Austin Water's annual consumer confidence report describes the overall quality of water from its raw collection and storage to the treated purity at your tap. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that all drinking water suppliers provide a water quality report to their customers on an annual basis.
2021 Water Quality Report
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Resilient, Dependable & High Quality
Austin Water will continue to make strategic investments in infrastructure improvements and upgrades this year to strengthen operational resiliency at drinking water treatment plants. We hope the annual water quality report and the snapshot of our water quality initiatives underscore our commitment to protecting water quality and producing water that consistently exceeds all national and state water quality standards for years to come.
Reports
Austin - 2021 Water Quality Report (en español)
Austin’s drinking water met all national and state water quality standards in 2021. Austin Water had no violations of listed contaminants. Austin’s drinking water is fluoridated to EPA standards.
- For concerns with taste, odor, color, or stagnation of drinking water call 512-972-0012.
- Para el reporte en Español o asistencia, por favor llame a 512-972-0214.
Water Loss
- Austin -2021 Water Infrastructure Leak Index* = 3.86
*The Infrastructure Leakage Index (ILI) measures the efficiency of water loss control efforts. It is calculated by taking the real losses, water lost due to leaks, and dividing them by the unavoidable real losses. This number is calculated by American Water Works Association standards.
Resources
Quarterly Water Quality Summaries for Industrial Users
Monthly and quarterly summaries of water quality parameters in finished drinking water for major industrial users.
Continuous Quality Controls & Increased Frequency of Testing for the Highest Quality Water
For more than 100 years, Austin Water has delivered drinking water of the highest quality, with exceptional value and reliability. Recently, however, Austin Water experienced a series of historic weather events and operational challenges that tested our treatment capabilities.
Innovations and quality controls have been added to strengthen our water treatment processes and ensure you receive the best – every time you turn on the tap. A snapshot of our rigorous quality controls and upgrades is included below as well as an annual Drinking Water Quality Report that provides information about the City of Austin’s drinking water.
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Starting with Source Water
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- A copper sulfate feed system was installed in 2020 to protect raw water piping against zebra mussels that can damage equipment and affect taste and odor in drinking water.
- Daily testing of lake water is conducted to monitor for algae blooms and other changes in the quality of raw water that flows into the treatment plants.
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Treatment Reliability
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- Powdered activated carbon is added at the beginning of the treatment process to ensure that drinking water is fresh tasting.
- Treatment goals and quality standards are set at levels that exceed state and federal requirements – ensuring customers receive superior water quality. For example, regulatory requirements call for 0.3 NTU or less in water clarity (turbidity), but Austin Water’s goal is 0.1 NTU or lower – and we consistently achieve this standard on average month after month, year after year.
- Plant staff conduct water testing at least every two hours during multiple phases of the treatment process, measuring chlorine/chloramine residual, turbidity, pH, alkalinity, odor and hardness removal.
- Implementation of a polymer feed system began in 2020, starting with Austin’s largest water treatment plant, to strengthen flood resiliency and improve filter performance, especially during flooding events when high raw water turbidity occurs. By 2021, the system was fully operational across all three water treatment plants.
- Austin’s infrastructure was winterized in 2021 to ensure water treatment can continue uninterrupted during extreme freezing weather events.
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Quality Control in Storage and Delivery
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- Water storage tanks are tested monthly for bacteriological contaminants to ensure water is within established parameters and as high quality as the moment it left the treatment plant.
- Water quality instruments, monitoring in real-time, are installed at every major pressure zone to ensure healthy levels of chlorine residuals are maintained.
- Proactive water line replacement is underway, strengthening 60 subdivisions and more than 6,000 water lines - reducing line breaks and the risk of infiltrating contaminants.
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Finished Drinking Water Testing
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- Annual maintenance is conducted to every fire hydrant in the city as well as other service points to flush and cycle water throughout the system – ensuring water remains fresh throughout our service area.
- In 2022, Austin Water increased the frequency off testing above what is required by regulatory agencies to ensure water quality. In addition to daily and hourly testing at each water treatment plant, a minimum of 300 tests are taken every month to check for bacteriological contaminants, chlorination levels, and other important parameters throughout the water distribution system.