Cameron County, Texas has about 431,874 residents (Census 2024 estimate) and 21 community water systems in EPA records. The largest local system is Brownsville Public Utilities Board, serving about 201,249 people from surface water.
✓ 0 of 6 largest systems with health-based violationsPFAS detected at 6 of 6 sampled systemsHardness 21.4 gpg (low confidence)
Public-record figures, not a test of your tap. Not 100% accurate or guaranteed. Confirm with a water test, your utility or a qualified pro before you buy or act.
How hard is Cameron County water?
Brownsville Public Utilities BoardEstimate: untreated local water, not your tap · Low confidence
21.4 gpg(366 mg/L), very hard
Cameron County: median of 562 results from 20 monitoring sites (streams and wells). Utilities may blend or treat water, so your tap can differ.
County estimates: Hard Water Map (hardwatermap.com), CC BY 4.0, derived from the USGS/EPA Water Quality Portal; file generated 2026-07-22. License
Public-record figures, not a test of your tap. Not 100% accurate or guaranteed. Confirm with a water test, your utility or a qualified pro before you buy or act.
Softener size at 21.4 gpg
For a 3-person home using 57 gallons per person per day and regenerating weekly, you'd remove about 25,616 grains between regenerations. Suggested size: 32,000 grain. This uses a low-confidence county estimate, so confirm with a test first.
Estimate only. Not 100% accurate or guaranteed. Confirm with a water test, your utility or a qualified pro before you buy or act.
The 6 biggest of 21 community water systems on EPA records for this county. Service areas don't follow county lines; your water bill names your provider.
Brownsville Public Utilities Board
TX0310001 · serves about 201,249 people · Surface water
✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below detectionPFAS detected (7 types)
Lead 90th percentile: <DL (below the lab detection/reporting limit; reported as 0) (period starting 2022-01-01) Older result. Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).
PFBA: highest sample 9.3 ppt (7 of 8 samples); no federal limit
PFOS: highest sample 9.2 ppt (7 of 8 samples); federal limit 4.0 ppt as a running annual average
PFHxA: highest sample 8 ppt (8 of 8 samples); no federal limit
PFPeA: highest sample 7.6 ppt (8 of 8 samples); no federal limit
PFOA: highest sample 4.7 ppt (1 of 8 samples); federal limit 4.0 ppt as a running annual average
PFHxS: highest sample 4.4 ppt (8 of 8 samples); federal limit 10.0 ppt as a running annual average, also counted in EPA's PFAS mixture (hazard index) limit (currently in effect; EPA has proposed removing it)
PFHpA: highest sample 4.1 ppt (2 of 8 samples); no federal limit
TX0310002 · serves about 85,900 people · Surface water
✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below detectionPFAS detected (3 types)
Lead 90th percentile: <DL (below the lab detection/reporting limit; reported as 0) (period starting 2022-01-01) Older result. Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).
PFBA: highest sample 8.8 ppt (5 of 8 samples); no federal limit
PFPeA: highest sample 3 ppt (1 of 8 samples); no federal limit
PFHxA: highest sample 3 ppt (1 of 8 samples); no federal limit
TX0310005 · serves about 46,674 people · Surface water
✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below detectionPFAS detected (3 types)
Lead 90th percentile: <DL (below the lab detection/reporting limit; reported as 0) (period starting 2024-01-01). Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).
PFBA: highest sample 14.3 ppt (4 of 8 samples); no federal limit
PFPeA: highest sample 4.2 ppt (3 of 8 samples); no federal limit
PFHxA: highest sample 3.7 ppt (3 of 8 samples); no federal limit
TX0310096 · serves about 25,509 people · Surface water
✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below detectionPFAS detected (8 types)
Lead 90th percentile: <DL (below the lab detection/reporting limit; reported as 0) (period starting 2023-01-01) Older result. Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).
PFBA: highest sample 14.8 ppt (9 of 12 samples); no federal limit
PFPeA: highest sample 11.7 ppt (9 of 12 samples); no federal limit
PFHxA: highest sample 11.2 ppt (9 of 12 samples); no federal limit
PFOS: highest sample 5.6 ppt (3 of 12 samples); federal limit 4.0 ppt as a running annual average
PFOA: highest sample 5.4 ppt (1 of 12 samples); federal limit 4.0 ppt as a running annual average
PFHxS: highest sample 4.5 ppt (2 of 12 samples); federal limit 10.0 ppt as a running annual average, also counted in EPA's PFAS mixture (hazard index) limit (currently in effect; EPA has proposed removing it)
PFHpA: highest sample 4 ppt (1 of 12 samples); no federal limit
PFBS: highest sample 3.5 ppt (2 of 12 samples); no individual limit; counted in EPA's PFAS mixture (hazard index) limit
TX0310007 · serves about 24,250 people · Surface water
✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below detectionPFAS detected (6 types)
Lead 90th percentile: <DL (below the lab detection/reporting limit; reported as 0) (period starting 2023-01-01) Older result. Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).
PFBA: highest sample 9.6 ppt (6 of 8 samples); no federal limit
PFHxA: highest sample 8.6 ppt (6 of 8 samples); no federal limit
PFPeA: highest sample 8 ppt (7 of 8 samples); no federal limit
PFHxS: highest sample 5.3 ppt (6 of 8 samples); federal limit 10.0 ppt as a running annual average, also counted in EPA's PFAS mixture (hazard index) limit (currently in effect; EPA has proposed removing it)
PFOS: highest sample 4.8 ppt (4 of 8 samples); federal limit 4.0 ppt as a running annual average
PFHpA: highest sample 3 ppt (2 of 8 samples); no federal limit
TX0310022 · serves about 9,423 people · Surface water
✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below action levelPFAS detected (8 types)
Lead 90th percentile: 1.8 ppb (period starting 2024-01-01). Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).
PFPeA: highest sample 9.8 ppt (4 of 4 samples); no federal limit
PFBA: highest sample 9.2 ppt (4 of 4 samples); no federal limit
PFHxA: highest sample 8.6 ppt (4 of 4 samples); no federal limit
PFOS: highest sample 4.6 ppt (1 of 4 samples); federal limit 4.0 ppt as a running annual average
PFOA: highest sample 4.3 ppt (1 of 4 samples); federal limit 4.0 ppt as a running annual average
PFHxS: highest sample 3.9 ppt (1 of 4 samples); federal limit 10.0 ppt as a running annual average, also counted in EPA's PFAS mixture (hazard index) limit (currently in effect; EPA has proposed removing it)
PFHpA: highest sample 3.6 ppt (1 of 4 samples); no federal limit
PFBS: highest sample 3 ppt (1 of 4 samples); no individual limit; counted in EPA's PFAS mixture (hazard index) limit
Public-record figures, not a test of your tap. Not 100% accurate or guaranteed. Confirm with a water test, your utility or a qualified pro before you buy or act.
A PFAS detection is not a violation. Federal limits (4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS) apply to running annual averages, with compliance required by 2029. In May 2026 EPA proposed extending the PFOA/PFOS deadline to 2031 and removing other PFAS limits; not final as of 2026-10-21.
Test your own tap
These are public records for whole systems. Your home's pipes, fixtures and any private well can change what you drink. A certified lab test or a hardness test strip gives you your own numbers. Then use our PFAS and lead filter selector to see which certifications to look for.
Common questions about Cameron County water
Is tap water in Cameron County safe to drink?
None of the 6 largest systems here have a health-based violation in EPA records since October 2021. Brownsville Public Utilities Board's most recent lead 90th percentile was below the lab detection limit (2022), below the 15 ppb action level. Public records can't guarantee what comes out of your tap, especially with older plumbing, so a home test is the surest check.
How hard is the water in Cameron County?
There's no published utility figure in our data, but untreated local stream and well samples in Cameron County have a median of about 21.4 grains per gallon (366 mg/L, very hard). That's a low-confidence estimate of source water, not your tap, so test before you buy equipment. For a 3-person home at 21.4 gpg, our softener calculator suggests a 32,000 grain unit as a starting point.
Is there PFAS in Cameron County water?
6 of the 6 sampled systems listed here detected at least one PFAS in EPA's UCMR 5 testing, and 7 results were above the level of a federal limit in at least one sample. A detection isn't a violation: federal PFAS limits apply to running annual averages starting in 2029.
Which water system serves my address in Cameron County?
Most homes are served by Brownsville Public Utilities Board or one of the other systems listed on this page, but service areas don't follow county lines. Your water bill names your provider, and its annual Consumer Confidence Report has the full test results.
Data as of October 21, 2026. Figures are copied from public records and combined with our own calculations; they can be out of date or wrong. Tapped Out isn't affiliated with any utility or the EPA. Written and reviewed by the Tapped Out team. How we calculate · All sources.