Well water in Houston County, Texas
In Houston County, none of 67 tested well samples exceeded the EPA limit for fluoride, based on public data from Texas Water Development Board Groundwater Database.
68 individual samples from 33 wells, 1949 to 2017. 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 Houston 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.
| Contaminant | Samples | Detected | Above limit | Median | Highest | Limit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fluoride 1949 to 2017 | 67 | 96% | 0% | 0.28 | 0.9 | 4 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Nitrate 1993 to 2017 | 29 | 45% | 0% | 0 | 2.37 | 10 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Arsenic 1993 to 2017 | 29 | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 10 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Lead 1993 to 2017 | 29 | 10% | 0% | 0 | 1.28 | 15 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Copper 1993 to 2017 | 29 | 72% | 0% | 0.002 | 0.007 | 1.3 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Chloride 1949 to 2017 | 68 | 100% | no limit | 14.5 | 275 | 250 mg/L nuisance level | |
| Sodium 1949 to 2017 | 67 | 100% | no limit | 140 | 471 | 20 mg/L health guideline | |
| Iron 1949 to 2017 | 58 | 78% | no limit | 100 | 30,000 | 300 ug/L nuisance level | |
| Manganese 1993 to 2017 | 29 | 79% | no limit | 2.7 | 93.9 | 300 ug/L health guideline |
Sampled fewer than 10 times, too few to summarize: Uranium (8), Gross alpha (7), Radium (226 + 228) (4).
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What this means
Among contaminants with a federal limit, no tested sample in Houston County came back above it. That is reassuring, but sampling is uneven: wells that were never tested are not in this data.
Chloride, Iron, and Manganese are widespread in local groundwater. They are mainly a staining and taste problem, but high manganese also carries a health advisory for infants.
What to test for in Houston County
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)44 leaking underground storage tank sites on record locally.
- Metals panel1 hazardous waste site on record locally.
- Coliform bacteriaRecommended for every private well, every year.
- ChlorideDetected in 100% of local samples.
- NitrateRecommended for every private well, especially near farms or septic systems.
- FluorideDetected in 96% of local samples.
- ManganeseDetected in 79% of local samples.
- IronDetected in 78% of local samples.
- CopperDetected in 72% of local samples.
Contamination sources on record in Houston County
TCEQ records 44 leaking underground storage tank sites and 1 hazardous waste site in Houston County, among 54 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.
- 44
- leaking underground storage tank sitesGasoline and heating oil that leaked from tanks move through groundwater as benzene, MTBE and other volatile organic compounds.
- 1
- hazardous waste siteSolvents, degreasers and metals from industrial sites can travel far in fractured bedrock.
- 9
- lined landfills and transfer facilities
Treatment that fits the local profile
- 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
- Iron
- Oxidizing filter whole-house; Water softener (low levels); Aeration plus filtration
- Manganese
- Oxidizing filter (greensand, birm) whole-house; Water softener (low levels); Point-of-use reverse osmosis
Get your Houston 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 Houston County.
Common questions
Is there arsenic in well water in Houston County?
Arsenic was detected in 0% of 29 public well samples in Houston 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 often should I test a private well in Houston 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: 424 samples in Houston County. Water quality samples from the Texas Water Development Board Groundwater Database, collected by TWDB, groundwater conservation districts and cooperators. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
- TCEQ regulated sites: 54 regulated sites located in Houston 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.