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UTILITY

Oak Ridge Estates Water System

location

Kerr County, Texas

serves

123

source

Groundwater

data

2018-2023

Overview

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 (April 2024 - June 2024), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.

LEARN ABOUT LEAD in this utility

Legal does not necessarily equal safe.

  • Getting a passing grade from the federal government does not mean the water meets the latest health guidelines.

  • Legal limits for contaminants in tap water have not been updated in almost 20 years.

  • The best way to ensure clean tap water is to keep pollution out of source water in the first place.

Contaminants Detected

EXCEED GUIDELINES OTHER DETECTED

Radium, combined (-226 and -228)

Potential Effect: cancer

This Utility: 0.79 pCi/L

Legal Limit: 5 pCi/L

16x

EWG's Health Guideline: 0.05 pCi/L

Radium, combined (-226 and -228)

Radium is a radioactive element that causes bone cancer and other cancers. It can occur naturally in groundwater, and oil and gas extraction activities such as hydraulic fracturing can elevate concentrations.

more about this contaminant

Radium, combined (-226 and -228) was found at 16 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.05 pCi/L or less

This Utility

0.79 pCi/L

Legal Limit

5 pCi/L

National Average

0.33 pCi/L

State Average

0.37 pCi/L

Health Risks

EWG applied the health guideline of 0.05 pCi/L, defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal for radium-226, to radium-226 and radium-228 combined. This health guideline protects against cancer.

Understanding the Data

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2018-2023.

pCi/L = picocuries per liter
VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

Industry

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

Reverse Osmosis

Ion Exchange

Includes chemicals detected in 2021-2023 for which annual utility averages exceeded an EWG-selected health guideline established by a federal or state public health authority; radiological contaminants detected between 2018 and 2023.

Barium

This Utility: 36.2 ppb

Legal Limit: 2,000 ppb

EWG's Health Guideline: 700 ppb

Barium

Barium is a mineral present in rocks, soil and water. High concentrations of barium in drinking water increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and hypertension.

more about this contaminant

How your levels compare

EWG Health Guideline

700 ppb or less

This Utility

36.2 ppb

Legal Limit

2,000 ppb

National Average

39.5 ppb

State Average

85.5 ppb

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 700 ppb for barium was defined by EWG as benchmark that protects against harm to the kidneys and the cardiovascular system.

Understanding the Data

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2021-2023.

ppb = parts per billion
VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

Industry

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

Reverse Osmosis

Ion Exchange

Fluoride

This Utility: 1.66 ppm

Legal Limit: 4 ppm

No EWG Health Guideline

Fluoride

Fluoride occurs naturally in surface and groundwater and is also added to drinking water by many water systems to prevent cavities and support oral health in people.

In 2015, the Department of Health and Human Services updated its recommendation of an optimal level of 0.7 parts per million, or ppm, added to drinking water based on the health benefits of tooth decay prevention. Studies have shown that fluoride added to community water systems at this level reduces dental cavities, especially in children.

And studies have conclusively shown that fluoride in toothpaste and mouthwash can also provide these benefits.

more about this contaminant

How your levels compare

This Utility

1.66 ppm

Legal Limit

4 ppm

National Average

0.49 ppm

State Average

0.491 ppm

EWG Health Guideline

Not yet determined

Understanding the Data

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2021-2023.

ppm = parts per million
VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

Industry

Treatment Byproducts

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

Reverse Osmosis

Manganese

This Utility: 13.4 ppb

No Legal Limit

EWG's Health Guideline: 100 ppb

Manganese

Manganese is a naturally occurring element that is common in food and drinking water. Excessive manganese exposures may impair children's attention, memory and intellectual capacity. Click here to read more about manganese.

more about this contaminant

How your levels compare

EWG Health Guideline

100 ppb or less

This Utility

13.4 ppb

National Average

8.66 ppb

State Average

5.36 ppb

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 100 ppb for manganese was defined by the state of Minnesota as a health risk limit, the concentration of a contaminant that can be consumed with little or no risk to health. This health guideline protects against harm to the brain and nervous system.

Legal Limit

None

Understanding the Data

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2013-2023.

ppb = parts per billion
VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

Industry

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

Ion Exchange

Toluene

This Utility: 5.67 ppb

Legal Limit: 1,000 ppb

EWG's Health Guideline: 150 ppb

Toluene

Toluene is a volatile solvent that harms the nervous and immune systems, damages the liver and may increase the risk of miscarriage and birth defects.

more about this contaminant

How your levels compare

EWG Health Guideline

150 ppb or less

This Utility

5.67 ppb

Legal Limit

1,000 ppb

National Average

0.00604 ppb

State Average

0.0132 ppb

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 150 ppb for toluene 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 harm to internal organs.

Understanding the Data

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2021-2023.

ppb = parts per billion
VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

Industry

Filtering Options

Activated Carbon

Reverse Osmosis

Includes chemicals detected in 2021-2023 for which annual utility averages were lower than an EWG-selected health guideline established by a federal or state public health authority.

Other Contaminants Tested

✕

Chemicals tested for but not detected:

1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane, 1,1,1-Trichloroethane, 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane, 1,1,2-Trichloroethane, 1,1-Dichloroethane, 1,1-Dichloroethylene, 1,1-Dichloropropene, 1,2,3-Trichlorobenzene, 1,2,3-Trichloropropane, 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene, 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP), 1,2-Dichloroethane, 1,2-Dichloropropane, 1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene, 1,3-Dichloropropane, 2,2-Dichloropropane, 2,3-Dichlorobiphenyl, 2,4,5-T, 2,4,5-TP (Silvex), 2,4,5-Trichlorobiphenyl, 2,4-D, 2,4-DB, 2-Chlorobiphenyl, 2-Hexanone, 22'3'46-Pentachlorobiphenyl, 22'33'44'6-Heptachlorobiphenyl, 22'33'45'66'-Octachlorobiphenyl, 22'44'-Tetrachlorobiphenyl, 22'44'56'-Hexachlorobiphenyl, 3,5-Dichlorobenzoic acid, 3-Hydroxycarbofuran, Acenaphthene, Acenaphthylene, Acetone, Acifluorfen (Blazer), Acrylonitrile, Alachlor (Lasso), Aldicarb, Aldicarb sulfone, Aldicarb sulfoxide, Aldrin, alpha-Chlordane, Aluminum, Anthracene, Antimony, Arsenic, Asbestos, Atrazine, Baygon (Propoxur), Bentazon (Basagran), Benzene, Benzo[a]anthracene, Benzo[a]pyrene, Benzo[b]fluoranthene, Benzo[g,h,i]perylene, Benzo[k]fluoranthene, Beryllium, Bromacil, Bromobenzene, Bromochloroacetic acid, Bromochloromethane, Bromodichloromethane, Bromoform, Bromomethane, Butachlor, Butyl benzyl phthalate, Cadmium, Carbaryl, Carbofuran, Carbon tetrachloride, Chloramben, Chlordane, Chloroethane, Chloroform, Chloromethane, Chromium (total), Chrysene, cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene, cis-1,3-Dichloropropene, Combined uranium, Cyanide, Dalapon, Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate, Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, Di-n-butyl phthalate, Dibenz[a,h]anthracene, Dibromoacetic acid, Dibromochloromethane, Dibromomethane, Dicamba, Dichloroacetic acid, Dichlorodifluoromethane, Dichloromethane (methylene chloride), Dichlorprop, Dieldrin, Diethyl phthalate, Dimethyl phthalate, Dinoseb, Endrin, Ethyl methacrylate, Ethylbenzene, Ethylene dibromide, Fluorene, gamma-Chlordane, Haloacetic acids (HAA5), Heptachlor, Heptachlor epoxide, Hexachlorobenzene (HCB), Hexachlorobutadiene, Hexachlorocyclopentadiene, Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, Iodomethane, Isopropylbenzene, Lindane, m-Dichlorobenzene, Mercury (inorganic), Methiocarb, Methomyl, Methoxychlor, Methyl ethyl ketone, Methyl isobutyl ketone, Methyl methacrylate, Metolachlor, Metribuzin, Monobromoacetic acid, Monochloroacetic acid, Monochlorobenzene (chlorobenzene), MTBE, n-Butylbenzene, n-Propylbenzene, Naphthalene, Nitrate, Nitrate & nitrite, Nitrite, o-Chlorotoluene, o-Dichlorobenzene, Oxamyl (Vydate), p-Chlorotoluene, p-Dichlorobenzene, p-Isopropyltoluene, Pentachlorophenol, Phenanthrene, Picloram, Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Propachlor, Pyrene, Quinclorac, sec-Butylbenzene, Selenium, Silver, Simazine, Styrene, tert-Butylbenzene, Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene), Tetrahydrofuran, Thallium, Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Toxaphene, trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene, trans-1,3-Dichloropropene, trans-Nonachlor, Trichloroacetic acid, Trichloroethylene, Trichlorofluoromethane, Trifluralin, Vinyl chloride, Xylenes (total)

Find A Filter

Utility: 

Oak Ridge Estates Water System
view utility

Carbon Filters

FILTERS 0 contaminants exceeding guidelines (+1 others)

Can reduce the levels of many common contaminants.

pros

  • Lower upfront cost
  • Reduced maintenance

cons

  • Does not remove all contaminants

Reverse Osmosis

FILTERS 1 contaminants exceeding guidelines (+3 others)

Can reduce the levels of many common contaminants.

pros

  • Most effective

cons

  • Higher upfront cost
  • Requires more maintenance
  • Wastes water

Other Considerations

Ion Exchange

Pros: Softens hard water, Reduces some contaminants

Cons: Doesn’t remove all contaminants

Whole-House Filters

Pros: Useful for reducing radiologicals and TCE

Cons: Expensive to install and maintain, Risk of bacterial contamination

Distillation

Pros: Removes heavy metals and harmful microbes

Cons: Does not reduce most contaminants

UNDERSTAND FILTER TECHNOLOGY

Explore filter options for each contaminant. See which technologies are effective at reducing specific contaminants to help you make an informed decision on the best water treatment solution for your needs.

CONTAMINANTS ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES activated carbon reverse osmosis ion exchange
Radium, combined (-226 & -228)
OTHER CONTAMINANTS DETECTED activated carbon reverse osmosis ion exchange
Barium
Fluoride
Manganese
Toluene

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