BLAIR WSC
PWS ID: TX2210024 · MERKEL, Texas 79536-0386
BLAIR WSC serves 957 people in MERKEL, Texas using Surface Water water sources. It has 219 recorded EPA violations, including 169 health-based violations. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing.
Water Quality Snapshot: BLAIR WSC
BLAIR WSC is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 957 residents in MERKEL, Texas (Taylor County) through 319 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 219 total violations for this system , of which 169 (77%) are health-based — meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 25 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2022.
The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is TTHM, recorded in 144 violations (MCL, health-based). This system has not yet been sampled under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, so no PFAS detection data is available here.
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. BLAIR WSC's 219 violations sit above 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.
System Details
- System Type
- Community
- Owner Type
- Local
- Connections
- 319
- County
- Taylor
- School/Daycare
- No
- MCL Violations
- 169
- Monitoring Violations
- 25
- Treatment Tech Violations
- 0
Violation History
Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.
| Contaminant | Category | Count | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| TTHM | MCL | 144 | 2020 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | MCL | 25 | 2019 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | MR | 10 | 2016 |
| Coliform (TCR) | MR | 7 | 2008 |
| Public Notice | Other | 4 | 2017 |
| Chlorine | MR | 4 | 2017 |
| TTHM | MR | 4 | 2022 |
| Consumer Confidence Rule | Other | 2 | 2002 |
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 BLAIR WSC.
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 TX2210024 on SDWISSource: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search
Texas Drinking Water Authority
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) — Drinking Water Watch is the primacy agency that licenses and inspects BLAIR WSC under EPA-delegated authority.
Open TX regulator portalSource: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | TTHM | MR | 4 | SDWIS / TX2210024 / 2950 |
| 2020 | TTHM | MCL | 144 | SDWIS / TX2210024 / 2950 |
| 2019 | Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | MCL | 25 | SDWIS / TX2210024 / 2456 |
| 2017 | Public Notice | Other | 4 | SDWIS / TX2210024 / 7500 |
| 2017 | Chlorine | MR | 4 | SDWIS / TX2210024 / 0999 |
| 2016 | Lead and Copper Rule | MR | 10 | SDWIS / TX2210024 / 5000 |
| 2008 | Coliform (TCR) | MR | 7 | SDWIS / TX2210024 / 3100 |
| 2002 | Consumer Confidence Rule | Other | 2 | SDWIS / TX2210024 / 7000 |
How BLAIR WSC Compares
Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.
| Metric | BLAIR WSC | Texas avg | Federal benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total violations | 219 | 101.5 | SDWA compliance — any non-zero count is a recorded breach |
| Health-based violations | 169 | 22.2 | Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL |
| PFAS detection | None | 93.1% | EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt |
| Population served | 957 | 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
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Related Data for Texas
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.