Well Water Nerd

Well water in Comal County, Texas

In Comal County, 2% of 58 tested well samples exceeded the EPA limit for nitrate (10 mg/L), based on public data from Texas Water Development Board Groundwater Database and USGS Water Quality Portal.

123 individual samples from 70 wells, 1936 to 2023. Data refreshed September 9, 2026.

TWDB samples an ambient monitoring network of wells on a rotation, so these describe aquifers, not a survey of homeowners' tests.

What individual samples found

Each row summarizes every public sample for that contaminant inside Comal County. Above limit means above the EPA maximum contaminant level; where EPA has no enforceable limit, the row shows a health guideline or nuisance level instead.

ContaminantSamplesDetectedAbove limitMedianHighestLimit
Nitrate
1936 to 2023
5890%2%1.6721.410 mg/L
EPA limit
Uranium
1996 to 2023
11471%0%0.6832.230 ug/L
EPA limit
Fluoride
1969 to 2023
8193%0%0.23.14 mg/L
EPA limit
Arsenic
1974 to 2023
5614%0%01.310 ug/L
EPA limit
Copper
1969 to 2023
5070%0%0.0020.011.3 mg/L
EPA limit
Lead
1975 to 2023
4326%0%0715 ug/L
EPA limit
Radium (226 + 228)
1994 to 2018
3067%0%0.1270.85 pCi/L
EPA limit
Chloride
1936 to 2023
123100%no limit13.4840250 mg/L
nuisance level
Sodium
1936 to 2023
98100%no limit7.1340220 mg/L
health guideline
Manganese
1969 to 2023
5623%no limit019.2300 ug/L
health guideline
Iron
1969 to 2023
5328%no limit01,450300 ug/L
nuisance level
Radon
1996 to 2017
3194%no limit3507802,000 pCi/L
health guideline

Sampled fewer than 10 times, too few to summarize: PFOS (2), E. coli (6), Gross alpha (3), PFOA (2).

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What this means

The contaminants most often above their limit here are nitrate (2% of 58 samples). A well next door can differ sharply from yours because bedrock fractures, well depth and plumbing all matter, so these rates describe the area, not your tap.

Chloride is widespread in local groundwater. It is mainly a staining and taste problem, but high manganese also carries a health advisory for infants.

What to test for in Comal County

  • Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)110 leaking underground storage tank sites on record locally.
  • Nitrate2% of 58 local samples were above the limit.
  • RadonMedian local reading is 350 pCi/L.
  • PFOSAbove the limit in 1 of 2 local samples; too few to quote a rate.
  • E. coliAbove the limit in 1 of 6 local samples; too few to quote a rate.
  • ChlorideDetected in 100% of local samples.
  • FluorideDetected in 93% of local samples.
  • CopperDetected in 70% of local samples.

Contamination sources on record in Comal County

TCEQ records 110 leaking underground storage tank sites in Comal County, among 114 regulated sites in total. Groundwater does not follow property lines, so a well within a few hundred feet of one of these is worth testing for what that site could release.

110
leaking underground storage tank sitesGasoline and heating oil that leaked from tanks move through groundwater as benzene, MTBE and other volatile organic compounds.
4
lined landfills and transfer facilities

Treatment that fits the local profile

Nitrate
Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Anion exchange; Distillation
Fluoride
Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Activated alumina; Distillation
Copper
Neutralizing filter to raise pH; Point-of-use reverse osmosis
Chloride
Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Distillation

Get your Comal County water tested at home

A licensed local water treatment company tests your tap water in your home, walks you through the numbers, and quotes treatment only if something needs fixing. Free, about 30 minutes, no obligation. Tell us what you need and we match you with a company that serves Comal County.

What are you worried about?

The test is free and there is no obligation. Your details go only to the company named above, and we log the time and address of this request.

Common questions

Is there arsenic in well water in Comal County?

Arsenic was detected in 14% of 56 public well samples in Comal County, and 0% were above the EPA limit of 10 ug/L. Arsenic has no taste or smell; a lab test is the only way to know your level.

How high is radon in well water in Comal County?

The median radon level across 31 public samples in Comal County was 350 pCi/L, with a high of 780 pCi/L. New Hampshire recommends treatment above 2,000 pCi/L.

How often should I test a private well in Comal County?

Test for bacteria and nitrate every year. Test once for arsenic, uranium, radon, fluoride, manganese and PFAS, then again every three to five years or after any change in taste, color, or plumbing.

Sources

  • Texas Water Development Board Groundwater Database: 626 samples in Comal County. Water quality samples from the Texas Water Development Board Groundwater Database, collected by TWDB, groundwater conservation districts and cooperators. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
  • USGS Water Quality Portal: 180 samples in Comal County. Data from the Water Quality Portal, a service of USGS, EPA and USDA; groundwater samples collected by USGS and cooperators. Retrieved September 3, 2026.
  • TCEQ regulated sites: 114 regulated sites located in Comal County. Leaking petroleum storage tank sites, state Superfund sites and municipal solid waste landfills from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Retrieved September 9, 2026.

Non-detects count as samples and are treated as zero when computing medians. Exactly at the limit counts as not above it. A sample belongs to the town containing the well's reported coordinates.