Is Fort Worth Tap Water Safe to Drink?

Many Fort Worth residents recently received a letter from the utility company, informing them about the potential of lead pipes in the public water supply and their homes. In the weeks since that letter, our DFW plumbing customers have reached out with one question:

Is Fort Worth tap water safe to drink right now?

Short answer: you’re probably safe. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex public water supply is under the EPA threshold for lead content.

Long answer? There are some reasons for concern. The EPA threshold requirements are only measured in public pipes already tested for lead. Hundreds of thousands of pipes in the public water supply line are untested — and that doesn’t include the private water supply line or the pipes in your house.

Our expert plumbers live and work in Tarrant County, so the safety of your tap water is important to our families as well. Here’s what we’ll discuss in this summary of lead pipes and the safety of drinking water in Fort Worth:

• The City of Fort Worth conducted a lead pipe compliance test. The results of this test show acceptable results for lead in the drinking water, but there are notable drawbacks about the scope of the test.
• The Fort Worth Service Line Inventory Map is a great tool. The map indicates supply lines that require replacement. You can search by address or intersection for lead pipe results in your neighborhood.
• Galvanized pipes are a problem in Fort Worth. Galvanized pipes accumulate lead from other pipes and send it into the water supply, even after the lead pipes are removed. There are currently mass quantities of galvanized pipes in Fort Worth.
• Very few Fort Worth homeowners get a free lead water test. The city offers free tests for lead in your drinking water — but only if your service line meets requirements. If not, there’s a $25 service fee per faucet sampled.
• A whole house water filtration system is your best option. Whole home filtration systems cost 80-85% less than repiping your house if you have lead safety concerns.

Talk to us about Fort Worth lead pipe problems!

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How Much Lead is In Fort Worth's Water Supply?

Unfortunately, the last data that we have is from 2019. The Environmental Working Group is a non-profit that's created a national water contamination database. Fort Worth's water tested at 9.0ppb from 50 samples. That's below the EPA action level of 15ppb, but higher than nearby water systems like Dallas. 

Why Did I Get a Letter About Fort Worth Lead Pipes?

The City of Fort Worth’s water utilities service sent a letter to many residents in late fall 2024. This letter contained mandatory disclosures set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) about the status of lead pipes and heavy metal testing in the city’s water supply.

These federal requirements are in addition to standards set by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). 

The general contents of this letter were simple: “Don’t worry, your Fort Worth tap water is safe to drink.” But meeting the standard of “safe to drink” does not guarantee your water is lead-free.

Gaps in Fort Worth Water Supply Line Lead Testing

The specific problem with testing for lead in Fort Worth water is shared ownership of the water supply line. As the City of Fort Worth states on its service line inventory page:

“Service line ownership is shared between the water utility and the property owner.  The utility owns the portion from the main to the water meter and the water meter. The property owner is responsible for the portion from the water meter to the building inlet.”

As a result, the city can only test for lead in the service line up to your water meter. From there, Fort Worth homeowners are responsible for testing their own portions of the service line.

Do I have lead in my water supply line?

In their letters to residents, Dallas and Fort Worth suggest at-home tests for finding lead pipes in and around your home. These include magnet tests and scratch tests, which are billed as simple DIY solutions.

But it’s difficult to be totally sure about conducting those tests yourself. 

“I did a scratch test on my water supply line twice, and I’m still not sure I got it right,” a local homeowner told us.

When the city places responsibility for private supply line testing on homeowners, it doesn’t help fix potential problems — it simply places the burden on you.

Check the Fort Worth Service Line Inventory Map

Worried about lead in your drinking water? The first thing every Fort Worth homeowner should do is check the Fort Worth Service Line Inventory Map.

This interactive map allows users to search by address and intersection to find testing results for their home and neighborhood. Results are broken down into 4 categories:

1. Non lead
2. Lead
3. Galvanized, requiring replacement
4. Unknown

The good news: A large portion of the map shows large clusters of pipes that tested and show no signs of lead.

The concerning news: Much of Fort Worth’s water supply line pipe system is classified as “galvanized requiring replacement”.

What does galvanized requiring replacement mean?

The City of Fort Worth explains their definition of existing pipes in the supply line that are galvanized and requiring replacement:

“Homes and business with galvanized pipes where the city-owned portion of the service line was once made of lead are at risk for the release of lead in water.”

While galvanized pipes don’t contain lead, they’re more likely to accumulate lead that leaches from lead service lines. This means that galvanized pipes can continue to send lead into your home’s tap water after all other lead pipes are removed from the system.

The only way to prevent this process is to fully replace all galvanized plumbing and service lines.

Do I have GRR (galvanized) pipes that need to be replaced?

The city is only responsible for removing and replacing all galvanized pipes in the public supply line. Any galvanized pipes on your property are your responsibility.

You may see the term "Galvanized Requiring Replacement" when researching. Galvanized Requiring Replacement lines are galvanized steel water service lines that were ever downstream of a lead service line (LSL) or are currently downstream of a pipe whose lead status is unknown.

Fort Worth offers very little visual assistance online to help identify a galvanized pipe. Our expert plumbers have seen thousands of them — call us if you need an inspection.

Call us for a Fort Worth galvanized pipe inspection!

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Fort Worth's Lead Tests aren't Really Free.

The City of Fort Worth offers free water tests for lead — sort of.

Fort Worth residents can obtain a free lead water test if their service line is classified as galvanized, unknown, or lead. If your service line is classified as non-lead, there is a $25 service fee as of December 2024.

This service fee applies to each faucet sampled. There’s an additional $25 service fee to test for copper at each faucet, regardless of your line’s classification.

At home lead tests

Don't confuse chlorine tests with lead tests

These tests can do a decent job of detecting lead just make sure you're not using a chlorine test. They can often be labeled under "water-quality" tests. 

3 Steps Fort Worth Residents Can Take Right Now

If you’re a Fort Worth homeowner concerned about the safety of your drinking water, there are 3 action steps to take right now:

1. Check your home on the Service Line Inventory Map. Short guide: blue is good, orange is concerning (it means galvanized pipes that can transport lead through water).
2. If you see orange, request a free lead water test. If your supply line is designated as galvanized requiring replacement, you’re eligible for a free lead water test from the city.
3. Strongly consider a whole house water filtration system. Whole house water filtration systems protect your home’s water supply from lead, heavy metals and pesticides — no matter where they’re coming from. It’s a smart investment — whole home water filtration installation costs 80-85% less than whole home repiping.

Talk to our plumbing experts about whole house water filtration!

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