Water Quality

Each year, public water systems must share a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) with their customers. This report helps you understand where your water comes from and what’s in it.

The CCR gives clear, easy-to-read information about your drinking water. It tells you:

• The source of your water (like rivers, lakes, or underground wells)
• Any detected chemicals or bacteria
• If the water meets state and federal safety rules
• Health facts for people who may be more at risk
• How to contact your water system
• How you can get involved in public meetings or decisions

In Texas, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) requires all community public water systems to prepare and share their CCRs by July 1 each year. These reports cover data from the previous calendar year. You may also hear CCRs called Annual Water Quality Reports or Drinking Water Quality Reports.

You can find more details about the rules for CCRs in 30 Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Chapter 290, Subchapter H.

Total Dissolved Solids, or TDS, is a measure of the natural minerals and dissolved materials in water. These can include calcium, magnesium, sodium, bicarbonates, chlorides, sulfates, and other minerals picked up as water moves through rock and soil.

Our water comes from a deep well approximately 1,800 feet below ground in the Trinity Aquifer. Because this groundwater has been in contact with underground rock formations for a long time, it naturally contains more dissolved minerals than some surface water sources.

TDS can affect the taste, feel, and appearance of water. Water with higher TDS may taste more mineral-like, salty, or “hard,” and it may leave spots, scale, or deposits on fixtures and appliances.

Key points about TDS:

• What it measures: The total amount of dissolved minerals and other naturally occurring substances in water.
• Our typical range: Our water generally measures between 800 and 900 mg/L.
• TCEQ guideline: TCEQ lists 1,000 mg/L for TDS as a secondary standard, which is related to taste, color, odor, hardness, deposits, and staining.
• Not a pass/fail safety limit: The 1,000 mg/L value is a guideline for aesthetic water quality. It is not a primary health-based drinking water limit.
• Home testing: Handheld TDS meters can be useful for general information, but results may vary depending on the meter, temperature, calibration, and sampling method.

In simple terms, TDS helps explain why deep well water may have a noticeable mineral taste. Our TDS levels are below the TCEQ secondary guideline and are monitored as part of our ongoing water quality program.

As part of the federal Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) requirements, the TCEQ requires public water systems to maintain and share an inventory of all water service line materials. This inventory helps identify the presence of lead, galvanized requiring replacement (GRR), and other materials that could impact water quality.

Key points about the Lead and Copper Rule inventory:

• Purpose: To protect public health by identifying and planning for the replacement of lead and GRR service lines.
• Scope: Applies to all water service lines from the water main to the customer’s connection point.
• Frequency: Initial inventories must be submitted by October 16, 2024, and updates must be provided as service lines are replaced or information changes.
• Transparency: Water systems must make this inventory publicly available to customers.