Is Houston Water Safe to Drink?
No other thing is as essential to survival as water is. It is especially loved in Houston, where there are plenty of lakes to visit, beaches to swim in, and rivers to spend the summer at.
That is why when the quality of our water is compromised, it becomes a cause for concern.
Because of the Houston Public Works’ efforts, the water in Houston is once again clean and safe to drink. They are in charge of managing and maintaining all public systems, and this involves water distribution, collection, and treatment.
Today, let’s learn about what process takes place before our water reaches our homes and distribution centers.
Safety of Houston water
Houstonians and visitors of the city started becoming wary of drinking water after a notice was issued by the city. This notice entails that drinking water has to be boiled before consumed or used for cooking.
This news broke after the public water system was compromised, after records show that the city has committed a non-health based violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act in late 2019.
The said violation involved the routine and monitoring of distribution systems and water sources. After this, the city conducted corrective actions in order to restore the good quality of potable water.
The TCEQ or the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has finally released laboratory test results showing that Houston water is once again safe to drink earlier in 2021.
Water sources
Water is never scarce in Houston, given that it is near the coast and surrounded by tributaries. With that, the main sources are surface water from rivers and lakes.
More than 80% of the water supply is retrieved and processed from the San Jacinto river flowing into lake Houston and lake Conroe, and Trinity River flowing into lake Livingston.
Water treatment process
The WTA, or the Water Treatment Operations, manages the water treatment process, utilizing a high standard quality chlorination process to remove toxins and harmful microorganisms. However, this may be the reason why Houston water has a distinct metallic taste.
While this taste may not be desirable, this is essential to ensure that the water is safe for consumption.
The Environmental Working Group imposed this guideline because a report from 4 years ago showed that Houston water contained some cancer-causing contaminants. Albeit these were in very low concentrations, the city made sure the water was restored to a safe standard.
Tap water and filters
It is safe to consume water from the tap now, even without boiling it. Still, we recommend you use a water filter in your apartments to further aid in the filtration process.
Houston water also meets the standards set by the EPA, or the Environmental Protection Agency. However, you must know that Houston water is naturally hard water, which may explain the scale buildup on your plumbing fixtures.
To ease your worries, you can install some filters specifically designed to remove lead and chlorine.
