Lubbock – Texas – Water Quality Report 2025: PFAS Testing, Infrastructure Concerns & Safety across your city
Lubbock Water Utilities provides comprehensive water services to approximately 260,000 residents across the Lubbock metropolitan area and surrounding communities. As a municipal utility system established over a century ago, Lubbock operates a diversified water supply network that includes surface water from two major reservoirs and groundwater from multiple well fields. The system encompasses hundreds of miles of distribution lines and multiple treatment facilities that deliver an average of 35 million gallons of drinking water daily across West Texas’s Hub City.
Lubbock sources its drinking water through a strategic diversification plan designed to ensure long-term water security. The city receives approximately 36% of its water from surface sources – Lake Alan Henry and Lake Meredith – while the remaining 64% comes from groundwater through the Roberts County Well Field (Canadian River Municipal Water Authority) and the Bailey County Well Field. This multi-source approach helps Lubbock maintain water supply reliability despite the challenges of operating in an arid climate with limited natural water resources. The utility consistently meets federal and state quality standards while investing in infrastructure modernization and conservation programs to sustain future water needs.
Lubbock Water Quality: Current Status (2024-2025)
Latest Testing Results
- Lead Service Line Inventory: Completed in October 2024, Lubbock Water Utilities reported zero lead service lines throughout the community, with full compliance with EPA Lead and Copper Rule Revisions.
- Comprehensive Monitoring: Lubbock conducts extensive water quality testing across all treatment facilities and distribution networks, with results published in annual water quality reports available in both English and Spanish.
- Compliance Status: Lubbock’s water consistently meets or exceeds all federal and state drinking water standards, maintaining compliance with EPA and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regulations.
Water Sources and Supply Strategy
- Lake Alan Henry: Primary surface water source located 65 miles southeast of Lubbock, built in 1993 as a renewable water supply with 225-million-gallon terminal storage reservoir.
- Lake Meredith: Secondary surface source through the Canadian River Municipal Water Authority, serving as part of an 11-city regional partnership for water supply security.
- Groundwater Wells: Roberts County Well Field (CRMWA) and Bailey County Well Field provide 64% of Lubbock’s water supply from the Ogallala Aquifer system.
Advanced Treatment Facilities
- North Water Treatment Plant: Processes water from Lake Meredith and Roberts County Well Field using conventional treatment methods including coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and chloramine disinfection.
- South Water Treatment Plant: State-of-the-art facility treating Lake Alan Henry water with membrane filtration technology, rated for 15 million gallons per day with planned expansion to 50 MGD.
- Groundwater Treatment: Dedicated facility for groundwater treatment from Bailey County wells, ensuring consistent quality from all water sources.
Infrastructure and Conservation
- Pipeline Replacement Program: Ongoing $800,000+ investment in replacing aging infrastructure, including 44 miles of two-inch pipeline improvements and major line replacements along high-frequency leak areas.
- Water Loss Reduction: Comprehensive water loss management program with installation of new valves and system monitoring to reduce waste and improve efficiency.
- Conservation Goals: Target of 0.5% annual reduction in per capita water use, with goals of 130 gallons per capita per day by 2029 and 127 by 2034, plus maintaining maximum 10% water loss.
Galvanized Service Line Management
While Lubbock Water Utilities proudly reports no lead service lines, the system has identified customers with galvanized service lines that may contain lead components. Under federal mandate, Lubbock is developing a galvanized service line replacement plan for affected property owners, with implementation beginning in October 2027 and projected completion by 2037. The utility maintains rigorous corrosion control programs and offers free water testing to concerned residents. Lubbock’s century-long commitment to water quality, combined with modern treatment technology and proactive infrastructure management, ensures safe and reliable drinking water for the growing West Texas metropolitan area.
Recommendations for Lubbock Residents
Request Free Water Testing
Contact Lubbock Water Utilities to request free water testing services, especially if you live in an older home or have concerns about water quality. Visit mylubbock.us/waterqualityreport or call for testing information.
Follow Water Conservation
Comply with Lubbock’s water conservation measures: outdoor irrigation limited to 3 days per week (odd addresses: Tue/Thu/Sat; even addresses: Wed/Fri/Sun), no watering 10am-6pm, prevent runoff to streets and sidewalks.
Consider Point-of-Use Filtration
Given Lubbock’s hard water (150-267 mg/L) and natural contaminants from regional geology, NSF-certified filters can improve taste and reduce disinfection byproducts and arsenic for drinking and cooking water.
Support Regional Water Planning
Stay informed about Lubbock’s long-term water supply planning, including the Canadian River Municipal Water Authority partnership and investments in pipeline infrastructure to ensure sustainable water for West Texas’s future.
Report Water Issues
Contact Lubbock Water Utilities immediately for water main breaks, pressure problems, or quality concerns. Early reporting helps maintain system integrity and conserve precious water resources in West Texas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lubbock’s tap water safe to drink?
Yes, Lubbock’s tap water meets or exceeds all federal and state drinking water standards. The city operates a diversified water supply system with multiple treatment facilities and rigorous quality monitoring.
Lubbock Water Utilities has been providing safe drinking water for over a century, with comprehensive testing and treatment processes at the North and South water treatment plants. The utility’s 2024 service line inventory confirmed zero lead service lines, and all water leaving treatment facilities is lead-free. The system’s multi-source approach and advanced treatment technologies ensure consistent water quality despite operating in West Texas’s challenging arid environment.
Why is Lubbock’s water hard?
Lubbock’s water hardness ranges from 150-267 mg/L calcium carbonate, which is typical for West Texas groundwater and surface water sources that naturally contain dissolved minerals.
Water hardness comes from calcium and magnesium naturally present in the Ogallala Aquifer groundwater and surface water from Lakes Alan Henry and Meredith. While hard water is not harmful to health, it can affect soap performance and leave mineral deposits on fixtures.
Currently, Lubbock does not treat for hardness as levels are within acceptable ranges. Residents who prefer softer water can install home water softening systems for their personal use.
What about lead concerns in Lubbock?
Lubbock Water Utilities completed a comprehensive service line inventory in October 2024 and found zero lead service lines throughout the community:
• No lead service lines: Unlike many older cities, Lubbock has no lead service lines in its distribution system
• Galvanized line management: Some properties have galvanized service lines that may contain lead components, with replacement planned 2027-2037
• Treatment plant protection: Water leaving Lubbock’s treatment facilities contains no lead and includes corrosion control measures
• Free testing available: Residents concerned about household plumbing can request water testing through the utility
Lead concerns typically come from internal household plumbing in homes built before 1986, not from Lubbock’s water supply system.
What are Lubbock’s water restrictions?
Lubbock operates under year-round water conservation measures designed to maximize efficiency in West Texas’s arid climate:
Permanent Conservation Measures:
• Outdoor irrigation limited to three days per week by address (odd: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday; even: Wednesday, Friday, Sunday)
• No outdoor watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. to reduce evaporation losses
• Prohibition of water waste including runoff onto streets, sidewalks, or other impermeable surfaces
Drought Response:
During severe drought conditions, additional restrictions may be implemented including further limits on outdoor watering, vehicle washing restrictions, and pool filling limitations. Current water conservation status and any emergency restrictions are available through Lubbock Water Utilities.
Contaminants of Concern
Arsenic
Source: Naturally occurring in West Texas soil and bedrock, particularly common in the Ogallala Aquifer groundwater that supplies much of Lubbock’s water
Health Effects: Long-term exposure to elevated arsenic levels may increase risk of skin, bladder, lung, kidney, and prostate cancers
Current Status: Detected in Lubbock’s water supply at levels that comply with EPA standards but exceed some health guidelines EPA Limit: 10 parts per billion (ppb)
Disinfection Byproducts
Source: Formed when chloramine disinfectant (used by Lubbock) reacts with naturally occurring organic matter in source water from lakes and groundwater
Health Effects: Including trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids, long-term exposure may increase bladder cancer risk and affect liver, kidney, and central nervous system
Current Levels: Monitored regularly with some compounds detected above health guidelines but within EPA legal limits EPA Limits: 80 ppb for total trihalomethanes, 60 ppb for haloacetic acids
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