BUFFALO GAP WIND FARM
PWS ID: TX2210030 · MERKEL, Texas 79536-6942
BUFFALO GAP WIND FARM serves 44 people in MERKEL, Texas using Groundwater water sources. It has 42 recorded EPA violations, including 0 health-based violations. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing.
Water Quality Snapshot: BUFFALO GAP WIND FARM
BUFFALO GAP WIND FARM is a private-owned non-transient non-community water system that delivers drinking water to 44 residents in MERKEL, Texas (Taylor County) through 14 service connections. Its water is drawn from groundwater sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 42 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 36 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2021.
The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Revised Total Coliform Rule, recorded in 12 violations (MON). 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. BUFFALO GAP WIND FARM's 42 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.
System Details
- System Type
- Non-Transient Non-Community
- Owner Type
- Private
- Connections
- 14
- County
- Taylor
- School/Daycare
- No
- MCL Violations
- 0
- Monitoring Violations
- 36
- Treatment Tech Violations
- 0
Violation History
Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.
| Contaminant | Category | Count | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | MON | 12 | 2020 |
| Chlorine | MR | 12 | 2020 |
| Coliform (TCR) | MR | 8 | 2012 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | MR | 4 | 2016 |
| Public Notice | Other | 2 | 2021 |
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 BUFFALO GAP WIND FARM.
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 TX2210030 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 BUFFALO GAP WIND FARM 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Public Notice | Other | 2 | SDWIS / TX2210030 / 7500 |
| 2020 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | MON | 12 | SDWIS / TX2210030 / 8000 |
| 2020 | Chlorine | MR | 12 | SDWIS / TX2210030 / 0999 |
| 2016 | Lead and Copper Rule | MR | 4 | SDWIS / TX2210030 / 5000 |
| 2012 | Coliform (TCR) | MR | 8 | SDWIS / TX2210030 / 3100 |
How BUFFALO GAP WIND FARM Compares
Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.
| Metric | BUFFALO GAP WIND FARM | Texas avg | Federal benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total violations | 42 | 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 | None | 93.1% | EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt |
| Population served | 44 | 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.