AUSTIN - Today, Austin Water released results from a year’s worth of water quality testing as part of a nationwide effort by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to determine the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in public drinking water. Austin Water’s results reveal little to no detectable traces of PFAS in the City’s drinking water. Because PFAS levels were either not detected or lower than upcoming EPA regulatory limits, no additional treatment to address these substances is required at this time.

"This great news validates decades of work to protect and safeguard our water at its source," stated Austin City Manager, T.C. Broadnax. “Austin’s embrace of strong environmental protections to reduce pollution in the Highland Lakes has played a vital role in keeping our water supply safe and clean." 

Austin’s water supply benefits from the many environmental protections that have been in place for decades, such as a ban on the discharge of pollutants in the Highland Lakes and the Lower Colorado River Authority’s participation in Texas Commission for Environmental Quality’s Clean Rivers Program. As a result, the Highland Lakes, which are the source of Austin’s drinking water, are less impacted by industries and activities that produce PFAS contaminants.

"We’re proud of the precise sampling and testing our team conducted to detect trace amounts of PFAS. The results affirm our unwavering commitment to high quality drinking water,” said Shay Ralls Roalson, Director of Austin Water. “We’ll continue to closely monitor the EPA’s research in this area as they determine future regulations surrounding PFAS.”

PFAS testing first began in October 2023 in accordance with the EPA’s Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. The rule required drinking water providers, like Austin Water, to measure the level of 29 specific PFAS chemicals – six of which will soon be regulated. The quarterly tests were conducted over a 12-month period. Results will be used to determine requirements for testing, treatment, and future regulations surrounding PFAS in communities that have experienced detection and/or exceedance levels.
 
Austin Water’s PFAS test results have been verified and are publicly available on the EPA website and at Water Quality Reports | AustinTexas.gov.  
 
According to the EPA, PFAS, often referred to as “forever chemicals,” are a group of manufactured compounds that have been used in industry and consumer products since the 1940s. The EPA is currently evaluating exposure to PFAS in drinking water to provide guidance on which chemicals pose health risks and at what levels. Austin Water does not produce PFAS chemicals during the treatment process; however, they can be present in the environment at locations across the United States and throughout the world.
 
Media Availability
 
Media is invited to attend the Water and Wastewater Commission meeting on Wednesday, December 4, at 6 p.m. at the Waller Creek Center located at 625 E. 10th Street, Austin, Texas. Austin Water staff will provide a briefing about our test results and be available for interviews after the conclusion of the meeting.

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