.svg){kind=logo}
The Growing PFAS Problem in Dallas Water: What You Can Do
table of contents
table of contents
We're grateful to the PFAS filtration and contamination experts cited in this article. Future updates will contain direct quotes and insights from these water quality experts, and more solutions for cleaner drinking water in Dallas.
Since Dallas began testing for forever chemicals (PFAS) in their water supply in March 2023, the news hasn’t been good. PFAS in water aren’t just present- they’re already nearing federal limits. It’s vital that Dallas residents protect themselves from the major health issues these toxic chemicals present.
At Mother Modern Plumbing, our research team monitors local water quality reports and current PFAS levels in the DFW Metroplex. We’ve scheduled interviews with leading PFAS experts and professors, and have active alerts for local forever chemical news issues affecting the DFW Metroplex.
From Fort Worth’s $420M lawsuit to the state of disaster in Johnson County, we’re discovering the true damage PFAS contamination causes.
In this article, we cover a major Duke University study and speak to 2 of our Master Plumbers. We take a proactive approach to removing PFAS from drinking water in your home. Learn how the City of Dallas is fighting forever chemicals, and the reverse osmosis water filtration systems that keep them out of your home for good.
Worried about PFAS contamination in your water? Call to schedule an expert consultation with a Mother technician about reverse osmosis filtration in your Dallas home.
{{reverse-osmosis-filtration="/services/reverse-osmosis-filtration"}}
Dallas Water Quality Report Reveals High PFAS Levels
The 2023 City of Dallas Water Quality Report cited two instances where forever chemicals exceeded the EPA limit of 4.0 parts per trillion (ppt) in local water treatment plants.
The numbers didn’t improve in 2024- they got worse.
The 2024 Water Quality Report reveals more elevated forever chemical levels. Seven related chemicals tested at maximum levels of 5.0 ppt or above. Three of these, including PFBA (which causes liver and thyroid issues), reported levels 330%-455% above EPA limits.
High PFAS levels also reported in Dallas sewage treatment plant
Dallas Water Utilities (DWU) testing at the Bachman Water Treatment Plant in Northwest Dallas are approaching federal limits for PFAS content.
The problem? The Bachman plant treats wastewater, not fresh water. That means this water tainted with forever chemicals has already been treated and passed through Dallas homes.
If water you’ve already used is nearly failing EPA regulations on PFAS, that means the water entering your home is as well.
You do have a defense! Our Master Plumbers indicate the best course of action to eliminate more forever chemicals from entering your home’s water supply is by installing a reverse osmosis filtration system- read more below.
Dallas City Council Considers Hiring PFAS Testing Firm
WFAA’s Janelle Ford reports a sense of concern among Dallas city representatives regarding recent tests for PFAS contamination in Bachman and other local plants.
The Dallas City Council met in September 2025 to discuss hiring an independent outside firm to test for PFAS in local drinking water.
“The City is [also] asking for an outside firm to come up with a plan for how to deal with PFAS in the future,” WFAA reports.
This discussion by the Dallas City Council is a step in the right direction, but it’s still troubling. If they’re hiring an outside firm to test for PFAS and offer guidance on future reduction of forever chemicals, that implies they don’t have a trustworthy plan right now.
DWU remains consistent in its message that Dallas tap water is safe to drink. But recent weakening of EPA regulations and an extended timeline for PFAS compliance make the quest to get forever chemicals out of Dallas water tougher.
EPA regulations for PFAS limits in water are getting weaker
Despite DWU’s claims that Dallas drinking water is safe, many experts believe the current federal PFAS limits are too low. This concern is elevated by recent CBS News reports the EPA plans to weaken these federal limits.
Even if EPA standards remain consistent, utility providers will now be given until 2031 to meet these conditions.
For Dallas homeowners, that means 5-6 more years of elevated forever chemicals in tap water before action must be taken.
Texas lawmakers bypass bills to study and limit PFAS
Meanwhile, statewide bills aimed at fighting PFAS contamination failed to clear the Texas state legislature in June 2025.
Notably, state lawmakers killed House Bill 1674. This would have required fertilizer companies to conduct monthly PFAS tests on their products before selling them to the public.
“Opposition from groups representing the chemical industry and wastewater utilities, concerned about cost and limited disposal alternatives, was enough to stall the bill,” the Texas Tribune reported.
Why It Matters: The Health Risks of PFAS in Water
The human health risks of PFAS contamination in potable water are well-studied, proven and highly serious.
Here are eight of the most troubling effects of ingesting forever chemicals on the human body, as published by the EPA, Department of Veterans Affairs, and NIH.:
- Increased risk of prostate, kidney and testicular cancers
- Interference with the immune system’s ability to fight infections
- Low birth weight and increased blood pressure in pregnant women
- Accelerated puberty and bone issues in children
- Liver damage
- Increased risk of thyroid disease
- Kidney disease
- Changes in insulin and lipid production
Even without these massive health hazards, forever chemical contamination is already causing enormous environmental and financial damage to North Texas.
Local impact: PFAS effect on Johnson County, Texas
You don’t have to travel far to see the effects of PFAS contamination on Texas residents.
We previously reported on the destruction that forever chemicals caused in Johnson County. Two years after PFAS contamination was reported, Johnson County Commissioner Larry Woolley reported the death of hundreds of local livestock, cattle, horses and fish — and widespread illness among local residents.
Testing revealed local PFAS levels at 23-67 times the EPA limit. A state of disaster was declared in Johnson County, and the region and its farms have yet to recover.
Reverse Osmosis Systems: Your Best Defense Against PFAS
Mother’s research team partnered with our three Master Plumbers to evaluate the best methods to reduce PFAS levels in water. We focused our efforts on residents in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex- but we’re confident our findings apply in most parts of America.
We reviewed PFAS filtration data from multiple sources, including independent lab testing and university studies. These tests measured how well several types of home water filtration systems reduce forever chemicals in drinking water:
- Whole home water filtration systems
- Point-of-use dual stage water filters
- Reverse osmosis filtration systems
- Activated carbon filters
Our team agrees with every lab and university study we researched: reverse osmosis systems are the best home water filtration devices at removing PFAS in water.
Not every home water filtration system removes PFAS
A Duke University study warns that “many household filters are only partially effective at removing toxic perfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS, from drinking water”.
The study tested the effectiveness of 89 water filtration systems against forever chemicals- 76 point-of-use devices, and 13 whole home solutions. A leading professor in the study notes that reverse osmosis systems are the best option for homeowners seeking to get PFAS out of their tap water.
“All of the under-sink reverse osmosis and two-stage filters achieved near-complete removal of the PFAS chemicals we were testing for,” said Heather Stapleton, Associate Professor of Environmental Health at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment.
Comparing reverse osmosis products? Look for NSF/ANSI certified systems- these are independently lab-certified to deliver the results they claim.
How reverse osmosis systems eliminate forever chemicals in water
Reverse osmosis systems use pressure to drive incoming water through a semi-permeable membrane. This membrane has extremely small pores- about 0.0005 microns.
Most PFAS molecules are larger than the pores in your reverse osmosis membrane. This makes reverse osmosis filters incredibly effective at removing forever chemicals from your water.
The Duke University study found that reverse osmosis filters reduce PFAS levels by 94% or more in water.
The membrane also blocks hard minerals, viruses and other impurities from reaching your taps and fixtures. The water is further purified in three stages:
- Pre-filters use sediment and carbon filters to remove large particles before the membrane.
- A carbon post-filter takes bad odors and tastes out of the purified water, which is then placed in a pressure tank to await delivery to your taps.
- A reject stream directs the collected contaminants and harmful particles away from your potable water supply.
Claim Your PFAS Filtration Estimate in Dallas
Dallas Water Utilities has until 2031 to become fully compliant with EPA limits for PFAS contamination. That’s six years away- and there are high levels of forever chemicals in our water supply now.
Mother Modern Plumbing provides smart plumbing service to DFW homeowners with tech-driven solutions to improve water quality. Our technicians believe installing a reverse osmosis system in your home is the single best way to remove PFAS from your water.
We’re offering expert consultations to all Dallas residents interested in the benefits of reverse osmosis filtration. It’s up to us to fight forever chemicals- let our experts guide you through the options that make sense for your home, your budget and your health.
Worried about PFAS in Dallas water? Call Mother 7 days a week, and schedule your home water filtration consultation in as little as 24 hours.
{{reverse-osmosis-filtration="/services/reverse-osmosis-filtration"}}
