Yes, at low levels. 4 PFAS were detected, all below EPA's 2024 limits.
Also detected, no federal limit: 6:2 FTS, PFBA, PFPeA, PFHxA.
City of Houston is a public water system drawing on surface water, based in Houston, Texas, serving about 3.0 million people, including Houston, Humble, Bellaire, Stafford, Missouri City, Sugar Land. Under EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule it was tested for 29 PFAS and lithium 96 times across 39 sampling points between Feb 2023 and Feb 2025.
| PFAS | Detected | Highest | Worst point avg | EPA limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6:2 FTS 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonic acid |
10 of 96 | 42.6 ppt | 10.7 ppt | none |
| PFBA Perfluorobutanoic acid |
9 of 96 | 10.6 ppt | 3.3 ppt | none |
| PFPeA Perfluoropentanoic acid |
11 of 96 | 6.7 ppt | 2.8 ppt | none |
| PFHxA Perfluorohexanoic acid |
16 of 96 | 5.1 ppt | 2.8 ppt | none |
Not detected: PFOA, ADONA, 9Cl-PF3ONS, 11Cl-PF3OUdS, PFUnA, PFDA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, PFHpA, PFBS, PFDoA, NFDHA, 4:2 FTS, 8:2 FTS, PFMPA, PFMBA, PFEESA, PFPeS, PFHpS, PFTA, PFTrDA, NEtFOSAA, NMeFOSAA, HFPO-DA.
Lithium, tested in the same program: highest 33.9 ppb, detected in 69 of 96 samples. EPA's health-based screening level is 10 ppb.
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.
Levels here are under EPA's limits, so no treatment is required. If you want them lower anyway, a certified reverse osmosis system under the sink handles drinking water, and a whole-house carbon filter also takes out the chlorine or chloramine your utility adds.
All 1154 tested systems in Texas
77002 77003 77004 77005 77006 77007 77008 77009 77010 77011 77012 77013 77014 77015 77016 77017 77018 77019 77020 77021 77022 77023 77024 77025 77026 77027 77028 77029 77030 77031 77032 77033 77034 77035 77036 77037 77038 77040 77041 77042 77043 77044 77045 77046 77047 77048 77049 77050 77051 77053 77054 77055 77056 77057 77059 77060 77061 77063 77064 77067 77071 77072 77073 77074 77075 77076 77077 77078 77079 77080 77081 77082 77083 77084 77085 77086 77087 77088 77089 77090 77091 77092 77093 77094 77096 77098 77099 77338 77346 77396 77401 77477 77489 77498 77503 77504 77506 77536 77546 77547 77587 77598
As reported by the utility to EPA. Neighbouring ZIPs are often split between systems; your water bill names yours.
Well & Tap. "PFAS in City of Houston water: EPA UCMR 5 results." Data: U.S. EPA Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, final release August 2026, PWSID TX1010013. https://wellandtap.com/pfas/texas/city-of-houston/
Source: U.S. EPA, UCMR 5 occurrence data, final release August 2026 (PWSID TX1010013). Population: EPA SDWIS. Averages count results below the reporting level as zero, the same convention EPA uses for running annual averages. Full method.
