Table of Contents
Can You Drink Tap Water in San Antonio?
Yes, San Antonio's tap water is generally considered safe to drink as San Antonio 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 San Antonio's local Twitter account.
According the EPA’s ECHO database, from April 30, 2019 to June 30, 2022, San Antonio's water utility, San Antonio Water System, had 0 violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act. For more details on the violations, please see our violation history section below. The last violation for San Antonio was resolved on Feb. 29, 2016. This assessment is based on the San Antonio Water System 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 San Antonio Tap Water
The most recent publicly available numbers for measured contaminant levels in San Antonio 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 San Antonio's water quality reports, or getting your home's tap water tested to see if you should be filtering your water.
San Antonio Tap Water Safe Drinking Water Act Violation History - Prior 10 Years
Below is a ten year history of violations for the water system named San Antonio Water System for San Antonio in Texas. For more details please see the "What do these Violations Mean?" section below.
For the compliance period beginning June 10, 2016, San Antonio 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 Feb. 1, 2016 to Feb. 29, 2016, San Antonio 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, Routine 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).
For the compliance period beginning April 10, 2013, San Antonio 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.
For the compliance period beginning Sept. 1, 2012, San Antonio 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, Source Water (GWR) which falls into the Microbials rule code group, and the Groundwater Rule rule code family for the following contaminant code: E. COLI.
Is there Lead in San Antonio Water?
Based on the EPA’s ECHO Database, 90% of the samples taken from the San Antonio water system, San Antonio Water System, between sample start date and sample end date, were at or below, 0.00114 mg/L of lead in San Antonio water. This is 7.6% of the 0.015 mg/L action level. This means 10% of the samples taken from San Antonio contained more lead.
While San Antonio water testing may have found 0.00114 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 San Antonio 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 - Joint Base San Antonio - near San Antonio 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 San Antonio 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.
San Antonio 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06/10/2016 - | 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) |
| 02/01/2016 - 02/29/2016 | Resolved | No | Monitoring and Reporting (MR) | Monitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) (24) | Total Coliform Rule (110) | Coliform (TCR) (3100) | Microbials (100) | Total Coliform Rules (110) |
| 04/10/2013 - | 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) |
| 09/01/2012 - | Resolved | No | Monitoring and Reporting (MR) | Monitoring, Source Water (GWR) (34) | Ground Water Rule (140) | E. COLI (3014) | Microbials (100) | Groundwater Rule (140) |
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.
San Antonio Water - Frequently Asked Questions
| By Mail: | 2800 US HIGHWAY 281 N SAN ANTONIO, TX, 78212-3106 |
Existing customers can login to their San Antonio Water System account to pay their San Antonio water bill by clicking here.
If you want to pay your San Antonio Water System 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 San Antonio 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 San Antonio 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 San Antonio means you will often need to put the water in your name with San Antonio Water System. 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 San Antonio means you will likely need to take your name off of the water bill with San Antonio Water System. 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
$1.39 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 San Antonio, measured on a scale from 0% (lowest) to 100% (highest).
Related FAQS
San Antonio 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 San Antonio's Water. If you would like to see the original version of the report, please click here.
2021 WATER QUALITY REPORT SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM
PWS ID Number: TX 0150018
This report is a summary of the quality of water San Antonio Water System (SAWS) provides its customers. The analysis was made by using the 2020 data from the most recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) required tests and is presented in this report. We hope this information helps you become knowledgeable about what is in your drinking water.
SOURCE OF DRINKING WATER
The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity.
Contaminants that may be present in source water include:
Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural, livestock operations, and wildlife. SAWS is required to sample 390 sites in the distribution system for bacteria each month, and no E. coli positives were found in our drinking water in 2020.
Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally occurring or result from urban storm water 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
Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.
WHERE DO WE GET OUR DRINKING WATER?
The source of SAWS drinking water originated as groundwater from the Edwards, Carrizo, Simsboro, Trinity and Wilcox aquifers, and in some areas, surface water from Canyon Lake. No Source Water Susceptibility Assessment for your drinking water source(s) has been conducted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for your water system. This information describes the susceptibility and types of constituents that may come into contact with your drinking water source based on human activities and natural conditions. SAWS purchases water from GBRA Western Canyon Water Supply, Oliver Ranch, Schertz Sequin Local Government
Corporation, Water Exploration Stein Roger Well Field and Central Texas Regional WSC.
The information contained in the assessment allows us to better focus our source water protection strategies. Some of this source water assessment information is available on Texas
Drinking Water Watch at http://dww2.tceq.texas.gov/DWW/.
For more information on source water assessments and protection efforts at our systems, please contact us.
ALL DRINKING WATER MAY CONTAIN CONTAMINANTS
When drinking water meets federal standards, there may not be any health benefits to purchasing bottled water or point of use devices. 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
SECONDARY CONSTITUENTS
Many constituents (such as calcium, sodium, or iron), which are found in drinking water, can cause taste, color, and odor problems. The taste and odor constituents are called secondary constituents and are regulated by the State of Texas, not the EPA. These constituents are not causes for health concern. Therefore, secondaries are not required to be reported in this document, but they may affect the appearance and taste of your water. The secondary constituents results are available for this System on Texas Drinking Water Watch at http://dww2.tceq.texas.gov/DWW/.
HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT LEAD
If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. San Antonio Water System is responsible for providing high quality drinking water but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to two minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
2021 WATER QUALITY REPORT SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM
SPECIAL NOTICE |
VIOLATIONS |
PWS ID Number: TX 0150018
You may be more vulnerable than the general population to certain microbial contaminants, such as Cryptosporidium, in drinking water. Infants, some elderly or
The SAWS main system received no violations in 2020.
HOW TO READ YOUR WATER QUALITY REPORT |
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The concentration |
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of a contaminant |
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The highest amount |
Below this level, a |
which, if exceeded, |
Parts per million – |
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of a contaminant |
contaminant has no |
triggers treatment or |
one ppm equals |
How a contaminant |
detected in SAWS |
known or expected |
other requirements |
to one teaspoon in |
ends up in SAWS |
drinking water. |
health risks. |
SAWS must follow. |
1,302 gallons. |
drinking water. |
CONTAMINANTS
Parameter/Substance
Substance 1
Collection Date
2020
Highest Level Detected
0.112
Concentration Range Found
0.024 – 0.112
MCLG
2
MCL
2
AL
1.5
Units
ppm
Violation
No
Likely Source of Contamination
Erosion of natural deposits
Substance 2
2019
0.15
0.03 – 0.15
50
50
15
ppb
No
Erosion of natural deposits
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lowest to highest of a |
of a contaminant |
one ppb equals to |
contaminants enter drinking water; |
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conducted. |
contaminant detected |
EPA allows in |
one teaspoon in |
wording is provided by EPA and |
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drinking water. |
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2021 WATER QUALITY REPORT SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM
PWS ID Number: TX 0150018
COLIFORM BACTERIA – Monitored in the Distribution System
Parameter/Substance
Coliform Bacteria
Date Sampled
2020
MCLG
0
Total Coliform MCL
5% of monthly
samples are positive
Highest No. of Positive
1.2
Fecal Coliform or
E. Coli or Fecal MCL
A rountine sample
and a repeat
sample are total coliform positive, and one is also fecal coliform or E. coli positive.
Total No. of Positive
E. Coli or Fecal
0
Violation |
Likely Source of Contamination |
No |
Naturally present in the environment |
LEAD AND COPPER – Monitoring Done at Customers’ Taps
Parameter/Substance |
Date Sampled |
MCLG |
AL |
90th Percentile |
Number of Sites Over AL |
Units |
Violation |
Likely Source of Contamination |
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Copper |
2020 |
1.3 |
1.3 |
0.147 |
0 |
ppm |
No |
Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits; leaching |
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from wood preservatives |
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Lead |
2020 |
0 |
15 |
2.09 |
0 |
ppb |
No |
Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits |
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DISINFECTANTS AND DISINFECTION
Parameter/Substance |
Collection Date |
Highest Locational Running |
Concentration Range Found |
MCLG |
MCL |
Units |
Violation |
Likely Source of Contamination |
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Annual Average |
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Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) |
2020 |
52 |
0 – 90.7 |
NA |
80 |
ppb |
No |
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Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) |
2020 |
14 |
0 – 31.9 |
NA |
60 |
ppb |
No |
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INORGANIC CONTAMINANTS – Monitored at the Water Plants |
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Parameter/Substance |
Collection Date |
Highest Level Detected |
Concentration Range Found |
MCLG |
MCL |
Units |
Violation |
Likely Source of Contamination |
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Barium |
2020 |
0.0813 |
0.0349 – 0.0813 |
2 |
2 |
ppm |
No |
Discharge from drilling wastes; discharge from metal refineries; erosion of natural |
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deposits |
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Fluoride |
2020 |
1.57 |
0.13 – 1.57 |
4 |
4 |
ppm |
No |
Erosion of natural deposits; water additive which promotes strong teeth; discharge |
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from fertilizer and aluminum plants |
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Nitrate |
2020 |
2.54 |
0 – 2.54 |
10 |
10 |
ppm |
No |
Runoff from fertilizer use; leaching from septic tanks, sewage; erosion of natural |
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Thalium |
2020 |
1.4 |
0 – 1.4 |
0.5 |
2 |
ppb |
No |
Discharge from electronics, glass, and leaching from |
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drug factories |
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RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINANTS – Monitored at the Water Plants |
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Parameter/Substance |
Collection Date |
Highest Level Detected |
Concentration Range Found |
MCLG |
MCL |
Units |
Violation |
Likely Source of Contamination |
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Combined Radium 226/228 |
2020 |
1.51 |
1.5 – 1.51 |
0 |
5 |
pCi/L |
No |
Erosion of natural deposits |
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Gross Alpha Excluding |
2020 |
6.7 |
0 – 6.7 |
0 |
15 |
pCi/L |
No |
Erosion of natural deposits |
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Radon and Uranium |
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VOLATILE ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS – Monitored at the Water Plants |
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Parameter/Substance |
Collection Date |
Highest Level Detected |
Concentration Range Found |
MCLG |
MCL |
Units |
Violation |
Likely Source of Contamination |
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Ethylbenzene |
2020 |
0.6 |
0 – 0.6 |
700 |
700 |
ppb |
No |
Discharge from petroleum refineries |
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Xylenes Total |
2020 |
0.0037 |
0 – 0.0037 |
10 |
10 |
ppm |
No |
Discharge from petroleum and chemical factories |
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2021 WATER QUALITY REPORT SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM
PWS ID Number: TX 0150018
MAXIMUM RESIDUAL DISINFECTANT LEVEL – Monitored in the Distribution System
Parameter/Substance
Chlorine Residual, Free
Test Year
2020
Average Concentration
Found
1.36
Minimum Level
0.00
Maximum Level
3.10
MRDL
4
MRDLG
4
Units
ppm
Likely Source of Contamination
Disinfectant used to control microbes
2021 WATER QUALITY REPORT SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM
DEFINITIONS
The preceding tables contain scientific terms and measures, some of which may require explanation.
PWS ID Number: TX 0150018
AL (Action Level) – The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.
ALG (Action Level Goal) – The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. ALGs allow for a margin of safety.
Avg (Average) – Regulatory compliance with some MCLs are based on a running annual average of monthly samples.
Level 1 Assessment – A study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine (if possible) why total coliform bacteria have been found in our water system.
Level 2 Assessment – A very detailed study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine (if possible) why an E. coli MCL violation has occurred and/or why total coliform bacteria have been found in our water system on multiple occasions.
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.
MFL – Million fibers per liter (a measure of asbestos)
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.
mrem – Millirems per year (a measure of radiation absorbed by the body) NA – Not applicable
ND – Not detected
NTU – Nephelometric turbidity units (a measure of turbidity) pCi/L – Picocuries per liter (a measure of radioactivity)
ppb – Parts per billion or micograms per liter (µg/L) or one ounce in 7,350,000 gallons of water
ppm – Parts per million or milligrams per liter (mg/L) or one ounce in 7,350 gallons of water
ppq – Parts per quadrillion or picograms per liter (pg/L) ppt – Parts per trillion or nanograms per liter (ng/L)
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(Treatment Technique) – A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water
µmhos/cm – Micromhos per centimeter (a measure of conductivity)
SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM
PWS ID Number: TX 0150018
Questions About Your Water Quality Report?
If you would like more information or a copy of this Water Quality Report, call:
Call 24 Hours a Day to:
- Report leaks, main breaks or sewer spills
- Discuss water quality concerns
In Your Neighborhood
SAWS External Relations team extends its community outreach efforts with neighborhood leaders through homeowners associations and neighborhood meetings, schools and community gatherings. Call us for more information about how we can assist in your neighborhood.
STATE WATER LOSS AUDIT
In the water loss audit submitted to the Texas Water Development Board for the period of January through December 2020, all San Antonio Water System Public Water Systems lost an estimated combined total of 14,419,977,256 gallons of water through main breaks, leaks, inaccurate customer metering, theft and other causes.
Website
Our website has the latest news and program information on water issues.
www.saws.org
En español
Este informe incluye información importante sobre el agua potable. Si tiene preguntas o comentarios sobre éste informe en español, favor de llamar al:
Join the MySAWS conversation
Contaminants
San Antonio Water System
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: 1663221
- Data available: 2012-2017
- Data Source: Purchased surface water
- Total: 35
Contaminants That Exceed Guidelines
- Bromodichloromethane
- Bromoform
- Chloroform
- Chromium (hexavalent)
- Dibromochloromethane
- Dichloroacetic acid
- Nitrate
- Nitrate and nitrite
- Radium%2C combined (-226 & -228)
- Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
- Trichloroacetic acid
Other Detected Contaminants
- 1%2C4-Dioxane
- Aluminum
- Barium
- Bromochloroacetic acid
- Cadmium
- Chlorate
- Chloroethane
- Chromium (total)
- Cobalt
- Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate
- Dibromoacetic acid
- Fluoride
- Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
- Manganese
- Methyl isobutyl ketone
- Molybdenum
- Monobromoacetic acid
- Monochloroacetic acid
- Selenium
- Strontium
- Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)
- Uranium
- Vanadium
- Xylenes (total)
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
Can you drink tap water in San Antonio?
Yes, San Antonio's tap water is generally considered safe to drink as it met the EPA’s water quality mandates in its 2020 Water Quality Report. One should not get sick from drinking it. Though San Antonio’s tap water is generally safe to drink, one should consider the possible safety impacts of low levels of regulated contaminants, unregulated contaminants, and water quality issues caused by severe weather.
While San Antonio's tap water is generally safe to drink, long-term residents may consider using water filters for their everyday drinking, as the EPA is still assessing the health impacts of long-term exposure to certain contaminants that they do not yet have regulations for, and long term exposure to certain contaminants which are already regulated, but below the currently acceptable levels. One example of currently unregulated chemicals is Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), for which the EPA has issued a health advisory. The Department of Defense is currently evaluating the potential release of PFAS on a military base in San Antonio.
Severe weather has also caused issues with drinking water safety in the past, such as a winter storm in February 2021, which caused the city to have a boil notice for six days.
Where Does San Antonio Tap Water Come From?
According to San Antonio's 2020 Water Quality Report, Customers of San Antonio Water Main System receive their drinking water from groundwater from the Edwards, Carrizo, Trinity and Wilcox aquifers, and in some areas, surface water from Canyon Lake.
Main Contaminants Found in San Antonio Tap Water
As we mentioned above, San Antonio tap water meets the requirements set by the EPA. For more precise information please see their 2020 Water Quality Report. Though San Antonio drinking water meets EPA standards that does not mean it is contaminant free as there are levels that the EPA considers acceptable. Though the EPA regulated contaminants must meet a certain threshold for the city's water to be deemed acceptable, many are still present in the drinking water at some level. The EPA continues to evaluate the long term impacts of these chemicals as more research is available. For example, Arsenic is currently being re-evaluated.
Additionally, there are a number of "emerging" contaminants that the EPA has not determined acceptable levels for and is currently researching. For example, PFAS, as mentioned above, which are also called 'forever chemicals' since they tend not to break down in the environment or the human body and can accumulate over time. We do not yet fully understand the dangers of PFAS as they are currently being investigated. San Antonio has at least one suspected PFAS leak, so there is potential that they could have made their way into San Antonio's drinking water.
The Environmental Protection Agency uses the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR) to collect data for contaminates suspected to be present in drinking water, but that do not have health-based standards set under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Below is the UCMR 4 Water Quality data for 2018 and 2019 for San Antonio's water system.
UCMR 4 RESULTS
| Contaminant | Year | Min Level Detected | Max Level Detected | Units |
| Manganese | 2018 | ND | 6.4 | ppb |
| Anatoxin-a | 2018 | ND | 0.049 | ppb |
| HAA5 | 2018 | 2.25 | 8.39 | ppb |
| HAA6Br | 2018 | 3.52 | 9.1 | ppb |
| HAA9 | 2018 | 4.27 | 9.69 | ppb |
| Manganese | 2019 | ND | 0.62 | ppb |
| HAA5 | 2019 | 0.38 | 21.7 | ppb |
| HAA6Br | 2019 | 0.75 | 26.6 | ppb |
| HAA9 | 2019 | 0.75 | 42 | ppb |
So while San Antonio's tap water does meet the requirements set by the EPA, it still makes sense to try to purify the tap water further to reduce contaminants to lower levels.
Yes, San Antonio’s tap water is generally considered safe to drink as it met the EPA’s water quality mandates in its 2020 Water Quality Report. One should not get sick from drinking it. Though San Antonio’s tap water is generally safe to drink, one should consider the possible safety impacts of low levels of regulated contaminants, unregulated contaminants, and water quality issues caused by severe weather.
While San Antonio’s tap water is generally safe to drink, long-term residents may consider using water filters for their everyday drinking, as the EPA is still assessing the health impacts of long-term exposure to certain contaminants that they do not yet have regulations for, and long term exposure to certain contaminants which are already regulated, but below the currently acceptable levels. One example of currently unregulated chemicals is Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), for which the EPA has issued a health advisory. The Department of Defense is currently evaluating the potential release of PFAS on a military base in San Antonio.
Severe weather has also caused issues with drinking water safety in the past, such as a winter storm in February 2021, which caused the city to have a boil notice for six days.
Where Does San Antonio Tap Water Come From?
According to San Antonio’s 2020 Water Quality Report, Customers of San Antonio Water Main System receive their drinking water from groundwater from the Edwards, Carrizo, Trinity and Wilcox aquifers, and in some areas, surface water from Canyon Lake.
Main Contaminants Found in San Antonio Tap Water
As we mentioned above, San Antonio tap water meets the requirements set by the EPA. For more precise information please see their 2020 Water Quality Report. Though San Antonio drinking water meets EPA standards that does not mean it is contaminant free as there are levels that the EPA considers acceptable. Though the EPA regulated contaminants must meet a certain threshold for the city’s water to be deemed acceptable, many are still present in the drinking water at some level. The EPA continues to evaluate the long term impacts of these chemicals as more research is available. For example, Arsenic is currently being re-evaluated.
Additionally, there are a number of “emerging” contaminants that the EPA has not determined acceptable levels for and is currently researching. For example, PFAS, as mentioned above, which are also called ‘forever chemicals’ since they tend not to break down in the environment or the human body and can accumulate over time. We do not yet fully understand the dangers of PFAS as they are currently being investigated. San Antonio has at least one suspected PFAS leak, so there is potential that they could have made their way into San Antonio’s drinking water.
The Environmental Protection Agency uses the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR) to collect data for contaminates suspected to be present in drinking water, but that do not have health-based standards set under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Below is the UCMR 4 Water Quality data for 2018 and 2019 for San Antonio’s water system.
UCMR 4 RESULTS
| Contaminant | Year | Min Level Detected | Max Level Detected | Units |
| Manganese | 2018 | ND | 6.4 | ppb |
| Anatoxin-a | 2018 | ND | 0.049 | ppb |
| HAA5 | 2018 | 2.25 | 8.39 | ppb |
| HAA6Br | 2018 | 3.52 | 9.1 | ppb |
| HAA9 | 2018 | 4.27 | 9.69 | ppb |
| Manganese | 2019 | ND | 0.62 | ppb |
| HAA5 | 2019 | 0.38 | 21.7 | ppb |
| HAA6Br | 2019 | 0.75 | 26.6 | ppb |
| HAA9 | 2019 | 0.75 | 42 | ppb |
So while San Antonio’s tap water does meet the requirements set by the EPA, it still makes sense to try to purify the tap water further to reduce contaminants to lower levels.