Brewster County, Texas
6 ZIP codes · Avg score 81/100 · Grade B · Updated 2026-06-03
The 6 water systems serving Brewster County show strong compliance with federal drinking water standards.
How Brewster County Compares
How Brewster County Compares
Brewster County scores 1 points below the Texas state average (82/100) and 13 points above the national average (68/100).
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
ZIP Code Risk Map
Water Quality Map: Brewster County, Texas
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Key Risk Factors
Health risk index: 12 (asthma 8.9%, diabetes 12.8%)
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $720, driven primarily by energy_code_gap
Infrastructure: 0.345% avg pipe failure probability
67.5% of homes built before 1978 (lead paint era)
Violation History (2022–2024)
→ Stable trendEPA violation counts by year across Brewster County water systems. Health-based shown in red, total in blue.
Peak year: 2022 with 3 violations. Past 5 years: 8 total (8 health-based).
Source: EPA SDWIS historical violations. Data may lag 6–12 months for the most recent year.
County Health Indicators vs National Average
Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Infrastructure Overview
Sources: Census ACS (housing age), EPA SDWIS (infrastructure risk model), state bridge inspection data.
Compound Risk Breakdown
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $720
Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).
Housing Age Distribution
5,837 housing units in Brewster County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034 (Year Structure Built).
Water Safety Affordability
How much it costs to fix water issues relative to home values in Brewster County
Remediation costs are relatively manageable for most homeowners in Brewster County, representing a small fraction of property value.
Remediation includes water filtration, lead abatement, radon mitigation, and flood protection where applicable. Source: Census ACS, EPA SDWIS.
Health Outcomes vs National Average
CDC PLACES data for Brewster County residents
Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Water Systems with Most Violations
Top 5 systems in Brewster County ranked by EPA violation count.
| # | Water System | Population | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | City of Alpine | 6,000 | 36 |
| 2 | Fort Davis Estates | 100 | 36 |
| 3 | Mcelroy Ranch Water System | 45 | 36 |
| 4 | Study Butte Terlingua Water System | 888 | 10 |
| 5 | Panther Junction Plt | 300 | 2 |
6 total water systems serve Brewster County.
All ZIP Codes in Brewster County
6 ZIP codes tracked in Brewster County.
| # | ZIP Code | City | Safety Score | Grade | Violations | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 79842 | Marathon | 83 | B | 1 | $144K |
| 2 | 79831 | Alpine | 82 | B | 12 (1 health) | — |
| 3 | 79832 | Alpine | 82 | B | 12 (1 health) | — |
| 4 | 79834 | Big Bend National Park | 82 | B | 2 | — |
| 5 | 79830 | Alpine | 77 | B | 12 (1 health) | $219K |
| 6 | 79852 | Terlingua | 77 | B | 10 (5 health) | $117K |
Recommended Buyer Guides for Brewster County
Designed to find the guide that fits the county, not the other way around — the system reads EPA detections, FEMA hazard layers, and CDC lead-exposure markers, then outputs the categories that resolve those specific risks for households here, with NSF-certified products surfaced when the matching contaminant appears in the local monitoring data.
- Best Lead Paint Test Kits — 67.5% of homes built before 1978
- Best Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis Systems — Multi-contaminant removal at the kitchen tap
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Brewster County, Texas
Overview
Brewster County in Texas covers 6 ZIP codes with an average Home Safety Score of B (81/100).
6 of 6 ZIP codes have recorded EPA violations. 8 health-based violations have been documented.
← Back to Texas water quality report
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Home values: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (median estimates by ZCTA)
Updated daily.