PlainWater

Community Water System · PWS TX1010294

City of South Houston

South Houston, Texas 77587-0238 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 17,397 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

17,397
People served
28
EPA violations
7
Health-based
6 PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 28 drinking-water violations at City of South Houston, 25% of them health-based - below the Texas per-system average, and UCMR5 testing detected 6 PFAS compounds.

28
Total EPA violations on record
25%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
17,397
People served by this system
6
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: City of South Houston

City of South Houston is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 17,397 residents in South Houston, Texas (Harris County) through 4,698 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 28 total violations for this system , of which 7 (25%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 16 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2011.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Coliform (TCR), recorded in 5 violations (MCL, health-based). Under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, 6 PFAS compounds were detected in samples collected from this system, with a maximum reported concentration of 8.2 ppt (parts per trillion). 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. Statewide, 1,068 of 1,147 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (93.1%).

City of South Houston's 28 violations sit below the Texas average.

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

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

Population Served
17,397
Total Violations
28
Health-Based Violations
7
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
4,698
County
Harris
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
7
Monitoring Violations
16
Treatment Tech Violations
0

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Coliform (TCR) MCL 5 2004
Fluoride MCL 2 1982
Endrin MR 1 2011
Toxaphene MR 1 2011
Simazine MR 1 2011
Atrazine MR 1 2011
Heptachlor MR 1 2011
Heptachlor epoxide MR 1 2011
HEXACHLOROBENZENE MR 1 2011
Coliform (TCR) Other 1 1993
Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate MR 1 2011
Pentachlorophenol MR 1 2011
BHC-GAMMA MR 1 2011
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene MR 1 2011
Benzo(a)pyrene MR 1 2011
Chlordane MR 1 2011
LASSO MR 1 2011
Methoxychlor MR 1 2011
Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate MR 1 2011

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 13 of 116 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
6:2 FTS 8/21/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 8/21/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 8/21/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 8/21/2024 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 8/21/2024 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 8/21/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 8/21/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 8/21/2024 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 8/21/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 8/21/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 8/21/2024 5.60 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFMPA 8/21/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 8/21/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 8/21/2024 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 8/21/2024 6.20 ppt 5.00 ppt Detected
HFPO-DA 8/21/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 8/21/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 8/21/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 8/21/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 8/21/2024 4.30 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFDoA 8/21/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 8/21/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 8/21/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 8/21/2024 4.10 ppt 4.00 ppt Detected
PFNA 8/21/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 8/21/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 8/21/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 8/21/2024 3.20 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
4:2 FTS 8/21/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 5/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 5/20/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 5/20/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 5/20/2024 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 5/20/2024 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 5/20/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 5/20/2024 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 5/20/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 5/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 5/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 5/20/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 5/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 5/20/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 5/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 5/20/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 5/20/2024 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 5/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 5/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 5/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 5/20/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 5/20/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt 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 South Houston.

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 TX1010294 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 South Houston 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
2011 Endrin MR 1 SDWIS / TX1010294 / 2005
2011 Toxaphene MR 1 SDWIS / TX1010294 / 2020
2011 Simazine MR 1 SDWIS / TX1010294 / 2037
2011 Atrazine MR 1 SDWIS / TX1010294 / 2050
2011 Heptachlor MR 1 SDWIS / TX1010294 / 2065
2011 Heptachlor epoxide MR 1 SDWIS / TX1010294 / 2067
2011 HEXACHLOROBENZENE MR 1 SDWIS / TX1010294 / 2274
2011 Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate MR 1 SDWIS / TX1010294 / 2035
2011 Pentachlorophenol MR 1 SDWIS / TX1010294 / 2326
2011 BHC-GAMMA MR 1 SDWIS / TX1010294 / 2010
2011 Hexachlorocyclopentadiene MR 1 SDWIS / TX1010294 / 2042
2011 Benzo(a)pyrene MR 1 SDWIS / TX1010294 / 2306
2011 Chlordane MR 1 SDWIS / TX1010294 / 2959
2011 LASSO MR 1 SDWIS / TX1010294 / 2051
2011 Methoxychlor MR 1 SDWIS / TX1010294 / 2015

How City of South Houston Compares

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

Metric City of South Houston Texas avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 28 101.5 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 7 22.2 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection 6 compounds 93.1% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 17,397 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 (EPA proposed extending to 2031, not yet final as of May 2026)
Nitrate (as N) 10 mg/L Acute health risk for infants

Frequently Asked Questions

Is City of South Houston water safe to drink?
City of South Houston (PWS ID: TX1010294) has 28 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. PFAS contamination has been detected in UCMR5 testing, with 6 PFAS compounds found. This system serves 17,397 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does City of South Houston serve?
City of South Houston serves 17,397 people in South Houston, Texas. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 4,698 service connections.
What type of violations does City of South Houston have?
City of South Houston has 28 total violations: 7 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 16 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 South Houston water?
Yes. UCMR5 testing detected 6 PFAS compounds in City of South Houston's water supply: PFPeA, PFBA, PFHxA, PFOS, PFBS, and others. PFAS are persistent "forever chemicals" that do not break down in the environment.
What water source does City of South Houston use?
City of South Houston 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.
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.
Data sourced from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 PFAS monitoring data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainWater Editorial

Every figure on PlainWater is rendered directly from EPA SDWIS drinking-water data, no number is typed in by an editor. This system's figures are rendered directly from EPA SDWIS data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.