PlainWater

CITY OF COTULLA

PWS ID: TX1420001 · COTULLA, Texas 78014-2250

CITY OF COTULLA serves 5,640 people in COTULLA, Texas using Groundwater water sources. It has 97 recorded EPA violations, including 13 health-based violations. PFAS "forever chemicals" were detected in UCMR5 testing (1 compound found).

Water Quality Snapshot: CITY OF COTULLA

CITY OF COTULLA is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 5,640 residents in COTULLA, Texas (La Salle County) through 1,741 service connections. Its water is drawn from groundwater sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 97 total violations for this system , of which 13 (13%) are health-based — meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 49 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2025.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is E. COLI, recorded in 24 violations (MR). Under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, 1 PFAS compound was detected in samples collected from this system, with a maximum reported concentration of 42.9 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 COTULLA's 97 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

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

Population Served
5,640
Total Violations
97
Health-Based Violations
13
Water Source
Groundwater

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
1,741
County
La Salle
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
10
Monitoring Violations
49
Treatment Tech Violations
3

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
E. COLI MR 24 2023
Public Notice Other 12 2025
Coliform (TCR) MCL 10 2013
Consumer Confidence Rule Other 6 2005
Lead and Copper Rule MR 5 2019
Coliform (TCR) MR 4 2011
LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS TT 3 2024
LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS RPT 3 2024
Pentachlorophenol MR 1 2022
Atrazine MR 1 2022
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene MR 1 2022
Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate MR 1 2022
Endrin MR 1 2022
LASSO MR 1 2022
Heptachlor epoxide MR 1 2022
Methoxychlor MR 1 2022
BHC-GAMMA MR 1 2022
Heptachlor MR 1 2022
Benzo(a)pyrene MR 1 2022
Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate MR 1 2022
Chlordane MR 1 2022
Simazine MR 1 2022
Toxaphene MR 1 2022
HEXACHLOROBENZENE MR 1 2022

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 7 of 210 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
lithium 8/15/2023 32.9000 µg/L 9 µg/L Detected
PFPeS 8/15/2023 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFTrDA 8/15/2023 <0.007 µg/L 0.007 µg/L Not Detected
PFBS 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 8/15/2023 <0.006 µg/L 0.006 µg/L Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 8/15/2023 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFHpA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFTA 8/15/2023 <0.008 µg/L 0.008 µg/L Not Detected
4:2 FTS 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
8:2 FTS 8/15/2023 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFMBA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFHpS 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFDoA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
NFDHA 8/15/2023 <0.02 µg/L 0.02 µg/L Not Detected
PFPeA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFMPA 8/15/2023 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 8/15/2023 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
lithium 8/15/2023 32.2000 µg/L 9 µg/L Detected
ADONA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFEESA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
HFPO-DA 8/15/2023 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFOA 8/15/2023 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 8/15/2023 <0.002 µg/L 0.002 µg/L Not Detected
PFHxS 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFUnA 8/15/2023 <0.002 µg/L 0.002 µg/L Not Detected
PFHxA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFDA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFOS 8/15/2023 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFNA 8/15/2023 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
6:2 FTS 8/15/2023 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFBA 8/15/2023 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 8/15/2023 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFHpS 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFPeS 8/15/2023 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
NFDHA 8/15/2023 <0.02 µg/L 0.02 µg/L Not Detected
PFEESA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFMBA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFPeA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFMPA 8/15/2023 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
8:2 FTS 8/15/2023 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
4:2 FTS 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
6:2 FTS 8/15/2023 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFBA 8/15/2023 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
HFPO-DA 8/15/2023 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
lithium 8/15/2023 32.2000 µg/L 9 µg/L Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 8/15/2023 <0.002 µg/L 0.002 µg/L Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 8/15/2023 <0.006 µg/L 0.006 µg/L Not Detected
PFUnA 8/15/2023 <0.002 µg/L 0.002 µg/L Not Detected
PFHxA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFDoA 8/15/2023 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 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 COTULLA.

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 TX1420001 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 COTULLA 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
2025 Public Notice Other 12 SDWIS / TX1420001 / 7500
2024 LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS TT 3 SDWIS / TX1420001 / 5200
2024 LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS RPT 3 SDWIS / TX1420001 / 5200
2023 E. COLI MR 24 SDWIS / TX1420001 / 3014
2022 Pentachlorophenol MR 1 SDWIS / TX1420001 / 2326
2022 Atrazine MR 1 SDWIS / TX1420001 / 2050
2022 Hexachlorocyclopentadiene MR 1 SDWIS / TX1420001 / 2042
2022 Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate MR 1 SDWIS / TX1420001 / 2039
2022 Endrin MR 1 SDWIS / TX1420001 / 2005
2022 LASSO MR 1 SDWIS / TX1420001 / 2051
2022 Heptachlor epoxide MR 1 SDWIS / TX1420001 / 2067
2022 Methoxychlor MR 1 SDWIS / TX1420001 / 2015
2022 BHC-GAMMA MR 1 SDWIS / TX1420001 / 2010
2022 Heptachlor MR 1 SDWIS / TX1420001 / 2065
2022 Benzo(a)pyrene MR 1 SDWIS / TX1420001 / 2306

How CITY OF COTULLA Compares

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

Metric CITY OF COTULLA Texas avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 97 101.5 SDWA compliance — any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 13 22.2 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection 1 compound 93.1% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 5,640 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 COTULLA water safe to drink?
CITY OF COTULLA (PWS ID: TX1420001) has 97 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. PFAS contamination has been detected in UCMR5 testing, with 1 PFAS compound found. This system serves 5,640 people using Groundwater sources.
How many people does CITY OF COTULLA serve?
CITY OF COTULLA serves 5,640 people in COTULLA, Texas. It is a Local-owned system using Groundwater water sources with 1,741 service connections.
What type of violations does CITY OF COTULLA have?
CITY OF COTULLA has 97 total violations: 13 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 49 monitoring/reporting violations, and 3 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in CITY OF COTULLA water?
Yes. UCMR5 testing detected 1 PFAS compound in CITY OF COTULLA's water supply: lithium. PFAS are persistent "forever chemicals" that do not break down in the environment.
What water source does CITY OF COTULLA use?
CITY OF COTULLA uses Groundwater 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.

Explore PlainWater

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.

Related

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