Well Water Nerd

Well water in Waller County, Texas

In Waller County, sodium was detected in 100% of 31 tested well samples from Texas Water Development Board Groundwater Database and USGS Water Quality Portal.

31 individual samples from 23 wells, 1947 to 2025. 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 Waller 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
Fluoride
1949 to 2025
28100%0%0.2451.74 mg/L
EPA limit
Nitrate
1947 to 2025
1663%0%0.170.510 mg/L
EPA limit
Arsenic
1992 to 2025
1429%0%02.5110 ug/L
EPA limit
Lead
1992 to 2025
140%0%0015 ug/L
EPA limit
Copper
1992 to 2025
1450%0%0.0010.0321.3 mg/L
EPA limit
Radium (226 + 228)
2002 to 2014
1030%0%00.285 pCi/L
EPA limit
Sodium
1948 to 2025
31100%no limit4413420 mg/L
health guideline
Chloride
1948 to 2025
31100%no limit51.9168250 mg/L
nuisance level
Iron
1964 to 2025
2642%no limit04,000300 ug/L
nuisance level
Manganese
1971 to 2025
1540%no limit071.8300 ug/L
health guideline

Sampled fewer than 10 times, too few to summarize: Gross alpha (9), Uranium (9), E. coli (2), PFOA (1), PFOS (1), Radon (2).

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What this means

Among contaminants with a federal limit, no tested sample in Waller County came back above it. That is reassuring, but sampling is uneven: wells that were never tested are not in this data.

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 Waller County

  • Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)56 leaking underground storage tank sites on record locally.
  • Metals panel1 hazardous waste site on record locally.
  • Coliform bacteriaRecommended for every private well, every year.
  • RadonMedian local reading is 134 pCi/L.
  • FluorideDetected in 100% of local samples.
  • ChlorideDetected in 100% of local samples.
  • NitrateRecommended for every private well, especially near farms or septic systems.

Contamination sources on record in Waller County

TCEQ records 56 leaking underground storage tank sites and 1 hazardous waste site in Waller County, among 73 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.

56
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.
16
lined landfills and transfer facilities

Treatment that fits the local profile

Fluoride
Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Activated alumina; Distillation
Chloride
Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Distillation

Get your Waller 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 Waller 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 Waller County?

Arsenic was detected in 29% of 14 public well samples in Waller 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 Waller County?

The median radon level across 2 public samples in Waller County was 134 pCi/L, with a high of 170 pCi/L. New Hampshire recommends treatment above 2,000 pCi/L.

How often should I test a private well in Waller 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: 207 samples in Waller 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: 16 samples in Waller 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: 73 regulated sites located in Waller 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.