Water System Report TX

Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20

EPA ID: TX1011998 ยท 3,429 people served ยท 1 ZIP code

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20 (TX1011998): no EPA violations recorded in the last five years. Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20 earns a clean bill from EPA monitoring - no violations in five years across a service area of 3,429 people.

Data: EPA SDWIS

A ยท 87
Avg Safety Score
3,429
People Served
1
ZIP Code Served
0
Violations (5yr)
Groundwater
Water Source
0.00162 mg/L
Max Lead Level
Zone 3
Radon Risk ยท Low
0
Contaminants Flagged
$312K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20 Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary - Grade A

Service Area Demographics

$85,873
Median Household Income
12,289
Service Area Population
51%
Disadvantaged Population
50th
Poverty Percentile
40th
Energy Burden Percentile
55%
Pre-1986 Housing

The Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20 serves a community with a median household income of $85,873 and an estimated 12,289 residents across its service area. Approximately 55% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

Environmental Justice Note: 51% of the population in this service area is classified as disadvantaged under EPA's EJScreen criteria. Communities with higher disadvantaged populations often face disproportionate environmental and health burdens, including aging water infrastructure and limited resources for remediation.

๐Ÿ’ง Where Does Your Water Come From?

Groundwater

Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20's water is pumped from underground aquifers. Groundwater is naturally filtered through rock and soil, but it can be vulnerable to PFAS contamination, nitrates from agriculture, and industrial chemicals that seep into the water table.

Moderate Risk
Source Contamination Risk
60th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
70th
Superfund Site Proximity

Wastewater Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 60th percentile nationally for proximity to wastewater discharge points.

Superfund Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 70th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites. Groundwater sources near contaminated sites may face elevated risk from industrial chemicals.

Infrastructure Risk

40 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Copper
Pipe Material
30 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Stable
Decay Status
Installed 57% of expected lifespan used End of life

PFAS Detected in Service Area

PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 3 detections recorded.

State limits: PFOA: 0.07 ppt, PFOS: 0.07 ppt
Health concern: PFAS are linked to cancer, thyroid disease, immune suppression, and developmental effects. They do not break down naturally.
Recommended filter: Reverse osmosis (RO) or activated carbon filters certified for PFAS removal. Find the right filter โ†’

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Texas

City of Haskell
3,431 people
9 violations
3 violations
City of Clifton
3,442 people
1 violation
City of Shepherd
3,411 people
12 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Flood Insurance PFAS Treatment Water Filtration
Flood Insurance $2,500
PFAS Treatment $500
Water Filtration $300
Total Estimated Cost $3,300

Based on national averages for common remediation projects. Actual costs vary by property. Only issues flagged by EPA, FEMA, or state data for each ZIP code are included.

Cost of Inaction

If water quality issues in this service area are not addressed, the estimated financial impact per household is:

PFAS Exposure - Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$165
10 years
$330
20 years
$660

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $3,300 (one-time) vs. $330 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Estimates based on published EPA, CDC, and peer-reviewed research. Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These are conservative lower-bound estimates intended for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20 (EPA ID: TX1011998) is a community water system in Texas that serves approximately 3,429 people from groundwater sources.

This system serves ZIP code 77068 in Houston.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: A (87/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 1 of 1 service-area ZIP codes with all required score domains observed. It is not a grade for the water utility.

Model 4.0.0 uses SDWIS identity plus accepted ECHO SDWA lifecycle-based water compliance, the UCMR 5 PFAS MCL screen, EPA radon zone, and annual EPA AirData AQI across three equally weighted domains. Missing required evidence suppresses the score.

Violation History

No accepted violation records in the 2021-2026 window - The accepted EPA ECHO 2026Q2 snapshot contains zero violation records for this system whose record year falls from 2021 through 2026, inclusive. This is not a tap-water safety guarantee.

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:

Lead Level Exceeds Action Level Sample Date
0.00162 mg/L No N/A

No copper action-level exceedance record appears for this PWSID in the accepted LCR snapshot. This does not establish a clean copper measurement.

Radon Risk in Service Area

Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 3 (Low Risk)

Need help with your water quality?

Typical cost: Water test: typically $20โ€“$50 (DIY kit) ยท Professional inspection: $150โ€“$400

Find the Right Water Filter

Free tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking โ€” this helps flush lead from your pipes.

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: Service area ZIP codes sourced from EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 (March 2026 release). These ZIPs reflect the actual deployment footprint recorded by TX or modeled from parcel and building-footprint data.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20 (TX1011998) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20 water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot contains zero violation records for Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20 in the inclusive 2021-2026 record-year window. This is a compliance-record finding, not a guarantee about water at a specific tap.

How many people does Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20 serve?

Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20 serves approximately 3,429 people across 1 ZIP code in Texas.

Where does Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20 get its water?

The primary water source is groundwater.

Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Detected

This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). PFAS compounds were detected below the current state-enforceable MCL.

Samples collected
58
Detections
1
Latest sample
9/12/2024
Highest analyte
PFBA: 11.4 ppt
Analyte Max detected Current MCL Status
PFBA 11.4 ppt โ€” โ€”

Current MCL reflects the lowest state-enforceable limit (NYS 10 ppt for PFOA/PFOS, effective August 2020). The federal final MCL of 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS (EPA April 2024 rule) is not enforceable until April 2029. Detections above 4 ppt but below 10 ppt are below current MCL but above the future federal limit.

Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) โ€” per-system federal sampling, 2023โ€“2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program โ†’

Understand PFAS health context and filtration โ†’

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water from Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20 safe to drink?
Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20 earns a A safety grade with 0 violations in the past 5 years. Tap water meets EPA standards for most contaminants.
Should I use a water filter?
Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20 meets EPA standards, but a water filter can reduce trace contaminants below detectable levels for added peace of mind.
How many people does Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20 serve?
Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20 serves approximately 3,429 people with drinking water across 1 ZIP code.
What is Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20's water source?
Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20 draws water from groundwater sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20's water?
The maximum detected lead level is 0.00162 mg/L. This is within EPA action level guidelines.
What is the demographic profile of Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20's service area?
The Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20 service area has a median household income of $85,873. EPA EJScreen data classifies 51% of the population as disadvantaged, which may indicate greater vulnerability to environmental health risks.
Where does Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20 get its water?
Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20's water is pumped from underground aquifers. Groundwater is naturally filtered through rock and soil, but it can be vulnerable to PFAS contamination, nitrates from agriculture, and industrial chemicals that seep into the water table. Based on available data, the source contamination risk is moderate.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20, TX. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/tx1011998/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-tx1011998,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 20, TX}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/tx1011998/}
}
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