What is a Superior Public Water System?

You’ve probably seen your town or city refer to its ‘Superior public water system’ on a recent water quality report. But what does this designation mean, and how did your city receive it? And does it actually mean your drinking water is better than your neighbor’s?

Our plumbing and research team spoke to a representative from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), the state’s environmental agency that hands out public system ratings. 

We learned what separates an Approved public water system from a Superior one, and what your local water supplier must do to earn Superior status.

Worried about your local water quality? Mother Modern Plumbing provides advanced home water testing throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

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The Texas Experts Who Monitor Your Water Quality

The TCEQ employs 2,800 Texans to monitor the state’s air, water and waste management systems. Their mission statement aims “to protect our state's public health and natural resources consistent with sustainable economic development”.

TCEQ’s Office of Water oversees a wide variety of water-related initiatives. These include public drinking water, interstate river compacts and watershed protection plans.

The Office of Water also oversees Texas’ water districts — and these individuals are responsible for rating public water systems.

How to Become a TCEQ Superior Public Water System

The base level of acceptable water quality is an Approved public water system. These systems meet the minimum requirements of all TCEQ and EPA standards.

If you want to become a Superior public water system, you must go above and beyond those minimum standards. A ‘Superior’ designation means your public water supplier consistently meets and exceeds standards for safe and reliable drinking water.

The current standards for Superior public water systems

Currently, only 10% of all Texas public water systems are rated Superior by the TCEQ.

These are the current standards for Superior status:

1. Physical facilities shall comply with the requirements in sections laid out in the Texas Administrative Code.
2. There shall be a minimum of two licensed operators with additional operators required for larger systems.
3. The system’s microbiological record for the previous 24 months period shall indicate no violations (frequency, number or maximum contaminant level of the drinking water standards.
4. The quality of the water shall comply with all primary water quality parameters listed in the drinking water standards.
5. The chemical quality of the water shall comply with all secondary constituent levels listed in the drinking water standards.
6. The system’s operation shall comply with applicable state statutes and minimum acceptable operating practices set forth in §290.46 of this title (relating to Minimum Acceptable Operating Practices for Public Drinking Water Systems).
7. The system’s capacities shall meet or exceed minimum water system capacity requirements set forth in §290.45 of this title (relating to Minimum Water System Capacity Requirements).
8. The system shall have at least two wells, two raw water pumps or a combination of these with enough capacity to provide average daily consumption with the largest well or pump out of service. This requirement shall also apply to treatment plant pumps necessary for operation in accordance with §290.42 of this title (relating to Water Treatment).
9. The water system shall be well maintained and the facilities shall present a pleasing appearance to the public.

Your public water system rating is reviewed every year

The TCEQ monitors the annual water quality reports of each public water system. If a Superior system falls below their current standards, they may be downgraded to Approved status. 

Approved systems who demonstrate a failure to maintain minimum safe water quality standards will lose their status.

Easy lookup tool: find your city’s water quality rating

The TCEQ’s Drinking Water Watch tool allows Texas homeowners to easily look up the status and rating of every public water system in the state.

Enter the name of your city or public water supply in the “Water System Name” field, then click Search. Look for the “System Recognition” box to see how your water supply is rated.

Discover How Real Plumbers Rank Your Local Water

Our plumbing and research team closely monitors the annual water quality report of every city in the DFW Metroplex. 

We think every homeowner deserves to understand what these reports say, in plain English, with no confusing data or scientific terms. 

Learn what really matters in your city’s water report in our updated guide, plus see the letter grade our experts gave to your city’s drinking water.

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