What was found in Alto's water
The level at the city's main supplier, the highest level anywhere in the city, the EPA limit for each, and where every figure comes from.
| Contaminant | Level vs EPA limit | Suppliers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | 1045.8 µg/L 80% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: ALTO RURAL WSC COLDSPRINGS PLANT · 2,313 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 1210 µg/L — ALTO RURAL WSC CENTRAL HIGH PLANT · 1,305 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 632.3 µg/L 16% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: ALTO RURAL WSC COLDSPRINGS PLANT · 2,313 people · 2017
Highest in the city: 843.75 µg/L — CITY OF ALTO · 1,225 people · 2018 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate | 62 µg/L 0.6% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: ALTO RURAL WSC COLDSPRINGS PLANT · 2,313 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 186.85 µg/L — CITY OF ALTO · 1,225 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 49.6 µg/L 0.5% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: ALTO RURAL WSC COLDSPRINGS PLANT · 2,313 people · 2015
Highest in the city: 174 µg/L — CITY OF ALTO · 1,225 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 87.52 µg/L 109% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 80 µg/L Main supplier: ALTO RURAL WSC COLDSPRINGS PLANT · 2,313 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 33.66 µg/L 56% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: ALTO RURAL WSC COLDSPRINGS PLANT · 2,313 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 59.3 µg/L — ALTO RURAL WSC CENTRAL HIGH PLANT · 1,305 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 27.67 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ALTO RURAL WSC COLDSPRINGS PLANT · 2,313 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 53.53 µg/L — ALTO RURAL WSC CENTRAL HIGH PLANT · 1,305 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 36.7 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ALTO RURAL WSC COLDSPRINGS PLANT · 2,313 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 33.6 µg/L 3.4% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: ALTO RURAL WSC BRADFORD MT PLANT · 378 people · 2019 | 2/4 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 17.825 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ALTO RURAL WSC COLDSPRINGS PLANT · 2,313 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 31.925 µg/L — ALTO RURAL WSC CENTRAL HIGH PLANT · 1,305 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 24.6 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ALTO RURAL WSC COLDSPRINGS PLANT · 2,313 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 14.44 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ALTO RURAL WSC COLDSPRINGS PLANT · 2,313 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 23.95 µg/L — ALTO RURAL WSC CENTRAL HIGH PLANT · 1,305 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 20.53 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ALTO RURAL WSC COLDSPRINGS PLANT · 2,313 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 22.005 µg/L — CITY OF ALTO · 1,225 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 16.9 µg/L 0.8% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: ALTO RURAL WSC COLDSPRINGS PLANT · 2,313 people · 2018 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Cyanide | 13 µg/L 6.5% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Highest in the city: ALTO RURAL WSC CENTRAL HIGH PLANT · 1,305 people · 2018 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 9.845 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ALTO RURAL WSC COLDSPRINGS PLANT · 2,313 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 10.61 µg/L — CITY OF ALTO · 1,225 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 5.08 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ALTO RURAL WSC COLDSPRINGS PLANT · 2,313 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 6.88 µg/L — CITY OF ALTO · 1,225 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 1.5 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ALTO RURAL WSC COLDSPRINGS PLANT · 2,313 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 5.575 µg/L — CITY OF ALTO · 1,225 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 1.564 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: ALTO RURAL WSC COLDSPRINGS PLANT · 2,313 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 3.29 µg/L — ALTO RURAL WSC BRADFORD MT PLANT · 378 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 2.3 µg/L 2.3% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: ALTO RURAL WSC COLDSPRINGS PLANT · 2,313 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 3.15 µg/L — CITY OF ALTO · 1,225 people · 2019 | 2/4 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 2.5 µg/L 0% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: CITY OF ALTO · 1,225 people · 2019 | 3/4 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 1.5 pCi/L 30% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: ALTO RURAL WSC COLDSPRINGS PLANT · 2,313 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 2.13 pCi/L — CITY OF ALTO · 1,225 people · 2018 | 3/4 | SYR4 |
| Ethylbenzene | 0.7640 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 700 µg/L Highest in the city: CITY OF ALTO · 1,225 people · 2019 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Carbon Tetrachloride | 0.7300 µg/L 15% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Highest in the city: ALTO RURAL WSC CENTRAL HIGH PLANT · 1,305 people · 2019 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0013 mg/L 8.4% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: ALTO RURAL WSC COLDSPRINGS PLANT · 2,313 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0013 mg/L — CITY OF ALTO · 1,225 people · 2026 | 4/4 | LCR |
Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is
well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the
limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there
means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a
running annual average while the figure is the 95th percentile of the
system's samples — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a
violation.
Formal violations are listed separately.
These are the utilities' own EPA-reported results, not a city-wide
average. A detection means the lab measured the
substance — it isn't the same as exceeding a legal limit. Hover a source
tag to see the EPA program and years behind each figure.
Water suppliers serving Alto
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| ALTO RURAL WSC COLDSPRINGS PLANT | 2,313 |
| ALTO RURAL WSC CENTRAL HIGH PLANT | 1,305 |
| CITY OF ALTO | 1,225 |
| ALTO RURAL WSC BRADFORD MT PLANT | 378 |
Frequently asked questions about Alto tap water
Is Alto tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 25 contaminants in the water serving Alto. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most detected levels are within federal limits. Check the level and source for each contaminant above, and your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for the official compliance status.
How many water suppliers serve Alto?
4 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Alto, Texas to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Alto's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Alto include Copper, Fluoride, Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, TTHM. The full list, with the level at the main supplier and the data source, is in the table above.
Where does this data come from?
Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.