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Community Water System · PWS TX2270083

Travis County Wcid 18

Austin, Texas 78733-1905 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 5,733 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

5,733
People served
143
EPA violations
86
Health-based
2 PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 143 drinking-water violations at Travis County Wcid 18, 60% of them health-based - above the Texas per-system average, and UCMR5 testing detected 2 PFAS compounds.

143
Total EPA violations on record
60%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
5,733
People served by this system
2
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Travis County Wcid 18

Travis County Wcid 18 is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 5,733 residents in Austin, Texas (Travis County) through 1,911 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 143 total violations for this system , of which 86 (60%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 17 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2017.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is TTHM, recorded in 71 violations (MCL, health-based). Under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, 2 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%).

Travis County Wcid 18's 143 violations sit above 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

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

Population Served
5,733
Total Violations
143
Health-Based Violations
86
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
1,911
County
Travis
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
85
Monitoring Violations
17
Treatment Tech Violations
1

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
TTHM MCL 71 2017
Public Notice Other 18 2017
Coliform (TCR) MCL 14 2015
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule MR 6 2015
Lead and Copper Rule MR 4 2017
Revised Total Coliform Rule MON 4 2017
Surface Water Treatment Rule MR 2 1993
Consumer Confidence Rule Other 2 2015
Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 1 2003
CARBON, TOTAL MR 1 2015

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 3 of 87 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFPeS 9/22/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 9/22/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 9/22/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 9/22/2025 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 9/22/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 9/22/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 9/22/2025 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 9/22/2025 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 9/22/2025 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 9/22/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 9/22/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 9/22/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 9/22/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 9/22/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 9/22/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 9/22/2025 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 9/22/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 9/22/2025 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 9/22/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 9/22/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 9/22/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 9/22/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 9/22/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 9/22/2025 6.90 ppt 5.00 ppt Detected
6:2 FTS 9/22/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 9/22/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 9/22/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 9/22/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 9/22/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 7/9/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 7/9/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 7/9/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 7/9/2025 8.20 ppt 5.00 ppt Detected
6:2 FTS 7/9/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 7/9/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 7/9/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 7/9/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 7/9/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 7/9/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 7/9/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 7/9/2025 3.10 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFEESA 7/9/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 7/9/2025 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 7/9/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 7/9/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 7/9/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 7/9/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 7/9/2025 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 7/9/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 7/9/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 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 Travis County Wcid 18.

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 TX2270083 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 Travis County Wcid 18 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
2017 TTHM MCL 71 SDWIS / TX2270083 / 2950
2017 Public Notice Other 18 SDWIS / TX2270083 / 7500
2017 Lead and Copper Rule MR 4 SDWIS / TX2270083 / 5000
2017 Revised Total Coliform Rule MON 4 SDWIS / TX2270083 / 8000
2015 Coliform (TCR) MCL 14 SDWIS / TX2270083 / 3100
2015 Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule MR 6 SDWIS / TX2270083 / 0300
2015 Consumer Confidence Rule Other 2 SDWIS / TX2270083 / 7000
2015 CARBON, TOTAL MR 1 SDWIS / TX2270083 / 2920
2003 Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 1 SDWIS / TX2270083 / 0200
1993 Surface Water Treatment Rule MR 2 SDWIS / TX2270083 / 0200

How Travis County Wcid 18 Compares

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

Metric Travis County Wcid 18 Texas avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 143 101.5 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 86 22.2 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection 2 compounds 93.1% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 5,733 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 Travis County Wcid 18 water safe to drink?
Travis County Wcid 18 (PWS ID: TX2270083) has 143 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. PFAS contamination has been detected in UCMR5 testing, with 2 PFAS compounds found. This system serves 5,733 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does Travis County Wcid 18 serve?
Travis County Wcid 18 serves 5,733 people in Austin, Texas. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 1,911 service connections.
What type of violations does Travis County Wcid 18 have?
Travis County Wcid 18 has 143 total violations: 86 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 17 monitoring/reporting violations, and 1 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Travis County Wcid 18 water?
Yes. UCMR5 testing detected 2 PFAS compounds in Travis County Wcid 18's water supply: PFBA, PFPeA. PFAS are persistent "forever chemicals" that do not break down in the environment.
What water source does Travis County Wcid 18 use?
Travis County Wcid 18 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.