Menu

EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

Donate

Arsenic

City of Houston

Arsenic is a potent carcinogen and common contaminant in drinking water. Arsenic causes thousands of cases of cancer each year in the U.S. Click here to read more about arsenic.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

144

Samples

1

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

80

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
20141.47 ppb187ND - 4.80 ppb
20151.40 ppb176ND - 5.40 ppb
20162.49 ppb2919ND - 9.20 ppb
20171.93 ppb2715ND - 5.70 ppb
20182.18 ppb2010ND - 11.0 ppb
20192.60 ppb3323ND - 8.00 ppb

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.004 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.004 ppb for arsenic was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. This health guideline protects against cancer.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 10 ppb

The legal limit for arsenic, established in 2001, was based on costs for arsenic removal, as calculated at the time that the standard was set. This limit does not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to arsenic exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-02-03AC41009ND
2014-03-14AC47093ND
2014-03-14AC47094ND
2014-03-14AC47095ND
2014-04-16AC50780ND
2014-04-16AC50781ND
2014-04-17AC510214.00 ppb
2014-06-03AC55768ND
2014-06-03AC55769ND
2014-07-15AC59675ND
2014-07-15AC59674ND
2014-07-16AC598104.40 ppb
2014-08-14AC636443.90 ppb
2014-10-08AC691513.10 ppb
2014-10-09AC693432.40 ppb
2014-10-09AC693423.90 ppb
2014-12-18AC754214.80 ppb
2014-12-18AC75424ND
2015-03-04AC82828ND
2015-03-05AC82837ND
2015-06-04AC945692.90 ppb
2015-06-04AC945683.40 ppb
2015-06-04AC94567ND
2015-06-04AC94566ND
2015-06-04AC94565ND
2015-07-21AD003175.40 ppb
2015-07-21AD00315ND
2015-07-21AD00316ND
2015-07-21AD00322ND
2015-07-21AD00320ND
2015-09-17AD07499ND
2015-10-22AD114424.60 ppb
2015-10-22AD114453.80 ppb
2015-10-22AD114443.70 ppb
2015-11-12AD13300ND
2016-02-18AD241985.00 ppb
2016-02-18AD242064.30 ppb
2016-02-18AD241894.90 ppb
2016-02-18AD242072.80 ppb
2016-02-18AD24197ND
2016-02-18AD242052.50 ppb
2016-03-03AD26825ND
2016-03-16AD28983ND
2016-03-16AD28979ND
2016-03-17AD292964.30 ppb
2016-03-17AD29295ND
2016-03-23AD300574.70 ppb
2016-03-23AD300599.20 ppb
2016-03-23AD300632.10 ppb
2016-03-23AD30058ND
2016-06-08AD396874.00 ppb
2016-06-08AD396863.20 ppb
2016-06-16AD408812.40 ppb
2016-06-16AD408764.20 ppb
2016-09-20AD50273ND
2016-09-20AD50274ND
2016-09-21AD50631ND
2016-10-06AD526204.40 ppb
2016-10-06AD526213.50 ppb
2016-10-06AD52624ND
2016-11-18AD587252.20 ppb
2016-11-21AD587293.30 ppb
2016-11-21AD587302.50 ppb
2016-11-21AD587282.80 ppb
2017-01-26AD670453.50 ppb
2017-01-26AD670544.40 ppb
2017-02-28AD72383ND
2017-02-28AD72381ND
2017-03-01AD72708ND
2017-03-01AD72707ND
2017-03-02AD73025ND
2017-03-02AD73018ND
2017-03-28AD77082ND
2017-03-28AD770832.90 ppb
2017-03-28AD770813.30 ppb
2017-03-28AD770803.00 ppb
2017-03-29AD773892.60 ppb
2017-03-29AD773854.30 ppb
2017-04-26AD811063.70 ppb
2017-04-27AD814062.10 ppb
2017-04-27AD814075.70 ppb
2017-07-06AD884182.60 ppb
2017-07-06AD88419ND
2017-07-06AD884204.20 ppb
2017-07-25AD90485ND
2017-09-11AD953982.70 ppb
2017-09-11AD95394ND
2017-09-26AD979543.40 ppb
2017-09-26AD97959ND
2017-09-26AD97955ND
2017-11-07AE037843.80 ppb
2018-01-18AE09188ND
2018-01-18AE0919011.0 ppb
2018-01-18AE09189ND
2018-01-23AE09790ND
2018-01-23AE09789ND
2018-01-23AE09788ND
2018-01-31AE11454ND
2018-04-26AE240663.70 ppb
2018-04-26AE240674.40 ppb
2018-04-26AE240653.70 ppb
2018-04-26AE24082ND
2018-05-22AE271747.30 ppb
2018-07-19AE338883.10 ppb
2018-08-03AE35761ND
2018-08-15AE37111ND
2018-08-15AE371102.40 ppb
2018-08-15AE371082.90 ppb
2018-08-29AE387612.40 ppb
2018-09-26AE416842.70 ppb
2018-11-14AE45997ND
2019-01-15AE50041ND
2019-01-15AE50040ND
2019-01-16AE50037ND
2019-03-06AE573275.00 ppb
2019-03-06AE573243.60 ppb
2019-03-06AE573228.00 ppb
2019-03-06AE573233.30 ppb
2019-03-06AE573262.00 ppb
2019-03-06AE57325ND
2019-04-10AE619662.70 ppb
2019-04-10AE619672.20 ppb
2019-04-11AE619694.20 ppb
2019-04-11AE619684.30 ppb
2019-05-20AE670565.30 ppb
2019-07-25AE75881ND
2019-07-25AE75878ND
2019-07-25AE75889ND
2019-09-23AE84176ND
2019-09-23AE84177ND
2019-10-10AE86239ND
2019-11-18AE894493.30 ppb
2019-11-18AE894504.70 ppb
2019-11-22AE903363.50 ppb
2019-11-22AE903383.50 ppb
2019-11-22AE903372.90 ppb
2019-11-22AE903333.10 ppb
2019-11-22AE903342.90 ppb
2019-12-02AE907962.10 ppb
2019-12-02AE907944.10 ppb
2019-12-02AE907935.50 ppb
2019-12-02AE907912.70 ppb
2019-12-02AE907953.10 ppb
2019-12-02AE907923.70 ppb