City of Paris

The City of Paris supplies surface water from Pat Mayse Pond and Lake Crook, located in Lamar County. As your municipal water provider, we want residents to understand what's in their tap water.

Understanding Your Municipal Water
Water sources—whether from taps or bottles—include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels across land or underground, it dissolves natural minerals, sometimes radioactive materials, and can collect substances from animal presence or human activity. While all water contains some contaminants, their presence doesn't necessarily indicate a health risk.

Potential Contaminants in Source Water

• Microbial contaminants (viruses, bacteria) from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural operations, and wildlife
• Inorganic contaminants (salts, metals) that may be naturally occurring or result from urban runoff, industrial wastewater, farming, or petroleum production
• Pesticides and herbicides from agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential use
• Organic chemical contaminants from industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, and septic systems
• Radioactive contaminants that can be naturally occurring or result from resource extraction activities

EPA regulations limit contaminant levels in public water systems, while FDA establishes similar protections for bottled water. Taste, odor, or color issues don't always indicate health concerns—for questions about water aesthetics, contact Kenda Fortner, Environmental Services Manager, at (903) 784-2464.

Special Health Considerations
Some individuals may be more vulnerable to certain contaminants like Cryptosporidium. Infants, elderly people, those undergoing chemotherapy or organ transplants, individuals on steroid treatments, and people with HIV/AIDS or immune disorders should seek advice from healthcare providers about their water consumption.

Lead in Drinking Water
Elevated lead levels can pose serious health risks, particularly for pregnant women and young children. Lead primarily comes from materials in service lines and home plumbing. While we provide high-quality water, we can't control plumbing component materials. To minimize lead exposure, flush your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking if it has been sitting for several hours.

Your Water is Safe
In 2017, the City of Paris treated over 4.83 billion gallons of water distributed through 238 miles of water lines. Our system is rated excellent by TCEQ. Water loss audit data submitted to the Texas Water Development Board for January-December 2017 shows an estimated 126,463,641 gallons lost—contact Kenda Fortner at (903) 784-2464 with any questions about this audit.

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