Residents are encouraged to document water quality concerns using any testing method they can reasonably access.
Pool test strips
Pool strips can provide a rough indication of chlorine levels. While the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) does not officially recognize pool strips, documentation using these strips is still considered useful when formal testing is not accessible. According to Diana Richards in Shelley Luther’s office, any form of documentation is better than none.
Photographic documentation
If Texas Water Utilities tests your water:
Take a clear photo of the test result
Capture the date and time
Keep a record of who performed the test
This documentation is critical.
Texas Water Utilities testing
Residents should continue to call Texas Water Utilities to request on-site testing (contact information is listed on the Resources page). Be aware that some residents report that test requests are occasionally ignored. If testing is performed, please document it.
Laboratory testing
More formal testing can be done through TCEQ-approved laboratories, which will be listed on this site.
⚠️ Important note: Chlorine testing must be collected in specialized bottles and handled quickly. This makes chlorine testing difficult and expensive for individual residents.
Because chlorine levels appear to be elevated daily, not merely during short spikes, reliable ongoing testing is essential.
To address this, the committee is exploring:
Class D water operator certification
Community-funded acquisition of professional-grade testing equipment (the same type used by utilities)
Regular public documentation of chlorine levels for transparency and accountability
Water filtration is a personal decision, and residents should be cautious about assumptions regarding effectiveness.
A representative from a long-established local water filtration company (over 80 years in operation) advised that:
Most residential filtration systems are not designed to handle consistently high chlorine levels
Systems that might be effective are often cost-prohibitive
Whole-house systems may give a false sense of safety
There have been anecdotal reports of serious health outcomes despite the use of residential filtration systems. While anecdotal evidence is not proof, it reinforces the need for accurate testing and transparency.
Shower filters
Many shower filters have limited effectiveness due to short contact time between water and filtration media. While they may reduce some exposure, they are not a complete solution.
Gravity filters (e.g., countertop systems)
Some gravity filters can reduce chlorine but may leave high Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). High TDS is not necessarily harmful on its own, but it does not indicate “pure” water.
Chlorine is NOT responsible for:
Hot water heaters failing prematurely
Faucet or plumbing erosion
These issues are typically caused by hard water and mineral content, not chlorine.
This committee will continue to publish:
Testing updates
Filtration research
Educational materials explaining water chemistry in plain language
Residents should not be expected to:
Become water chemists
Spend thousands of dollars on ineffective filtration
Accept reassurances without documentation
Safe water should be verifiable, consistent, and transparent.
More updates, resources, and testing data will be added as this work continues.