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CITY OF PASADENA

PWS ID: TX1010293 · PASADENA, Texas 77501-0672

CITY OF PASADENA serves 152,000 people in PASADENA, Texas using Surface Water water sources. It has 31 recorded EPA violations, including 0 health-based violations. PFAS "forever chemicals" were detected in UCMR5 testing (8 compounds found).

Water Quality Snapshot: CITY OF PASADENA

CITY OF PASADENA is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 152,000 residents in PASADENA, Texas (Harris County) through 63,669 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 31 total violations for this system , of which 0 (0%) are health-based — meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 21 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2024.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is E. COLI, recorded in 10 violations (MR). Under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, 8 PFAS compounds were detected in samples collected from this system, with a maximum reported concentration of 18.7 ppt. PFAS are persistent synthetic chemicals linked to health effects at very low exposure levels.

Across Texas, EPA tracks 7,351 public water systems serving 33,253,313 people, with 746,210 cumulative violations and 162,945 health-based violations on record. About 90% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 101.5 violations. CITY OF PASADENA's 31 violations sit below the Texas average. Statewide, 1,068 of 1,147 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (93.1%). All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.

PFAS Detected

8 PFAS "forever chemicals" detected in testing under EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program.

Population Served
152,000
Total Violations
31
Health-Based Violations
0
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
63,669
County
Harris
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
0
Monitoring Violations
21
Treatment Tech Violations
0

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
E. COLI MR 10 2022
Lead and Copper Rule MR 6 2021
Coliform (TCR) MR 5 2005
Public Notice Other 4 2024
Coliform (TCR) Other 1 1993

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 77 of 686 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
NFDHA 9/24/2024 <0.02 µg/L 0.02 µg/L Not Detected
4:2 FTS 9/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
HFPO-DA 9/24/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFBA 9/24/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
6:2 FTS 9/24/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
ADONA 9/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
8:2 FTS 9/24/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFMPA 9/24/2024 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFPeA 9/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFEESA 9/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFPeS 9/24/2024 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 9/24/2024 <0.002 µg/L 0.002 µg/L Not Detected
PFDA 9/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFHpS 9/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFMBA 9/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
lithium 9/24/2024 13.5000 µg/L 9 µg/L Detected
PFHxA 9/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 9/24/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFTrDA 9/24/2024 <0.007 µg/L 0.007 µg/L Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 9/24/2024 <0.006 µg/L 0.006 µg/L Not Detected
PFTA 9/24/2024 <0.008 µg/L 0.008 µg/L Not Detected
PFBS 9/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFHpA 9/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFHxS 9/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFNA 9/24/2024 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFOS 9/24/2024 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFOA 9/24/2024 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFDoA 9/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFUnA 9/24/2024 <0.002 µg/L 0.002 µg/L Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 9/24/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 9/24/2024 <0.006 µg/L 0.006 µg/L Not Detected
4:2 FTS 9/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
8:2 FTS 9/24/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFMPA 9/24/2024 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFPeA 9/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFMBA 9/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFEESA 9/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
NFDHA 9/24/2024 <0.02 µg/L 0.02 µg/L Not Detected
PFPeS 9/24/2024 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFHpS 9/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFTA 9/24/2024 <0.008 µg/L 0.008 µg/L Not Detected
6:2 FTS 9/24/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 9/24/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFDoA 9/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFTrDA 9/24/2024 <0.007 µg/L 0.007 µg/L Not Detected
PFDA 9/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFBS 9/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFHpA 9/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFHxS 9/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFNA 9/24/2024 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected

Verify This Water System

The figures above are aggregated from EPA's public databases. To verify the underlying records — or to file a complaint, request a Consumer Confidence Report, or check current monitoring status — go directly to the federal and state regulators that enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act for CITY OF PASADENA.

Federal Source of Truth

EPA SDWIS — Federal Reports

EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) holds the federal compliance record for every regulated public water system. Open the system-level report by PWS ID:

View PWS ID TX1010293 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

Texas Drinking Water Authority

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) — Drinking Water Watch is the primacy agency that licenses and inspects CITY OF PASADENA under EPA-delegated authority.

Open TX regulator portal

Source: Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) — Drinking Water Watch

Violation Timeline

Each row links to the EPA SDWIS public record for verification. Cross-reference the contaminant code on EPA's federal report to see violation dates, return-to-compliance status, and enforcement actions.

Year (latest) Contaminant Category Count EPA Record
2024 Public Notice Other 4 SDWIS / TX1010293 / 7500
2022 E. COLI MR 10 SDWIS / TX1010293 / 3014
2021 Lead and Copper Rule MR 6 SDWIS / TX1010293 / 5000
2005 Coliform (TCR) MR 5 SDWIS / TX1010293 / 3100
1993 Coliform (TCR) Other 1 SDWIS / TX1010293 / 3100

How CITY OF PASADENA Compares

Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.

Metric CITY OF PASADENA Texas avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 31 101.5 SDWA compliance — any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 0 22.2 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection 8 compounds 93.1% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 152,000 4,524 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 7,351 regulated public water systems in Texas.

Federal MCL reference — Safe Drinking Water Act thresholds ▼
Contaminant Federal MCL / Action Level Note
Lead 0 mg/L (Action Level: 0.015 mg/L) Lead and Copper Rule treatment technique
Arsenic 0.010 mg/L (10 ppb) Health-based MCL since 2006
Total Coliform Treatment technique (RTCR) Indicator organism, monitoring trigger
PFOA / PFOS (PFAS) 4.0 ppt each (final 2024 rule) Compliance deadline 2029
Nitrate (as N) 10 mg/L Acute health risk for infants

Frequently Asked Questions

Is CITY OF PASADENA water safe to drink? ▼
CITY OF PASADENA (PWS ID: TX1010293) has 31 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. PFAS contamination has been detected in UCMR5 testing, with 8 PFAS compounds found. This system serves 152,000 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does CITY OF PASADENA serve? ▼
CITY OF PASADENA serves 152,000 people in PASADENA, Texas. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 63,669 service connections.
What type of violations does CITY OF PASADENA have? ▼
CITY OF PASADENA has 31 total violations: 0 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 21 monitoring/reporting violations, and 0 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in CITY OF PASADENA water? ▼
Yes. UCMR5 testing detected 8 PFAS compounds in CITY OF PASADENA's water supply: lithium, PFPeA, PFBA, PFBS, PFHxA, and others. PFAS are persistent "forever chemicals" that do not break down in the environment.
What water source does CITY OF PASADENA use? ▼
CITY OF PASADENA uses Surface Water as its primary water source. It is classified as a Community Water System (CWS), serving residential populations year-round.
Where does this data come from? ▼
All data comes from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and the UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program. SDWIS tracks compliance for all public water systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

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Data Sources: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), Q4 2025. PFAS data from EPA UCMR5 monitoring program (2023-2025). This data is provided for informational purposes only.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

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Data sourced from $official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainWater Editorial