Fort Worth, TX Tap Water Quality Report (2026): PFAS, Lead, Disinfection Byproducts & Hardness
Fort Worth Water (City of Fort Worth)
Which filter fits Fort Worth water?
Under-sink reverse osmosis
The strongest kitchen-tap option for PFOA and PFOS. EPA puts RO systems at about $150–$1,000 before cartridges and says to look for NSF/ANSI 58, or NSF/ANSI 53 for PFAS reduction (EPA filter guide).
See Waterdrop G3P800 → See APEC RO →FTC disclosure: product buttons are affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Grades come only from public Fort Worth/EPA/USGS data. Disclosure.
Countertop reverse osmosis
No under-sink install. Check the maker’s certification listing for PFAS and lead before you buy (EPA filter guide).
See AquaTru Countertop →FTC disclosure: product buttons are affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Grades come only from public Fort Worth/EPA/USGS data. Disclosure.
Whole-house filtration
Fort Worth disinfects with chloramine and its water runs 6–9 gpg (Fort Worth Water 2025 Water Quality Report). A whole-house system is a taste and sediment choice; for scale you need a softener or scale-control stage. Keep an RO or certified filter at the tap for PFAS.
See SpringWell Whole-House → See Aquasana Rhino →FTC disclosure: product buttons are affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Grades come only from public Fort Worth/EPA/USGS data. Disclosure.
Fort Worth decision table
| Option | Best for (and what to check) | Cost | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tap water as-is | Homes that accept the PFAS results (check your service line on the city map; flush after water sits) | $0 | Check your ZIP |
| Carbon filter | Chloramine taste (NSF/ANSI 53 listing for lead or PFAS claims) | $20–$1,000 (EPA) | See Aquasana → |
| Countertop RO | Renters (certification listing; cartridge cost) | See maker | See AquaTru → |
| Under-sink RO | Most PFAS and lead margin at the tap (NSF/ANSI 58 listing; membrane cost) | $150–$1,000 (EPA) | See Waterdrop → |
| Whole-house + softener | Scale on fixtures and water heaters (watch sodium if you use ion exchange) | Get a quote | See SpringWell → |
FTC disclosure: product buttons are affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Grades come only from public Fort Worth/EPA/USGS data. Disclosure.
How we graded Fort Worth (transparent rubric)
Every deduction below comes from a public number with its source.
| Factor | Points |
|---|---|
| Start | 100 |
| PFOA up to 8.3 ppt and PFOS up to 7.3 ppt (8 of 20 EPA UCMR 5 samples each, North and South Holly plants, Jan 2023–Jan 2024), above EPA’s 4.0 ppt limits | −5 |
| Other PFAS detected: PFHxS up to 25.8 ppt (8 of 20 samples), plus PFBA, PFHxA, PFPeA and PFBS | −3 |
| Lead detected at some taps (90th percentile 3.1 ppb, range 0–5.1 ppb, 0 sites over the 15 ppb action level, 2025; goal is zero) | −3 |
| TTHM 13.8 ppb vs 80 ppb limit (range 2.28–22.1 ppb; no violation) | 0 |
| Lithium not detected in any of 20 UCMR 5 samples (reporting level 9 ppb) | 0 |
| Hardness 108–150 mg/L (6–9 gpg): moderately hard to hard on the USGS scale; scored as hard | −6 |
| Score | 83 = B |
Deduction rules (same as our Austin and Jacksonville reports): any PFOA or PFOS result above 4.0 ppt −5; other PFAS detected −3; lithium above EPA’s 10 ppb health reference level −3; lead detected at the tap −3; TTHM above 80 ppb at any location −10; hardness moderately hard −4, hard −6, very hard −8. Scale: 93+ A, 90–92 A−, 87–89 B+, 83–86 B, 80–82 B−, 77–79 C+, 73–76 C, 70–72 C−, 67–69 D+, 63–66 D, 60–62 D−, below 60 F.
Sources: Fort Worth Water 2025 Water Quality Report; Fort Worth lead & copper results; EPA UCMR 5 data (PWSID TX2200012, 2023–2024 sampling); USGS hardness scale; all accessed Oct 29, 2026.
Fort Worth water, explained in plain English
PFOA and PFOS above 4.0 ppt at 2 plants
EPA’s enforceable limits are 4.0 ppt each for PFOA and PFOS (EPA PFAS rule). In UCMR 5 testing at Fort Worth’s five plants, PFOA (4.2–8.3 ppt) and PFOS (4.0–7.3 ppt) showed up only in samples from the North Holly and South Holly plants. They were not detected at Eagle Mountain, Rolling Hills or Westside (EPA UCMR 5 data). The EPA data does not say which neighborhoods each plant serves.
90th percentile 3.1 ppb
The 2025 report lists a 90th-percentile lead result of 3.1 ppb with no site over the 15 ppb action level (Fort Worth Water 2025 Water Quality Report); the city’s lead results page lists 2.8 ppb for 2025 from 50 at-risk homes (Fort Worth lead & copper results). Fort Worth publishes a service line inventory map you can search by address.
TTHM 13.8 ppb, 6–9 gpg
Fort Worth uses ozone and chloramine. Total trihalomethanes were 13.8 ppb and haloacetic acids 9.3 ppb, both far under limits (Fort Worth Water 2025 Water Quality Report). Hardness runs 108–150 mg/L; USGS calls 61–120 mg/L moderately hard and 121–180 mg/L hard (USGS).
Free 6-Month Replacement Filter Reminder
Filter makers set replacement intervals for each cartridge, and an overdue cartridge stops doing its job. Pick your system and we will remind you at 6 months to check your maker's schedule.
What Does Filtered Water Cost in Fort Worth?
- Ongoing cost never ends
- Use your store's real price below
- Look for NSF/ANSI 53 for lead
- Good for chlorine and chloramine taste
- Look for NSF/ANSI 58
- Point-of-use: kitchen tap only
5-year cost calculator (starting values are examples only; enter your own)
Filter 5-yr cost = system price + (cartridge price × changes per year × 5). Bottled 5-yr cost = price per gallon × gallons per day × 365 × 5.
FTC disclosure: product buttons are affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Grades come only from public Fort Worth/EPA/USGS data. Disclosure.
Fort Worth tap water checklist
- Look up your ZIP. Enter your ZIP in the CleanWaterGrade lookup. EPA UCMR 5 records list 48 ZIP codes served by Fort Worth's water system.
- Read the Fort Worth report. Open Fort Worth Water's 2025 Water Quality Report and note the lead, disinfection byproduct and hardness results.
- Check your service line. Search your address on Fort Worth's service line inventory map. If your line is listed as lead, galvanized requiring replacement or unknown, you can request a free water test.
- Flush before drinking. If water has sat for hours, flush your pipes for several minutes by running the tap, showering or doing laundry, and use only cold water for drinking, cooking and baby formula, as Fort Worth advises.
- Pick a certified filter. For lead, Fort Worth says use a filter certified by an ANSI-accredited certifier to reduce lead. For PFAS, EPA says look for NSF/ANSI 53 or 58. A softener treats hardness, not health.
- Set a cartridge reminder. Replace cartridges on the maker's schedule; use the free 6-month reminder below.
Run the ZIP lookup → Related: Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Houston, EPA PFAS limits explained, best RO systems, water hardness by ZIP, whole-house filter vs RO.
Other Fort Worth results worth knowing
- Bromate, a byproduct of ozone treatment, averaged 6.17 ppb against a 10 ppb limit, with single results from 0 to 13.7 ppb; the report lists no violation (Fort Worth Water 2025 Water Quality Report).
- Cyanide up to 168 ppb (limit 200), arsenic up to 1.1 ppb (limit 10) and nitrate up to 0.70 ppm (limit 10), all with no violation (Fort Worth Water 2025 Water Quality Report).
- Chloramine residual averaged 3.3 ppm (range 0.93–4.7) against a 4 ppm maximum residual level; sodium ran 19.5–27.9 ppm and total dissolved solids 182–244 ppm (Fort Worth Water 2025 Water Quality Report).
- From Oct. 31 to Nov. 17, 2025, Fort Worth took some water from the Trinity River Authority’s Tarrant County Water Supply Project; TRA’s data is available from [email protected] or 817-392-4477 (Fort Worth Water 2025 Water Quality Report).
- EPA’s 2024 rule also set a 10 ppt limit for PFHxS. EPA has since proposed keeping the 4.0 ppt PFOA/PFOS limits with an option to request until 2031 to comply, and rescinding the PFHxS, PFNA, GenX and Hazard Index limits (EPA PFAS rule).
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FAQs
Is Fort Worth tap water safe to drink?
Fort Worth Water's 2025 report says all results met state and federal drinking water standards. Total trihalomethanes measured 13.8 ppb against an 80 ppb limit, and 90% of 2025 lead samples were at or under 3.1 ppb, with no site over the 15 ppb action level. The main concern is PFAS: EPA testing found PFOA and PFOS above 4.0 ppt at two of five treatment plants.
Does Fort Worth water have PFAS?
Yes, at some plants. In EPA UCMR 5 testing from January 2023 to January 2024, PFOA was found in 8 of 20 samples at up to 8.3 ppt and PFOS in 8 of 20 at up to 7.3 ppt, all from the North Holly and South Holly plants. Neither was detected at the Eagle Mountain, Rolling Hills or Westside plants. EPA's limit is 4.0 ppt each.
How hard is Fort Worth water?
Moderately hard to hard. Fort Worth's 2025 report lists total hardness of 108 to 150 mg/L as calcium carbonate, or 6 to 9 grains per gallon. USGS calls 61 to 120 mg/L moderately hard and 121 to 180 mg/L hard. Hardness affects scale and soap, not health.
How do I check for lead pipes in Fort Worth?
Search your address on Fort Worth's service line inventory map. Customers whose service line is listed as lead, galvanized requiring replacement, or unknown can get their water tested for free on request by calling 817-392-4477. Fort Worth says lead is not in the water when it leaves the treatment plant; it comes from service lines and home plumbing.
Sources (all accessed Oct 29, 2026)
- Fort Worth Water 2025 Water Quality Report (2025 data)
- Fort Worth lead & copper results
- EPA UCMR 5 data (UCMR5 by-state file and UCMR5_ZIPCodes.txt; PWSID TX2200012)
- EPA SDWIS record (City of Fort Worth, population served)
- EPA PFAS rule
- EPA filter guide
- USGS, Hardness of water