SHALLOWATER, Texas Tap Water Quality

What this violation means

Arsenic is a known human carcinogen that occurs naturally in groundwater across many parts of the United States, especially the Southwest and parts of New England. Long-term exposure even at low levels has been linked to bladder, lung, and skin cancer, as well as cardiovascular disease and developmental effects in children.

Recommended precautions

• →Reverse osmosis filtration removes arsenic effectively.
• →Distillation also removes arsenic — point-of-use distillers work for drinking and cooking water.
• →Boiling does NOT remove arsenic. It actually concentrates it as water evaporates.
• →If your well water has arsenic, test annually and treat at the point of entry.

What this violation means

Nitrate contamination is most acute in agricultural regions where fertilizer and animal waste leach into groundwater. The immediate risk is to formula-fed infants under 6 months — high nitrate levels prevent their blood from carrying oxygen, causing 'blue baby syndrome.' Pregnant women should also avoid high-nitrate water.

Recommended precautions

• →Never give untreated high-nitrate water to infants — use bottled water for formula.
• →Boiling does NOT remove nitrate. Boiling concentrates it.
• →Reverse osmosis, ion exchange, or distillation are the only effective home treatments.
• →Private well owners in farming areas should test annually for nitrate.

What this violation means

Fluoride at the optimal level (~0.7 mg/L) reduces tooth decay, which is why most US utilities add it. The MCL of 4.0 mg/L exists to protect against skeletal fluorosis from naturally high-fluoride groundwater, while the EPA's secondary standard of 2.0 mg/L addresses dental fluorosis in children.

Recommended precautions

• →Reverse osmosis removes fluoride; standard carbon filters do NOT.
• →If your child uses fluoride toothpaste and drinks fluoridated water, supervise brushing to limit ingestion.
• →Bone meal supplements often contain fluoride and should be used cautiously.

What this violation means

Uranium in drinking water is both a chemical toxin (kidney damage) and a radiological hazard (increased cancer risk). It's most commonly found in groundwater near uranium ore deposits or former mining activity in the Western US.

Recommended precautions

• →Reverse osmosis is the gold standard for removing uranium.
• →Ion exchange systems work but must be sized correctly for uranium.
• →If you live near former mining sites, test for uranium even if not required.

What this violation means

Lead is a potent neurotoxin with no safe exposure level. In drinking water it primarily enters via corroded lead service lines, lead-soldered copper pipes, and brass fixtures. Children under 6 and pregnant women face the highest risk because lead disrupts developing nervous and skeletal systems.

Recommended precautions

• →Run cold tap water 30–120 seconds before drinking or cooking, especially after the tap has been unused for hours.
• →Never cook with hot tap water — heat increases lead leaching from pipes.
• →Use an NSF/ANSI 53 certified filter for lead removal (carbon block or reverse osmosis).
• →If you have children, get blood lead levels tested by your pediatrician.

What this violation means

Nitrate contamination is most acute in agricultural regions where fertilizer and animal waste leach into groundwater. The immediate risk is to formula-fed infants under 6 months — high nitrate levels prevent their blood from carrying oxygen, causing 'blue baby syndrome.' Pregnant women should also avoid high-nitrate water.

Recommended precautions

• →Never give untreated high-nitrate water to infants — use bottled water for formula.
• →Boiling does NOT remove nitrate. Boiling concentrates it.
• →Reverse osmosis, ion exchange, or distillation are the only effective home treatments.
• →Private well owners in farming areas should test annually for nitrate.

What this violation means

Radium-226 and Radium-228 occur naturally in groundwater, particularly in regions with granite or sandstone aquifers. Long-term ingestion increases the risk of bone, sinus, and other cancers because radium concentrates in bone tissue.

Recommended precautions

• →Reverse osmosis and ion exchange (water softeners) remove radium.
• →Boiling does NOT remove radium and may concentrate it.
• →Private well users in radium-rich geology should test every 3–5 years.