The Texas state agency reported 252 new cases of groundwater contamination in 2023 in the Texas Groundwater Conservation Commission’s annual report.
The latest report summarizes 2,870 unresolved cases of groundwater contamination, some dating back decades. Almost every county in Texas is affected by this issue. Texas regulators have notified 34 local governments from El Paso to Houston that newly identified contamination could affect public drinking water supplies in 2023. An additional 289 property owners were also notified that groundwater contamination could affect their private wells.
Groundwater contamination is expensive to remediate and can persist for years or indefinitely. Public water utilities test wells for regulated contaminants and shut them down if necessary. However, private wells, which are not subject to water quality standards, pose an additional risk of contamination.
Texas relies on groundwater from aquifers for about 55 percent of its water supply. As the population increases and the climate changes, groundwater will take up an even larger share. Texas voters created a $1 billion fund in 2023 to further develop the state’s water resources, including desalination of brackish groundwater.
“Groundwater contamination is a cause for concern,” said Adam Foster, director of the Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts (TAGD). “It needs to be reported and dealt with appropriately.”
Annual report summarizing groundwater pollution
The Texas Groundwater Conservation Commission brings together TAGD, a coalition of nine state agencies and groundwater districts. The Conservation Commission coordinates the activities of these agencies under Texas law. The law requires “the reasonable removal of contaminants that interfere with the current and potential use of groundwater.”
The commission publishes an annual report on groundwater contamination identified in the previous year. This year’s report, published in October, covers groundwater contamination recorded in 2023. The report and a map showing the location of existing groundwater contamination is available on the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality website.
The state’s environmental regulator, TCEQ, and the Railroad Commission, which regulates oil and gas drilling and other extractive industries, both document instances of groundwater contamination in their jurisdictions for reports. 80% of existing pollution incidents, or 2,321, fall under TCEQ. The remaining cases will be handled by the Railroad Commission.
According to the report, there are currently 224 public water wells considered to be contaminated. There are approximately 17,900 public water wells in the state.
However, officials have indicated that two public water wells will be added to the list in 2023. The first was at a Hart Municipal water station in Castro County in the Panhandle, where benzene and total xylene were detected. TCEQ spokesman Richard Richter said the source of the water is unknown, but the water utility continues to comply with regulations. The second was at Grayson Business Park in south Houston, where chlorobenzene and vinyl chloride were found.
Gas stations are the most common source of groundwater contamination in Texas, accounting for one-third of all cases. Therefore, gasoline, diesel, and other petroleum products such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene are the most common contaminants of groundwater. In some cases, the source of contamination may be unknown.
New groundwater contamination identified in 2023 includes chlorinated solvents at a dry cleaner in Collin County, total petroleum hydrocarbons from a pipeline leak in Nueces County, and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. was included.
“When activities regulated by TCEQ impact groundwater, TCEQ investigates possible sources of contamination and notifies neighboring well owners of any groundwater contamination,” Richter wrote in an email.
Richter said businesses and individuals who violate the state’s water protection laws will be issued violation notices or enforcement notices, depending on the severity of the violation.
“In either case, the defendant would be required to take all necessary remedial measures,” he said.
Groundwater contamination can affect future water supply plans. The City of Midland purchased land in Winkler County decades ago to ensure long-term water supply. What the city didn’t count on was groundwater contamination from traditional oil and gas operations. The city is in the midst of a multi-million dollar restoration effort.
The report says TCEQ takes a “risk-based” approach to groundwater contamination. The report notes that in some cases it is not “technically possible or cost-effective” to purify groundwater.
In addition to the 2,870 ongoing cases of groundwater contamination, regulators have closed thousands of other reports. In some cases, regulatory agencies clean groundwater to meet safety standards. In other cases, regulators leave contaminated groundwater unattended and adopt restrictions called institutional regulations to restrict water use. These controls can include covenants that prevent groundwater from being used in the future.
TCEQ’s Richter said the agency does not track what percentage of cases are remediated, as opposed to putting controls in place to limit groundwater use. TCEQ encourages members of the public seeking further information regarding groundwater contamination incidents to contact the agency or submit a public records request.
Report raises questions about local groundwater and private wells
Groundwater management is essential because while Texas’ economy is growing, the availability of surface water, such as rivers and reservoirs, is flat or decreasing.
“As the state continues to grow, we become increasingly reliant on groundwater resources,” TAGD’s Foster said. “We don’t really have access to surface water anymore because almost all surface water is allowed.”
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According to the Texas Water Development Commission, agriculture is the largest consumer of groundwater throughout the state. Dependence on groundwater varies within the state, which is divided into water planning regions. In Region F, which extends east from the Permian Basin toward San Antonio, groundwater accounts for more than 80 percent of the water supply. In Region K, which covers the lower Colorado River basin and includes Travis County, groundwater accounts for only 28 percent of the water supply.
Groundwater testing in rural Texas is often limited, said groundwater hydrologist Ronald Green, a contractor with Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. Mr. Green advised groundwater districts in South Texas and the Permian Basin, and found that there was little groundwater testing in areas where oil and gas drilling is active. Therefore, he believes the actual number of groundwater contamination cases may be much higher than the total number reported.
“There are very few wells and very few well samples collected and analyzed,” he said of these areas. “There is no way to accurately reflect how groundwater has been affected.”
He said most testing is being done around cities with municipal wells. “Where the light hits you, you find it,” he said.
This could be concerning for the more than 1 million Texans who rely on water from private wells, which are not subject to state and federal water safety standards. Well owners are responsible for water safety.
During 2023, TCEQ mailed notices to 289 private well owners about the potential for contamination to affect their wells. Notifications were specifically sent to well owners in northwest Houston near Ashburn Industries and Bridge City near the Louisiana state line.
TAGD’s Foster recommends private well owners test their water at least once a year. He said testing for indicator compounds can identify potential problems with more targeted testing.
“Many groundwater districts have testing programs where you can get your water tested for free or at a greatly reduced cost,” he says.
The Texas Water Development Commission also provides informational resources for private well owners.
At least one state representative is eyeing additional groundwater resources in Texas. Representative Cody Harris, a Republican from East Texas, has filed House Bill 1400 for the upcoming 2025 legislative session. The bill would create a Groundwater Science Research and Innovation Fund to fund activities to improve groundwater science, increase the efficiency of groundwater use, and protect groundwater quality.
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Martha Puskowski
El Paso, Texas reporter
Martha Puskowski is based in El Paso and covers climate change and the environment in Texas. She previously served as an environmental reporter for the El Paso Times. She began her career as a freelance journalist in Mexico, working as a reporter for news organizations such as The Guardian and Yale E360. Martha holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from Hampshire College and a master’s degree in journalism and Latin American studies from New York University. She is a former Fulbright Fellow in Mexico.
