Is Tap Water Safe to Drink in Austin?
Yes, tap water in Austin is safe to drink day-to-day and meets EPA standards, sourced from the Colorado River (Texas) via the Highland Lakes chain, though the city faced a widely publicized boil-water advisory during the 2021 winter storm.
Water Source
Austin Water draws from the Colorado River (Texas) via Lake Travis and Lake Austin in the Highland Lakes chain, treating it at multiple plants before distribution.
EPA Compliance Status
Meets all federal Safe Drinking Water Act standards.
Notable Contaminants & Context
- •No significant ongoing compliance concerns in day-to-day supply
- •Extreme weather events (notably the February 2021 winter storm) have caused temporary treatment plant outages and boil-water advisories due to power and equipment failures, not source-water contamination
How It Compares
Austin's underlying treated water consistently meets EPA standards; the 2021 storm highlighted vulnerability to extreme weather-driven infrastructure failure, prompting subsequent resilience investment.
Tips
- •Day-to-day tap water is safe throughout the city
- •Check the city's advisory page during extreme winter weather events
- •Austin Water publishes an annual water quality report
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & References
The safety rating and guidance on this page draw on the following sources. See our full methodology.
- •US EPA Safe Drinking Water Act regulations
- •EWG Tap Water Database
- •The utility's most recent Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
- •WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality