San Antonio, TX Tap Water Quality Report (2026): Edwards Aquifer Hardness & PFAS
San Antonio Water System (SAWS)
What Does Safer Drinking Water Cost in San Antonio?
- Ongoing cost never ends
- Use your store's real price below
- Look for NSF/ANSI 53 for PFAS
- Does not soften hard water
- Look for NSF/ANSI 58 for PFAS
- 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 SAWS/EPA/USGS data. Disclosure.
How we graded San Antonio (transparent rubric)
Every deduction below comes from a public number with its source. 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.
| Factor | Points |
|---|---|
| Start | 100 |
| Other PFAS detected (PFBA up to 9.2 ppt, PFBS 3.8, PFPeA 3.2) though PFOA/PFOS not detected | −3 |
| Lithium above EPA health reference level (avg 15.6 ppb vs HRL 10) | −3 |
| Lead detected at the tap (90th pct 1.6 ppb; goal is zero) | −3 |
| TTHM: highest location 86.2 ppb vs 80 ppb MCL (SAWS lists no violation) | −10 |
| Very hard water, above 180 mg/L (USGS) | −8 |
| Score | 73 = C |
Sources: SAWS 2026 Water Quality Report; EPA UCMR 5 data (PWSID TX0150018, 2023–2025 sampling); USGS hardness scale; all accessed Oct 24, 2026.
San Antonio water, explained in plain English
PFOA/PFOS not detected
EPA set enforceable limits of 4.0 ppt for PFOA and PFOS, with a goal of zero (EPA PFAS rule). In UCMR 5 testing of SAWS, every PFOA and PFOS sample was below the 4 ppt reporting level. Short-chain PFBA, PFBS and PFPeA showed up at a few sites at 3.2 to 9.2 ppt (EPA UCMR 5 data). Want extra margin? EPA says pick a filter certified to NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 (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 SAWS/EPA/USGS data. Disclosure.
1.6 ppb at the 90th percentile
SAWS sampled homes in 2024: the 90th-percentile result was 1.6 ppb against a 15 ppb action level, with no sites over. Lead mostly comes from home plumbing, so SAWS offers a free service line inspection for homes built before 1989 and advises running the cold tap 30 seconds to 2 minutes after water sits (SAWS 2026 Water Quality Report).
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 SAWS/EPA/USGS data. Disclosure.
15–20 gpg, TTHM up to 86.2 ppb
SAWS says typical hardness is 15 to 20 gpg (SAWS Water Quality FAQs); USGS calls anything above 180 mg/L very hard (USGS). SAWS disinfects with chlorine (average 1.46 ppm) and reported a highest TTHM level of 86.2 ppb and HAA5 of 30.6 ppb (SAWS 2026 Water Quality Report). Scale is a whole-house question; drinking-water filters do not soften water.
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 SAWS/EPA/USGS data. Disclosure.
San Antonio tap water checklist
- Look up your ZIP. Enter your ZIP in the CleanWaterGrade lookup to confirm your utility. SAWS serves 73 ZIP codes in EPA UCMR 5 records.
- Read the SAWS report. Open the SAWS annual water quality report for your system and note lead, TTHM and any violations.
- Check your service line. If your home was built before 1989, request the free SAWS lead service line inspection at saws.org/lead.
- Flush before drinking. If water has sat for hours, run the cold tap 30 seconds to 2 minutes before drinking or cooking, as SAWS advises.
- Pick a certified filter. For PFAS, EPA says look for a filter certified to NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 for the contaminant you care about.
- Set a cartridge reminder. Replace cartridges on the maker's schedule; use the free 6-month reminder below.
Run the ZIP lookup → Related: water hardness by ZIP, EPA PFAS limits explained, whole-house vs RO, Dallas, Houston.
Other San Antonio results worth knowing
- No drinking water violations in 2025; about 390 bacteria samples a month, no E. coli (SAWS 2026 Water Quality Report).
- Fluoride 0.69 ppm; nitrate 2.45 ppm; copper 90th percentile 0.187 ppm (SAWS 2026 Water Quality Report).
- Lithium averaged 15.6 ppb (13.1–17.2), above EPA's 10 ppb health reference level; lithium has no federal limit (SAWS 2026 Water Quality Report).
- EPA has proposed extending PFOA/PFOS compliance to 2031 and rescinding limits for PFHxS, PFNA, GenX and the Hazard Index; the 4.0 ppt PFOA/PFOS limits stand (EPA PFAS rule).
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.
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FAQs
Is San Antonio tap water safe to drink?
SAWS reported no drinking water violations for 2025. EPA UCMR 5 testing found PFOA and PFOS below the 4 ppt reporting level in all 91 samples each, and 90th-percentile lead was 1.6 ppb against the 15 ppb action level. One location averaged 86.2 ppb TTHM, above the 80 ppb MCL; SAWS lists no violation.
Does San Antonio water have PFAS?
Trace amounts of other PFAS were detected in EPA UCMR 5 testing of SAWS: PFBA up to 9.2 ppt, PFBS up to 3.8 ppt and PFPeA at 3.2 ppt at a few sites. PFOA and PFOS, the two with a 4.0 ppt federal limit, were not detected above 4 ppt in any sample.
How hard is San Antonio water?
SAWS says typical hardness is 15 to 20 grains per gallon, about 257 to 342 mg/L as calcium carbonate. USGS classifies anything above 180 mg/L as very hard. Hard water is the main reason San Antonio homes see scale on fixtures, kettles and water heaters.
What filter should I use in San Antonio?
EPA says to choose a filter certified to NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 for the contaminant you want to reduce, and to check the certification listing, not just the box. Reverse osmosis systems cost about $150 to $1,000 and carbon filters $20 to $1,000 before replacement cartridges, per EPA.
Sources (all accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- SAWS 2026 Water Quality Report (2025 data; PDF)
- SAWS Water Quality FAQs (typical hardness 15–20 gpg)
- EPA UCMR 5 data (UCMR5_All.txt, UCMR5_ZIPCodes.txt; PWSID TX0150018)
- EPA PFAS rule
- EPA filter guide
- USGS, Hardness of water