What was found in Athens'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 | 221.5 µg/L 17% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF ATHENS · 17,934 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 663.5 µg/L — BETHEL ASH WSC MURPHY PLANT · 834 people · 2019 | 22/23 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 425.8 µg/L 11% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF ATHENS · 17,934 people · 2018 | 20/23 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 120.7 µg/L 1.2% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF ATHENS · 17,934 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 406 µg/L — DIXIE ISLE WATER SYSTEM · 1,083 people · 2015 | 18/23 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate | 127 µg/L 1.3% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF ATHENS · 17,934 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 383.9 µg/L — DIXIE ISLE WATER SYSTEM · 1,083 people · 2019 | 20/23 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 94.78 µg/L 4.7% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF ATHENS · 17,934 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 175 µg/L — LAKESHORE UTILITY · 1,446 people · 2018 | 20/23 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 84 µg/L 105% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 80 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF ATHENS · 17,934 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 141.4 µg/L — C R C WSC · 723 people · 2019 | 20/23 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 68.06 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF ATHENS · 17,934 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 112.35 µg/L — CEDARVIEW ESTATES · 228 people · 2019 | 19/23 | SYR4 |
| Cyanide | 83.26 µg/L 42% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF ATHENS · 17,934 people · 2017 | 6/23 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 83 µg/L 138% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 60 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF ATHENS · 17,934 people · 2019 | 21/23 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 73.35 µg/L 7.3% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: LAKE VISTA VILLAGE · 174 people · 2015 | 1/23 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 16.135 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF ATHENS · 17,934 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 71.01 µg/L — C R C WSC · 723 people · 2019 | 20/23 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 4.352 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF ATHENS · 17,934 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 48.22 µg/L — C R C WSC · 723 people · 2019 | 21/23 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 44.858 µg/L 0.4% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: BETHEL ASH WSC BETHEL PLANT · 186 people · 2019 | 8/23 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 43.8 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF ATHENS · 17,934 people · 2019 | 18/23 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 37.555 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF ATHENS · 17,934 people · 2019 | 15/23 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 9.8555 µg/L 66% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF ATHENS · 17,934 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 33.4 µg/L — POINT LA VISTA · 780 people · 2019 | 21/23 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 19.86 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF ATHENS · 17,934 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 30.89 µg/L — ESQUIRE ESTATES II · 126 people · 2019 | 20/23 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 2.4 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF ATHENS · 17,934 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 19.445 µg/L — C R C WSC · 723 people · 2019 | 18/23 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 6.26 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF ATHENS · 17,934 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 14.22 µg/L — BETHEL ASH WSC WALTON PLANT · 801 people · 2019 | 13/23 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 14.2 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: BETHEL ASH WSC LOWE PLANT · 786 people · 2025 | 1/23 | UCMR-5 |
| Ethylbenzene | 10.956 µg/L 1.6% of the EPA limit 700 µg/L Highest in the city: BETHEL ASH WSC BETHEL PLANT · 186 people · 2019 | 5/23 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 1.927 µg/L 3.9% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF ATHENS · 17,934 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 8.43 µg/L — BETHEL ASH WSC WALTON PLANT · 801 people · 2019 | 10/23 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 2.04 µg/L 2% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF ATHENS · 17,934 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 6.32 µg/L — BETHEL ASH WSC WALTON PLANT · 801 people · 2019 | 17/23 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 5.92 µg/L 0.6% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: BETHEL ASH WSC BETHEL PLANT · 186 people · 2019 | 1/23 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 5.4 pCi/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: BETHEL ASH WSC HALL PLANT · 498 people · 2018 | 1/23 | SYR4 |
| Benzene | 4.625 µg/L 93% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Highest in the city: BETHEL ASH WSC BETHEL PLANT · 186 people · 2019 | 2/23 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 2.37 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF ATHENS · 17,934 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 4.48 µg/L — ESQUIRE ESTATES II · 126 people · 2019 | 10/23 | SYR4 |
| Dalapon | 3.56 µg/L 1.8% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Highest in the city: CLEAR CREEK RESORT WATER SYSTEM · 456 people · 2019 | 1/23 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 1.5 pCi/L 30% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: CITY OF ATHENS · 17,934 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 2.58 pCi/L — OAKWOOD SUBDIVISION WATER SYSTEM · 522 people · 2019 | 14/23 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 0.4785 µg/L 4.8% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF ATHENS · 17,934 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 1.85 µg/L — BETHEL ASH WSC WALTON PLANT · 801 people · 2019 | 10/23 | SYR4 |
| Thallium, Total | 0.2325 µg/L 12% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF ATHENS · 17,934 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 1.727 µg/L — BETHEL ASH WSC LOWE PLANT · 786 people · 2019 | 10/23 | SYR4 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate | 1.45 µg/L 24% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Highest in the city: LAKE VISTA VILLAGE · 174 people · 2019 | 2/23 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0043 mg/L 29% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: CITY OF ATHENS · 17,934 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0045 mg/L — BETHEL ASH WSC DOUGLAS PLANT · 372 people · 2023 | 23/23 | 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 Athens
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| CITY OF ATHENS | 17,934 |
| VIRGINIA HILL WSC | 4,290 |
| CRESCENT HEIGHTS WSC | 2,379 |
| LAKESHORE UTILITY | 1,446 |
| DIXIE ISLE WATER SYSTEM | 1,083 |
| BETHEL ASH WSC WATER EDGE PLANT | 987 |
| BETHEL ASH WSC MURPHY PLANT | 834 |
| BETHEL ASH WSC LAKE PLANT | 831 |
| BETHEL ASH WSC WALTON PLANT | 801 |
| BETHEL ASH WSC LOWE PLANT | 786 |
| POINT LA VISTA | 780 |
| C R C WSC | 723 |
| BETHEL ASH WSC MCATEE PLANT | 609 |
| OAKWOOD SUBDIVISION WATER SYSTEM | 522 |
| BETHEL ASH WSC HALL PLANT | 498 |
| CLEAR CREEK RESORT WATER SYSTEM | 456 |
| BETHEL ASH WSC OTT PLANT | 402 |
| BETHEL ASH WSC DOUGLAS PLANT | 372 |
| BETHEL ASH WSC HAWN PLANT | 363 |
| CEDARVIEW ESTATES | 228 |
| BETHEL ASH WSC BETHEL PLANT | 186 |
| LAKE VISTA VILLAGE | 174 |
| ESQUIRE ESTATES II | 126 |
Frequently asked questions about Athens tap water
Is Athens tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 33 contaminants in the water serving Athens. 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 Athens?
23 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Athens, Texas to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Athens's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Athens include Copper, Fluoride, Nitrate-Nitrite, Nitrate, Barium. 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.