Table of Contents
Can You Drink Tap Water in Georgetown?
Yes, Georgetown's tap water is generally considered safe to drink as Georgetown has no active health based violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) that we are aware of. Other factors such as lead piping in a home, or low levels of pollutants on immunocompromised individuals, should also be considered, however. To find more recent info we might have, you can check out our boil water notice page or the city's water provider website.
According the EPA’s ECHO database, from April 30, 2019 to June 30, 2022, Georgetown's water utility, City of Georgetown, had 0 violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act. For more details on the violations, please see our violation history section below. This assessment is based on the City of Georgetown water system, other water systems in the city may have different results.
While tap water that meets the EPA health guidelines generally won’t make you sick to your stomach, it can still contain regulated and unregulated contaminants present in trace amounts that could potentially cause health issues over the long-run. These trace contaminants may also impact immunocompromised and vulnerable individuals.
The EPA is reviewing if it’s current regulations around pollutant levels in tap water are strict enough, and the health dangers posed by unregulated pollutants, like PFAS.
Water Quality Report for Georgetown Tap Water
The most recent publicly available numbers for measured contaminant levels in Georgetown tap water are in its 2020 Water Quality Report. As you can see, there are levels which the EPA considers to be acceptable, but being below the maximum allowable level doesn’t necessarily mean the water is healthy.
Lead in tap water, for example, is currently allowed at up to 15ppb by the EPA, but it has set the ideal goal for lead at zero. This highlights how meeting EPA standards doesn’t necessarily mean local tap water is healthy.
EPA regulations continue to change as it evaluates the long term impacts of chemicals and updates drinking water acceptable levels. The rules around arsenic, as well as, lead and copper are currently being re-evaluated.
There are also a number of "emerging" contaminants that are not currently. For example, PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), for which the EPA has issued a health advisory. PFAS are called "forever chemicals" since they tend not to break down in the environment or the human body and can accumulate over time.
We recommend looking at the contaminants present in Georgetown's water quality reports, or getting your home's tap water tested to see if you should be filtering your water.
Georgetown Tap Water Safe Drinking Water Act Violation History - Prior 10 Years
Below is a ten year history of violations for the water system named City of Georgetown for Georgetown in Texas. For more details please see the "What do these Violations Mean?" section below.
For the compliance period beginning Dec. 30, 2013, Georgetown had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Lead Consumer Notice which falls into the Chemicals rule code group, and the Lead and Copper Rule rule code family for the following contaminant code: Lead and Copper Rule.
Is there Lead in Georgetown Water?
Based on the EPA’s ECHO Database, 90% of the samples taken from the Georgetown water system, City of Georgetown, between sample start date and sample end date, were at or below, 0.0018 mg/L of lead in Georgetown water. This is 12.0% of the 0.015 mg/L action level. This means 10% of the samples taken from Georgetown contained more lead.
While Georgetown water testing may have found 0.0018 mg/L of lead in its water, that does not mean your water source has the same amount. The amount of lead in water in a city can vary greatly from neighborhood to neighborhood, or even building to building. Many buildings, particularly older ones, have lead pipes or service lines which can be a source of contamination. To find out if your home has lead, we recommend getting you water tested.
No amount of lead in water is healthy, only less dangerous. As lead accumulates in our bodies over time, even exposure to relatively small amounts can have negative health effects. For more information, please check out our Lead FAQ page.
Are there PFAS in Georgetown Tap Water?
Currently, testing tap water for PFAS isn’t mandated on a national level. We do have a list of military bases where there have been suspected or confirmed leaks. There appears to be at least one military base - Bergstrom Air Force Base - near Georgetown with suspected leaks.
With many potential sources of PFAS in tap water across the US, the best information we currently have about which cities have PFAS in their water is this ewg map, which you can check to see if Georgetown has been evaluated for yet.
Our stance is better safe than sorry, and that it makes sense to try to purify the tap water just in case.
Georgetown SDWA Violation History Table - Prior 10 Years
| Compliance Period | Status | Health-Based? | Category Code | Code | Rule Code | Contaminant Code | Rule Group Code | Rule Family Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/30/2013 - | Resolved | No | Monitoring and Reporting (MR) | Lead Consumer Notice (66) | Lead and Copper Rule (350) | Lead and Copper Rule (5000) | Chemicals (300) | Lead and Copper Rule (350) |
What do these Violations Mean?
Safe Drinking Water Act Violations categories split into two groups, health based, and non-health based. Generally, health based violations are more serious, though non-health based violations can also be cause for concern.
Health Based Violations
- Maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) - maximum allowed contaminant level was exceeded.
- Maximum residual disinfectant levels (MRDLs) - maximum allowed disinfectant level was exceeded.
- Other violations (Other) - the exact required process to reduce the amounts of contaminants in drinking water was not followed.
Non-Health Based Violations
- Monitoring and reporting violations (MR, MON) - failure to conduct the required regular monitoring of drinking water quality, and/or to submit monitoring results on time.
- Public notice violations (Other) - failure to immediately alert consumers if there is a serious problem with their drinking water that may pose a risk to public health.
- Other violations (Other) - miscellaneous violations, such as failure to issue annual consumer confidence reports or maintain required records.
SDWA Table Key
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Compliance Period | Dates of the compliance period. |
| Status |
Current status of the violation.
|
| Health-Based? | Whether the violation is health based. |
| Category Code |
The category of violation that is reported.
|
| Code | A full description of violation codes can be accessed in the SDWA_REF_CODE_VALUES (CSV) table. |
| Contaminant Code | A code value that represents a contaminant for which a public water system has incurred a violation of a primary drinking water regulation. |
| Rule Code |
Code for a National Drinking Water rule.
|
| Rule Group Code |
Code that uniquely identifies a rule group.
|
| Rule Family Code |
Code for rule family.
|
For more clarification please visit the EPA's data dictionary.
Georgetown Water - Frequently Asked Questions
| By Mail: | 300 INDUSTRIAL AVE GEORGETOWN, TX, 78626-8445 |
Existing customers can login to their City of Georgetown account to pay their Georgetown water bill by clicking here.
If you want to pay your City of Georgetown bill online and haven't made an account yet, you can create an account online. Please click here to create your account to pay your Georgetown water bill.
If you don't want to make an account, or can't remember your account, you can make a one-time payment towards your Georgetown water bill without creating an account using a one time payment portal with your account number and credit or debit card. Click here to make a one time payment.
Moving to a new house or apartment in Georgetown means you will often need to put the water in your name with City of Georgetown. In order to put the water in your name, please click the link to the start service form below. Start service requests for water bills typically take two business days.
Leaving your house or apartment in Georgetown means you will likely need to take your name off of the water bill with City of Georgetown. In order to take your name off the water bill, please click the link to the stop service form below. Stop service for water bills requests typically take two business days.
USER SUBMITTED RATINGS
- Drinking Water Pollution and Inaccessibility
- Water Pollution
- Drinking Water Quality and Accessibility
- Water Quality
The above data is comprised of subjective, user submitted opinions about the water quality and pollution in Georgetown, measured on a scale from 0% (lowest) to 100% (highest).
Related FAQS
Georgetown Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report)
The EPA mandates that towns and cities consistently monitor and test their tap water. They must report their findings in an annual Consumer Confidence Report. Below is the most recent water quality report from Georgetown's Water. If you would like to see the original version of the report, please click here.
2020 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report
City of Georgetown Water Utility
Consumer Confidence Report
This information is provided to you by: City of Georgetown Water Utility
300 Industrial Ave., Georgetown, Texas 78626, Tel. (512)
3534
GREETINGS!
The City of Georgetown is committed to providing safe drinking water to our customers. You may have seen some of the efforts we have undertaken to meet that commitment, such as our water conservation efforts, or the different capital improvement projects in the community. We also want to say thanks to all our customers who provide us valuable feedback, such as reporting leaks out in the community. If you see issues or areas where we can improve, please let us know at (512)
OUR DRINKING WATER MEETS OR EXCEEDS ALL FEDERAL (EPA) DRINKING WATER REQUIREMENTS
This report is a summary of the quality of the water we provide our customers. The analyses were made by using the data from the most recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) required tests and are presented in the following pages. We hope this information helps you become more knowledgeable about what is in your drinking water. Should you have questions or need additional copies of this report, please call the Customer Care Center at (512)
WHERE DO WE GET OUR DRINKING WATER?
Our water comes from both surface water and ground water sources. Surface water is primarily supplied by Lake Georgetown, and ground water is served by the Edwards Aquifer. Additionally, the City of Georgetown receives water from the City of Round
Rock as needed. Round Rock also utilizes surface water from Lake Georgetown, as well as ground water from the Edwards Aquifer. If you have any questions about this report or any other details about your water utility, please contact Customer Care at
IRRIGATION SCHEDULE AND RATE
INFORMATION
The City of Georgetown has adopted a
For a detailed description of water rates, tier rates and irrigation schedule, please visit georgetown.org.
SPECIAL POPULATION ADVISORY
You may be more vulnerable than the general population to certain microbial contaminants, such as Cryptosporidium, in drinking water. Infants, some elderly or
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION OPPORTUNITIES
En Español
Este informe incluye información importante sobre el agua potable. Si tiene preguntas o comentarios sobre éste informe en español, favor de llamar al tel. (512)
Learn more about your water utility on the City of Georgetown website georgetown.org, Facebook page www.facebook.com/CityofGeorgetown, or by attending an Advisory Board or City Council meeting. See
PROTECT YOUR DRINKING WATER
The use of drinking water in many industrial processes requires the use of a functioning and properly tested backflow prevention device. These devices prevent the inadvertent introduction of hazardous materials into the drinking water system by preventing flow of material in the reverse direction. Each device must be tested at least annually with the test results reported to The City of Georgetown Water Utility. Please visit the website at georgetown.org for further information.
City of Georgetown Water Utility 2020 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report |
1 |
|
LEAD
If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. The City of Georgetown Water Utility is responsible for providing high quality drinking water but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to two minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800)
ALL DRINKING WATER MAY CONTAIN CONTAMINANTS
The TCEQ completed an assessment of your source water and results indicate that some of your sources are susceptible to certain contaminants. The sampling requirements for your water system are based on this susceptibility and previous sample data. Any detections of these contaminants may be found in this Consumer Confidence Report. For more information on source water assessments and protection efforts at our system, contact Customer Care at
The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals, and in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity. Contaminants that may be present in source water before treatment include microbes, inorganic contaminants, pesticides, herbicides, radioactive contaminants, and organic chemical contaminants.
In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the EPA prescribes regulations that limit certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Food and Drug Administration regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water that must provide the same protection for public health.
Contaminants may be found in drinking water that may cause taste, color, or odor problems. These types of problems are not necessarily cause for health concerns. For more information on taste, odor, or color of drinking water, please contact the system’s business office.
Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800)
• Contaminants that may be present in source water before we treat it include:
- Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife.
-
Turbidity, which has no health effects, can interfere with disinfection, and provide a medium for microbial growth. Turbidity may indicate the presence of
disease-causing organisms. - Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, can be naturally occurring or result from urban storm water runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, and farming.
- Pesticides & herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban storm water runoff and residential use.
- Radioactive contaminants, which are naturally occurring or can be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.
-
Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are
by-products of industrial - processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban storm water runoff, and septic systems.
STATE WATER LOSS AUDIT
In the water loss audit submitted to the Texas Water Development Board during the period of January through December 2020, our system lost an estimated 12.08% of distributed water through main breaks, leaks, theft and other causes. If you have any questions about the water loss audit, please call Customer Care at
2 |
City of Georgetown Water Utility 2020 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report |
ABOUT THE FOLLOWING PAGES
The pages that follow list all the federally regulated or monitored contaminants which have been found in your drinking water. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires water systems to test up to 97 constituents.
WATER QUALITY DATA
The table in this report lists all the drinking water contaminants we detected during tests conducted from the previous calendar year, unless otherwise noted. The state requires us to monitor for certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants are not expected to vary significantly from year to year. Therefore, some of the data, though representative of the water quality, is more than one year old.
DEFINITIONS
Action Level (AL): The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.
Action Level Goal (ALG): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. ALGs allow for a margin of safety.
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): The highest permissible level of a contaminant in drinking water. MCL’s are set as close to the MCLG’s as feasible using the best available treatment technology.
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected health risk. MCLG’s allow for a margin of safety.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL): The highest level of disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG): The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contamination.
Treatment Technique (TT): A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.
ABBREVIATIONS
MFL - million fibers per liter (a measure of asbestos) NTU - Nephelometric Turbidity Units
N/A - not applicable
ppb - parts per billion, or micrograms per liter (ug/l)
ppm - parts per million, or milligrams per liter (mg/l) ppt - parts per trillion, or nanograms per liter
ppq - parts per quadrillion, or picograms per liter pCi/L - picocuries per liter (a measure of radioactivity)
MICROBIOLOGICAL CONTAMINANTS FOR 2020
Constituent |
|
MCL |
|
Highest % of |
Units |
Violation (Y or N) |
Typical Source of Contamination |
|
|
positive samples |
|||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Coliform |
Presence in 5% or more of the Monthly |
<1% |
presence |
N |
Naturally present in the environment |
||
|
Samples. |
|
|
|
|
||
Fecal Coliform |
Routine repeat sample is coliform positive and |
0 positive out of |
presence |
N |
Human and animal fecal waste |
||
|
one is fecal. |
105 samples |
|
|
|
||
Constituent |
|
MCL |
Highest |
MCLG |
Units |
Violation |
|
Typical Source of Contamination |
|
Measurement |
|
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Organic Carbon
N/A
2.91
N/A
PPM
N
Naturally present in the environment
Turbidity (NTU)
0.3
0.18
N/A
PPM
N
Soil runoff
INORGANIC CONTAMINANTS
Constituent |
MCL |
MCLG |
Average |
Range of Detec- |
Sample Date |
Violation (Y or N) |
Typical Source of Contamination |
|
|
Level |
tion |
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Barium (ppm) |
2 |
2 |
0.0446 |
2020 |
N |
Discharge of drilling waste, metal refineries, |
|||
erosion of natural deposits |
|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Erosion of natural deposits; water additive |
||
Fluoride (ppm) |
4 |
4 |
0.2 |
2020 |
N |
which promotes strong teeth; Discharge from |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
fertilizer and aluminum factories |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Nitrate (ppm) |
10 |
10 |
1.722 |
2020 |
N |
Runoff from fertilizer use; Leaching from septic |
|||
tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits |
|||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nickel (ppm) |
.1 |
.1 |
0.0021 |
.002 |
2020 |
N |
Erosion of natural deposits |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Cyanide (ppb) |
200 |
200 |
92 |
2020 |
N |
Discharge from plastic and fertilizer factories: |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Discharge from steel/metal factories |
|
|
City of Georgetown Water Utility 2020 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report |
3 |
||||||||
|
|||||||||
RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINANTS
Contaminant |
MCL |
MCLG |
Average |
Range of Detec- |
Sample Date |
Violation (Y or N) |
Typical Source of Contamination |
|
Level |
tion |
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Uranium |
30 |
0 |
1.2 |
2018 |
N |
Erosion of natural deposits |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LEAD AND COPPER 2020 SAMPLING (Latest year of sampling)
Contaminant |
|
Action Level (AL) |
|
90th |
|
|
# Sites |
|
|
Violation |
|
|
|
|
Likely Source of |
|||||
|
|
|
|
exceeding |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
Percentile |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contaminant |
|||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Action Level |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copper (ppm) |
|
1.3 |
|
|
0.14 |
|
|
0 |
|
|
N |
|
|
Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching from wood preservatives; |
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corrosion of household plumbing systems |
|||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lead (ppb) |
|
15 |
|
|
1.8 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
N |
|
|
|
Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural |
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
deposits |
||
DISINFECTION AND DISINFECTION |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Constituent |
|
|
|
MCL |
|
MCLG |
|
Average of All |
Range of |
|
Sample Date |
Typical Source of Contamination |
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
Sampling Points |
Detected Levels |
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Chloramines (ppm) |
|
4.0 |
|
4.0 |
|
2.40 |
|
|
0.57– 4.19 |
|
2020 |
Primary Disinfection for surface water |
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
HAA5 Haloacetic Acids (ppb) |
|
60 |
|
0 |
|
13.765 |
|
|
|
|
|
2020 |
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
THM Trihalomethanes (ppb) |
|
80 |
|
0 |
|
35.788 |
|
|
|
|
2020 |
|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
UNREGULATED CONTAMINANTS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Constituent |
|
|
Average of All |
|
|
|
Range of |
|
Sample Date |
|
|
|
Typical Source of Contamination |
|
|
|||||
|
|
Sampling Points |
|
Detected Levels |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chloroform (ppb) |
8.199 |
0.0 – 9.0 |
2020 |
|
|
|
|
Bromoform (ppb) |
4.935 |
0.0 – 7.7 |
2020 |
|
|
|
|
Bromodichloromethane (ppb) |
9.090 |
0.0 – 15.5 |
2020 |
|
|
|
|
Dibromochloromethane (ppb) |
11.408 |
2020 |
|
|
|
|
|
Unregulated contaminants monitoring helps EPA to determine where certain contaminants occur and whether it needs to regulate those contaminants.
SYNTHETIC ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS
Constituent |
Average of All Sampling Points |
Range of Detected Levels |
Sample Date |
Typical Source of Contamination |
|
|
|
|
|
Atrazine (ppb) |
<0.1 |
<0.1 |
2020 |
Runoff from herbicide used on row crops. |
|
|
|
|
|
4 |
City of Georgetown Water Utility 2020 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report |
Contaminants
City of Georgetown
EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, as well as information from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History database (ECHO). For the latest quarter assessed by the U.S. EPA (January 2019 - March 2019), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.
Utility details
- Serves: 98776
- Data available: 2012-2017
- Data Source: Surface water
- Total: 28
Contaminants That Exceed Guidelines
- Bromodichloromethane
- Bromoform
- Chloroform
- Chromium (hexavalent)
- Dibromochloromethane
- Dichloroacetic acid
- Nitrate
- Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
- Trichloroacetic acid
Other Detected Contaminants
- Aluminum
- Atrazine
- Barium
- Bromochloroacetic acid
- Chlorate
- Cyanide
- Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate
- Dibromoacetic acid
- Diethyl phthalate
- Fluoride
- Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
- Hexadecanoic acid
- Manganese
- Molybdenum
- Monobromoacetic acid
- Monochloroacetic acid
- Strontium
- Uranium
- Vanadium
Reminder
Always take extra precautions, the water may be safe to drink when it leaves the sewage treatment plant but it may pick up pollutants during its way to your tap. We advise that you ask locals or hotel staff about the water quality. Also, note that different cities have different water mineral contents.