Sugar Land Water Quality 2026
Reviewed by Joe Letorney, 30-year water treatment expert · Former WQA Certified Water Treatment Specialist (CWS), Level VI
City of Sugar Land Water Public water system · Brazos River / groundwater · UCMR5 2023–2025
Source: EPA UCMR5 (PWSID TX0790005) · EPA SDWIS · Public water system CCR
Sugar Land shows the highest peak PFAS reading of any large Texas system in EPA UCMR5 — 672 ppt of 6:2 FTS — with PFOA at the federal limit. NSF 58 reverse osmosis is strongly recommended for households concerned about forever chemicals.
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Sugar Land, Texas shows the highest peak PFAS reading of any large Texas water system in EPA UCMR5 monitoring — 672 ppt of 6:2 FTS, a compound not yet covered by the EPA's six regulated PFAS limits. PFOA was also detected at 4.1 ppt, at the federal limit for that compound.
The Brazos River corridor and Fort Bend County industrial legacy are the likely sources. 6:2 FTS is a short-chain replacement chemical; carbon filters that worked on legacy PFOA may not perform the same on these molecules. RO is the conservative engineering choice.
Sugar Land is an affluent suburb where I see a lot of whole-home softeners without RO at the kitchen. Softening does not touch PFAS. If your report shows FTS family compounds, prioritize drinking-water RO before upgrading shower filters.
See best water filters for lead removal and what filters remove PFAS.
Sugar Landwater may meet federal EPA limits while still showing contaminants above independent health guidelines (EWG, state advisories). EPA MCLs are often set on treatment feasibility — not a "zero risk" threshold. Compare levels below to health guidelines and state/U.S. utility averages, then see which filter technologies address your profile.
EPA UCMR5 PFAS plus utility/EWG averages with national and state benchmarks. Run a ZIP report for SDWIS samples at your address.
PFAS (“forever chemicals”) persist in the body. NSF 58 reverse osmosis or NSF P473-certified filters remove PFAS at the tap — standard pitchers do not.
Removes with: RO
PFAS (“forever chemicals”) persist in the body. NSF 58 reverse osmosis or NSF P473-certified filters remove PFAS at the tap — standard pitchers do not.
Removes with: RO
PFAS (“forever chemicals”) persist in the body. NSF 58 reverse osmosis or NSF P473-certified filters remove PFAS at the tap — standard pitchers do not.
Removes with: RO · Carbon
From Sugar Land Public water system CCR 2024
Removes with: RO · Ion exchange
PFAS (“forever chemicals”) persist in the body. NSF 58 reverse osmosis or NSF P473-certified filters remove PFAS at the tap — standard pitchers do not.
Removes with: RO · Carbon
PFAS (“forever chemicals”) persist in the body. NSF 58 reverse osmosis or NSF P473-certified filters remove PFAS at the tap — standard pitchers do not.
Removes with: RO · Carbon
PFAS (“forever chemicals”) persist in the body. NSF 58 reverse osmosis or NSF P473-certified filters remove PFAS at the tap — standard pitchers do not.
Removes with: RO · Carbon
PFAS (“forever chemicals”) persist in the body. NSF 58 reverse osmosis or NSF P473-certified filters remove PFAS at the tap — standard pitchers do not.
Removes with: RO · Carbon
PFAS (“forever chemicals”) persist in the body. NSF 58 reverse osmosis or NSF P473-certified filters remove PFAS at the tap — standard pitchers do not.
Removes with: RO · Carbon
U.S. and state averages from EWG Tap Water Atlas utilities in our database. For your exact tap, use a ZIP report — home plumbing can differ from utility averages.
Reference matrix — not specific brands. NSF-certified carbon blocks, reverse osmosis (NSF 58), and ion-exchange softeners address different contaminants. Product picks below match this profile.
Sugar Landutility data is a strong baseline — but lead often comes from your home's pipes, and PFAS can vary by neighborhood. Choose certified lab testing for certainty, or skip straight to NSF-certified filters matched to this profile.
SimpleLab Tap Score mail-in panels test PFAS, lead, nitrates, bacteria, and 100+ contaminants at your kitchen tap. Results in about a week — then pick filtration with real numbers, not guesses.
Tap Score City Test — from $89 →Accredited labs · Best if you have old plumbing, pregnancy, or want proof before installing RO
Get NSF 58 / NSF 53 picks matched to Sugar Land's PFAS, lead, and disinfection byproduct profile — reviewed by a 30-year water treatment expert.
Take the 3-question filter quiz →Best when contaminants are already flagged above and you want the right RO or pitcher today
Sugar Land meets many federal standards, but EPA UCMR5 data shows a 672 ppt peak of 6:2 FTS and PFOA at the 4 ppt legal limit. For households concerned about forever chemicals, NSF 58 reverse osmosis at the kitchen tap is the most reliable fix.
672 ppt is the peak reading for 6:2 FTS in EPA monitoring — not a comparison to the PFOA/PFOS 4 ppt MCL. It is still one of the highest peak PFAS detections of any large Texas system in UCMR5. See our full compound table on the dynamic city report for every analyte.
No. Boiling concentrates PFAS. Only reverse osmosis, certified carbon block systems (NSF P473), or distillation remove them effectively.
Given 6:2 FTS at 672 ppt and PFOA at the EPA limit, an under-sink RO certified to NSF 58 is the gold standard. Standard Brita pitchers do not remove PFAS reliably.
Reviewed by Joe Letorney, 30-year water treatment expert · Former WQA Certified Water Treatment Specialist (CWS), Level VI
Data sourced from EPA UCMR5 (TX0790005), EPA SDWIS, and public water system CCRs. Not affiliated with the City of Sugar Land. Some filter links are affiliate links.