Is Tap Water Safe to Drink in Fort Worth?
Yes, tap water in Fort Worth is safe to drink. The city treats Tarrant Regional Water District reservoir water at five plants and meets all EPA standards.
Water Source
The Fort Worth Water Department treats raw water supplied by the Tarrant Regional Water District from Lake Worth, Eagle Mountain Lake and Lake Bridgeport on the West Fork Trinity River, plus Cedar Creek and Richland–Chambers Reservoirs in East Texas, at five city treatment plants.
EPA Compliance Status
Meets all federal Safe Drinking Water Act standards and holds a 'Superior' rating from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
Notable Contaminants & Context
- •Disinfection byproducts from warm-climate reservoir water are monitored and kept within EPA limits
- •Seasonal algae in the reservoirs cause occasional harmless earthy tastes
- •PFAS monitoring under the EPA's national rule continues regionally; delivered water meets requirements
- •Legacy lead service line inventory work is under way as in all older cities, with corrosion control in place
Water Quality Data
Key contaminants detected vs. regulatory limits. All values from the most recent published report — Source: Fort Worth Water 2024 CCR.
| Contaminant | Detected | Limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorine (total) | 1.8 mg/L | 4.0 mg/L | ✓ |
| Fluoride | 0.69 mg/L | 4.0 mg/L | ✓ |
| Lead (90th percentile) | 2.6 µg/L | 15.0 µg/L | ✓ |
| Nitrate (as N) | 0.91 mg/L | 10.0 mg/L | ✓ |
| TTHM (Total Trihalomethanes) | 36.4 µg/L | 80.0 µg/L | ✓ |
| HAA5 (Haloacetic Acids) | 25.1 µg/L | 60.0 µg/L | ✓ |
✓ = below limit ⚠ = above health goal ✗ = exceeds guideline
How It Compares
Fort Worth shares its raw-water pool with Arlington and much of Tarrant County, and its five-plant system gives it more treatment redundancy than most Texas cities its size; compliance history is consistently quiet compared with coastal systems like Corpus Christi.
Tips
- •The annual water quality report covers all five treatment plants
- •Summer earthy taste is reservoir algae — cosmetic and filterable
- •No safety filter is needed
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