The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements that a water system must follow.
Did you ever wonder why they install faucets so far above sinks? The reason is to create an airgap that keeps the water in the sink from flowing back into the faucet, causing backflow. So what
is backflow?
Water flows from a faucet, showerhead, or sprinkler system because of pressure. Backflow happens when water flows the wrong direction through the pipes, usually from a loss of pressure on the
Also of concern are
- Submerging garden hoses into buckets, pools, spas, tubs or sinks
- Attaching garden hoses to chemical sprayers
- Connecting private wells and irrigation systems to public water supply lines
- Flooding events
An essential part of providing clean, safe drinking wa- ter to Fort Worth Water customers is ensuring one- way flow of disinfected, treated drinking water from the city’s water distribution system to the home. Bac-
kflow and
Preventing backflow requires installing the appropria- te
Residential installations of these devices include be- tween the water meter and the
Customers can protect the city’s water distribution sys- tem from potential contamination by:
-
Installing appropriate equipment or ensuring appropriate air gap is in place unobstructed at all backflow
cross-connections - Having systems regularly inspected by a licensed backflow professional
- Never submerging hoses into sources filled through water lines; including swimming pools, sinks, toilets, bathtubs, dishwashers and was- hing machines
Visit: www.FortWorthTexas.gov/departments/water/backflow to learn more about backflow and cross connections.
11 Water Quality Report | 2020 |
202019 | Water Quality Report 8 |
2020 | Water Quality Report 12 |
Despite Pandemic, TakeBack Was Successful
Too often, unused and expired prescrip- tion drugs find their way into our wa- terways and water supply, often times after being washed down the sink or flushed down the toilet. This is dangerous and poten-
tially tragic.
That is why it was great to see hundreds of Fort Worth residents clean out their medi- cine cabinets and turn in prescription drugs during the October 2020 national TakeBack Meds event.
Nationwide, people turned in 839,543 pounds of unused and expired pharmaceu- ticals, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
In Fort Worth, 1,073 pounds of pharmaceu- ticals were brought to seven collection sites and in Texas, 65,791 pounds of drugs were turned in.
Storing unwanted and expired medications at home increases the risk for drug abuse or over- dose. And, improper drug disposal can conta- minate the soil if the medicines are thrown out in the trash.
While you might think our wastewater treat- ment plant takes care of those flushed medi- cations, it does not. Most treatment plants, including Fort Worth’s Village Creek Recla- mation Facility, are not equipped to remove pharmaceuticals from the wastewater.
Fort Worth began its efforts in November 2010, when the water utility, Code Complian- ce and police hosted the city’s first event.
In the past decade, Fort Worth has collec- ted 35,665 pounds of medicines. Fort Worth residents turned in 1,073 pounds of medici- ne during the most recent collection event (April 24, 2021).
Residents who don’t want to wait for the next national collection event can use any of the 12
To find a location near you visit
What can I bring to a medication drop box?
Since 2011, the DEA has hosted 20 national take back collection events, taking in more than 14.5 million pounds of medicine.
NOT ACCEPTED
ACCEPTED (at most locations)
13 Water Quality Report | 2020
- Oxygen tanks and nebulizers
- Needles
- Thermometers
- IV bags & any other equipment or syringes used to administer medications
-
All prescribed &
over-the-counter medicines - Veterinary medications
- Vitamins, minerals and samples
What Is This Report?
Fort Worth Water annually presents data to its residents on the quality of its drinking water with a Consumer
Confidence Report. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality requires this report. The report shows how Fort Worth continues to deliver
If you have questions regarding this report, please contact us at
Want to Know More About Water?
Fort Worth Water has employees who volunteer to talk at Career Day presentations as well as work events for the department, city and community. The H2O Heroes talk about a typical work day, education training requirements and what students need to focus on in studies to have a career with the water department.
If you are interested in a school or community group presentation, email: wpe@FortWorthTexas.gov
Contact Us
Water Customer Service
7 a.m. ─ 7 p.m. Monday─Friday
Water Bill Payment Portal: www.FortWorthTexas.gov/paywaterbill
Water Administration
Fort Worth City Hall 200 Texas Street, 2nd floor Fort Worth, TX 76102
The Water Department is part of the City of Fort Worth, Texas. Council meetings are open to the public and take place three times a month, on Tuesdays, in the council
chambers at City Hall. See the City Calendar for meeting dates and times. www.FortWorthTexas.gov/calendar/council
Other Resources
Environmental Protection Agency
www.epa.gov Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
www.tceq.texas.gov Texas Water Development Board www.twdb.texas.gov American Water Works Association www.awwa.org Drink Tap www.drinktap.org
Check Out Our Podcast!
Just search for "H2OMG" on your favorite podcast app or check us out at
15 Water Quality Report | 2020
Contaminants
City of Fort Worth
EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, as well as information from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History database (ECHO). For the latest quarter assessed by the U.S. EPA (January 2019 - March 2019), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.
Utility details
- Serves: 806380
- Data available: 2012-2017
- Data Source: Surface water
- Total: 34
Contaminants That Exceed Guidelines
- Arsenic
- Bromate
- Bromodichloromethane
- Bromoform
- Chloroform
- Chromium (hexavalent)
- Dibromochloromethane
- Dichloroacetic acid
- Nitrate
- Radium%2C combined (-226 & -228)
- Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Other Detected Contaminants
- Aluminum
- Antimony
- Atrazine
- Barium
- Benzene
- Bromochloroacetic acid
- Chlorate
- Chromium (total)
- Cyanide
- Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate
- Dibromoacetic acid
- Fluoride
- Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
- Manganese
- Methyl ethyl ketone
- Molybdenum
- Monobromoacetic acid
- Monochloroacetic acid
- Simazine
- Strontium
- Trichloroacetic acid
- Uranium
- Vanadium
Reminder
Always take extra precautions, the water may be safe to drink when it leaves the sewage treatment plant but it may pick up pollutants during its way to your tap. We advise that you ask locals or hotel staff about the water quality. Also, note that different cities have different water mineral contents.
Sources and Resources
Sources Cited
Additional Resources
If you’re traveling to Fort Worth, Texas, you might have some concerns about drinking the tap water there. Tap water quality can vary highly from country to country, region to region, and even within state lines. This is the case with the tap water in Fort Worth, Texas, as issues of water sources and water pollution concern for local Texans and travelers alike. So what do you need to know about the tap water in Fort Worth? This article will examine the sources, water quality, and potential contaminants of Forth Worth’s tap water as well as offer some advice to travelers venturing to the fifth-largest city of the Lone Star State.
General Sources
The tap water of Fort Worth, Texas comes from surface water locales from a variety of lakes in the northeastern Texas region. These include Benbrook Lake, Lake Worth, Eagle Mountain Lake, Cedar Creek Lake, Lake Bridgeport, the Clear Fork Trinity River, and the Richland Chambers Reservoir.
These lakes are owned and administered by different entities. For example, the city of Fort Worth owns Lake Worth, while Benbrook Lake is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The other lakes are administered by the Tarrant Regional Water District, a water-control entity and a political subdivision of the State of Texas.
The City of Fort Worth’s Water Department mentions that contaminants that may be present in raw water before treatment can include herbicides, pesticides, inorganic contaminants, microbes, and organic chemical contaminants.
This, however, is not necessarily indicative of the quality of treated tap water. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) also mentions that Fort Worth’s raw water sources rank as high in terms of susceptibility — meaning the sources are more likely to come into contact with different contaminants — but this is also not indicative of health risks in Fort Worth’s treated tap water.
Water Quality
According to the website of the Fort Worth city government, Fort Worth’s water is subject to the national cleanliness standards as described in the 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act, with laws established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Both the EPA and the TCEQ are responsible for enforcing these laws, and the latter agency creates and enforces laws specific to Texas. Fort Worth specifically releases annual reports through its Water Department — examining contaminant concentrations in water tested yearly for four consecutive quarters, and tested for cyanotoxins for four consecutive months.
Independent organizations have noted that the city of Fort Worth has complied with drinking water standards on the basis of health in recent years (from April 2016 to March 2019). The city issues guidelines for dealing with tap water turbidity (cloudiness), brown or dirty appearances, and high lead, copper, ozone, and chlorine levels.
However, as recently as 2019 there have been low-level detections of the deadly microbes Cryptosporidium and Giardia Lamblia in Fort Worth’s water sources. There has also been a rare, but fatal occurrence of ingestion of the amoeba Naegleria fowleri in September 2020, albeit elsewhere in the state.
Fort Worth, as mandated by state regulations, does issue a warning to those who are immunocompromised, as well as younger children, older adults, those undergoing chemotherapy, on steroids, or diagnosed with HIV/AIDS about the potential presence of Cryptosporidium in the city’s drinking water. It is advised that locals and visitors consult with their physicians, and/or call the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.
Possible Contaminants
According to a 2019 report released by the Forth Worth Water Department, tap water was tested from June 2018 to March 2019 for the following organic and inorganic contaminants:
Soil Runoff
Soil runoff is determined by water turbidity, or the cloudiness of tap water. Fort Worth’s Water Department found that their tap water was 0.5 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTUs) on a scale from 0 to 1 NTUs, meaning water filtration in this regard was 99.9% effective.
Coliforms
Fecal coliforms (like Giardia and Cryptosporidium) and E. Coli are examples of harmful microorganisms. At an incidence rate of 1%, this is within acceptable levels as determined by state and federal guidelines.
Radioactive Materials
The presence of radium, uranium, and beta/photon emitters — often the result of erosion — were found to be within acceptable levels.
Chemical Compounds
The Fort Worth Water Department tests for arsenic, atrazine, barium, cyanide, fluoride, nitrates, nitrites, bromates, haloacetic acids, and trihalomethanes.
These chemical compounds are the result of drilling, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, water disinfection, and plastic production. They are typically measured in parts per million (ppm) or parts per billion (ppb).
Though the levels of these compounds in Fort Worth’s system do not violate EPA standards, some sources have noted an increased presence of substances (like arsenic) to levels that warrant additional treatment.
Minerals
Minerals such as calcium, sodium, magnesium, chloride, bicarbonate, and sulfate — are considered a determining factor in water hardness. At 8 to 10 grains of hardness per gallon, Fort Worth’s water is considered “Hard” by the U.S. Geological Survey and Water Quality Association classifications.
Lead and Copper
There is an ongoing process to replace Fort Worth’s outmoded lead service pipes — on behalf of those that fall under city ownership and those of private owners. By the end of 2021, the city is determined to remove all city-side lead service lines — with 1,177 (out of a total 1,757 found) already replaced.
In the meantime, measurements of lead and copper are actively monitored by Fort Worth’s Water Department. As of 2019, they fall within acceptable levels.
Advisory For Travelers
Travelers wishing to visit Forth Worth may want to note the EPA’s guidelines on disinfecting tap water, as well as the EPA’s general site regarding ground and drinking water. The EPA’s Safe Drinking Water hotline is at (800) 426-4791.
They can also follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines on drinking water.
Locally, travelers can refer to the Fort Worth Water Department website for more information, or call (817) 392 -4477 for water customer service and water emergency issues.