Is there PFAS in City of Austin Water & Wastewater water?
Some. At least one sample reached an EPA limit, but the average at every sampling point stayed below it.
City of Austin Water & Wastewater
Serves 1.1 million people · 12 PFOA samples from 3 sampling points · Oct 2023 to Jul 2024
One or more samples at an EPA limit
PFOA Perfluorooctanoic acid
not detected
PFOS Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid
1.2 ppt avg · max 4.8
PFHxS Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid
3.6 ppt avg · max 6.2
Hazard index GenX, PFBS, PFNA, PFHxS combined
0.4 avg · max 0.6
Also detected, no federal limit: PFBA, PFBS, PFPeA, PFHxA.
City of Austin Water & Wastewater is a public water system drawing on surface water, based in Austin, Texas, serving about 1.1 million people, including Buda, Cedar Park, Del Valle, Manchaca, Manor, Pflugerville. Under EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule it was tested for 29 PFAS and lithium 12 times across 3 sampling points between Oct 2023 and Jul 2024.
Every PFAS detected
Not detected: 4:2 FTS, 8:2 FTS, NFDHA, PFMPA, PFMBA, PFEESA, PFPeS, PFHpS, PFTA, PFTrDA, NMeFOSAA, 6:2 FTS, NEtFOSAA, PFOA, PFHpA, PFNA, PFDA, PFDoA, PFUnA, 11Cl-PF3OUdS, 9Cl-PF3ONS, ADONA, HFPO-DA.
Lithium, tested in the same program: not detected.
What the EPA limits mean here
In April 2024 EPA set enforceable limits of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS, 10 ppt each for PFHxS, PFNA and GenX, and a hazard index of 1 for mixtures. Utilities were given until 2029 to comply. In May 2026 EPA proposed keeping only the PFOA and PFOS limits and moving that deadline to 2031. Until that proposal is final, the 2024 limits stand.
Compliance is judged on a running annual average at each entry point, so we show the average at this system's worst sampling point next to its single highest result. UCMR 5 results do not by themselves put a utility in or out of compliance.
What you can do at home
Two routes work for PFAS. For drinking and cooking water only, a reverse osmosis system certified to NSF/ANSI 58 with a PFOA/PFOS reduction claim is the cheapest proven option. To treat every tap and shower, a whole-house carbon system with enough contact time works, but check that the maker has PFAS test data, not just a marketing claim. See the best filters for PFAS and how PFAS removal works.
Other systems in Texas
All 1154 tested systems in Texas
ZIP codes served
78610 78613 78617 78652 78653 78660 78681 78701 78702 78703 78704 78705 78712 78717 78719 78721 78722 78723 78724 78725 78726 78727 78728 78729 78730 78731 78732 78735 78736 78737 78739 78741 78742 78744 78745 78746 78747 78748 78749 78750 78751 78752 78753 78754 78756 78757 78758 78759
As reported by the utility to EPA. Neighbouring ZIPs are often split between systems; your water bill names yours.
Cite this page
Well & Tap. "PFAS in City of Austin Water & Wastewater water: EPA UCMR 5 results." Data: U.S. EPA Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, final release August 2026, PWSID TX2270001. https://wellandtap.com/pfas/texas/city-of-austin-water-and-wastewater/
About this data
Source: U.S. EPA, UCMR 5 occurrence data, final release August 2026 (PWSID TX2270001). Population: EPA SDWIS. Averages count results below the reporting level as zero, the same convention EPA uses for running annual averages. Full method.
