We read 21 results from City of Baytown’s 2024 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 3 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 83,701 people · Water system ID TX1010003 · Read the district’s 2024 report (opens in a new tab)
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Results from the 2024 report
Each number is copied from the district’s report and links to the page it’s printed on. Where the report lists several plants, wells or purchased water, the highest is shown.
| Contaminant | Result | Health goal | Legal limit | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper90th percentile of 33 homes tested, 0 over the action level · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2022 · Customer taps · 2024 report, page 6 | 0.6 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Above the health goal2x the health goal |
| Gross beta (radioactivity)highest measured · range 4.9 to 4.9 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution / entry points · 2024 report, page 6 | 4.9 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 50 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| PFOS (a PFAS)highest measured · printed as 0.0059 µg/L · Entry point (UCMR5) · 2024 report, page 7 | 5.9 ppt | 1 ppt | 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the federal limit that takes effect in 20291.5x the 4 ppt federal limit that takes effect in 2029Not a violation yet: EPA's 4 ppt limit is final, but water systems don't have to meet it until 2029. |
| Atrazinehighest measured · range 0.14 to 0.14 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution / entry points · 2024 report, page 6 | 0.14 ppb | 0.15 ppb | 3 ppb | Below the health goal |
| Bariumhighest measured · range 0.05 to 0.06 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution / entry points · 2024 report, page 6 | 0.05 ppm | 2 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Chloramineaverage · range 2.78 to 4.28 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution / entry points · 2024 report, page 6 | 3.56 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| Cyanidehighest measured · range 0.12 to 0.18 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution / entry points · 2024 report, page 6 | 0.15 ppb | 150 ppb | 200 ppb | Below the health goal |
| DEHP (a phthalate)highest measured · range 0.6 to 0.6 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution / entry points · 2024 report, page 6 | 0.6 ppb | 12 ppb | 6 ppb | Below the health goal |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)highest running annual average · range 16.6 to 56.6 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution / entry points · 2024 report, page 6 | 35.1 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)highest running annual average · range 18.7 to 75.3 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution / entry points · 2024 report, page 6 | 50.4 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Fluorideaverage · range 0.57 to 0.6 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution / entry points · 2024 report, page 6 | 0.59 ppm | 1 ppm | 4 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Nitrate (as N)highest measured · range 0.5 to 0.5 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution / entry points · 2024 report, page 6 | 0.5 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| PFHxS (a PFAS)highest measured · printed as 0.0045 µg/L · Entry point (UCMR5) · 2024 report, page 7 | 4.5 ppt | None set | 10 ppt from 2029 | Below the legal limit |
| Simazinehighest measured · range 0.09 to 0.14 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution / entry points · 2024 report, page 6 | 0.11 ppb | 4 ppb | 4 ppb | Below the health goal |
| Turbidity (cloudiness)highest measured · listed as a violation in the report · BAWA treatment plant · 2024 report, page 6 | 0.25 NTU | None set | 1 NTU | Below the legal limit |
| PFBA (a PFAS)highest measured · printed as 0.0118 µg/L · Entry point (UCMR5) · 2024 report, page 7 | 11.8 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFBS (a PFAS)highest measured · printed as 0.0051 µg/L · Entry point (UCMR5) · 2024 report, page 7 | 5.1 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFHpA (a PFAS)highest measured · printed as 0.0032 µg/L · Entry point (UCMR5) · 2024 report, page 7 | 3.2 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFHxA (a PFAS)highest measured · printed as 0.0095 µg/L · Entry point (UCMR5) · 2024 report, page 7 | 9.5 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFPeA (a PFAS)highest measured · printed as 0.0102 µg/L · Entry point (UCMR5) · 2024 report, page 7 | 10.2 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| Total organic carbonaverage · range 3.28 to 8.37 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution / entry points · 2024 report, page 6 | 5.43 ppm | None set | None | No health limit |
Utility results describe the whole system, measured where water enters the pipes, not your tap. Your home’s plumbing can add lead or copper. 1 number we weren’t sure about is held back until a person checks.
EPA testing for PFAS and lithium
EPA’s own nationwide testing (UCMR 5) found these in City of Baytown’s water between Apr 2023 and Jan 2024. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- PFOS6 pptFound in 7 of 8 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFHxS5.1 pptFound in 7 of 8 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
- PFBS5.7 pptFound in 6 of 8 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
- Lithium13.8 ppbFound in 2 of 8 samples · highest resultAbove EPA’s health reference level of 10 ppb (a guide, not a legal limit)
Source: EPA UCMR 5 occurrence data. The highest single result is shown; one high sample doesn’t mean every glass is that high.
What you can do
Nothing here is an emergency notice: if the district has a violation, it must tell customers directly. If you’d like to lower these at your tap, these are the treatments that remove them, and the catalog shows the models certified for each. Ranking is by certified removal; commissions never change the order.
Copper
Found: Copper
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
Radium and uranium
Found: Gross beta (radioactivity)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
Found: PFOS (a PFAS), PFOS (EPA testing)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
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