Toxic Water: A series about the worsening pollution in American waters and regulators' response
Examine whether contaminants in your water supply met two standards: the legal limits established by the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the typically stricter health guidelines. The data was collected by an advocacy organization, the Environmental Working Group, who shared it with The Times.
Lackland Air Force Base
- Chart
Key - 1 or more tests taken in the month
- 1 or more positive detections
- 1 or more tests above health limit
- 1 or more tests above legal limit
Bexar County, Texas. Serves 20,640 people.
3 contaminants below legal limits, but above health guidelines
In some states a small percentage of tests were performed before water was treated, and some contaminants were subsequently removed or diluted. As a result, some reported levels of contamination may be higher than were present at the tap.
| Number of Tests | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contaminant | Average result | Maximum result | Health limit | Legal limit | Total # |
Positive result | Above health | Above legal | Monthly Testing History Chart key at top of page | E.P.A. regulated |
| Alpha particle activity | 1.01 pCi/L | 10.10 | - | 15 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Yes | |
| Lead (total) | 0.39 ppb | 1.56 | 0.20 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Yes | |
| Radium-226 | 1.90 pCi/L | 1.90 | 0.05 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Yes | |
14 contaminants found within health guidelines and legal limits
| Number of Tests | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contaminant | Average result | Maximum result | Health limit | Legal limit | Total # |
Positive result | Above health | Above legal | Monthly Testing History Chart key at top of page | E.P.A. regulated |
| Barium (total) | 53.25 ppb | 64.90 | 2000 | 2000 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Yes | |
| Bromodichloromethane | 0.63 ppb | 6.10 | 100 | 80 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | Yes | |
| Bromoform | 0.78 ppb | 4.10 | 800 | 80 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | Yes | |
| Chloroform | 0.52 ppb | 18.70 | 70 | 80 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Yes | |
| Chromium (total) | 2.26 ppb | 3.29 | 100 | 100 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Yes | |
| Copper | 9.80 ppb | 17.30 | 1300 | 1300 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Yes | |
| Dibromoacetic acid | 1.81 ppb | 16.10 | - | 60 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | Yes | |
| Dibromochloromethane | 1.13 ppb | 5.60 | 60 | 80 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | Yes | |
| Dichloroacetic acid | 0.38 ppb | 7.70 | 70 | 60 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Yes | |
| Gross beta particle activity (pCi/L) | 0.75 pCi/L | 7.50 | 15 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Yes | |
| Manganese | 0.82 ppb | 3.29 | 300 | - | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | No | |
| Monochloroacetic acid | 1.33 ppb | 12.72 | 70 | 60 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Yes | |
| Nitrate | 1.80 ppm | 2.06 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | Yes | |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) | 3.06 ppb | 30.10 | - | 80 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | Yes | |
Units: ppb: parts per billion, pCi/L: picocuries per liter, ppm: parts per million, mrem/yr: millirems per year, MFL: million fibers per litre
16 contaminants tested for but not found
Aluminum, Antimony (total), Arsenic (total), Beryllium (total), Bromochloroacetic acid, Cadmium (total), Dalapon, Mercury (total inorganic), Monobromoacetic acid, Nitrite, Radium-228, Selenium (total), Silver (total), Thallium (total), Total haloacetic acids (HAAs), Trichloroacetic acid
Additional Resources
Note: The Times’ analysis may differ from the Environmental Working Group (Learn More)