City of White Settlement

Sources of municipal water (both tap and bottled) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels across land or underground, it dissolves naturally-occurring minerals and sometimes radioactive materials, while also potentially collecting substances from animal presence or human activity. Municipal water, including bottled varieties, typically contains at least small amounts of certain contaminants. However, the presence of contaminants doesn't necessarily indicate a health risk. For more information about contaminants and potential health effects, call the EPA's Safe Municipal Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.

Certain populations may have increased vulnerability to specific microbial contaminants like Cryptosporidium. This includes infants, elderly individuals, immunocompromised persons such as cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplant recipients, those taking steroid treatments, and people with HIV/AIDS or other immune disorders. If you fall into these categories, consult your healthcare provider about your water consumption. Additional guidance on reducing Cryptosporidium infection risk is available from the Safe Municipal Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.

Source water may contain various contaminant types:

• Microbial contaminants (viruses, bacteria) from sewage treatment facilities, septic systems, agricultural operations, and wildlife
• Inorganic contaminants (salts, metals) from natural sources or urban runoff, industrial/domestic wastewater discharges, oil/gas production, and farming
• Pesticides and herbicides from agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential usage
• Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile compounds from industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, urban runoff, and septic systems
• Radioactive contaminants from natural sources or resulting from oil/gas production and mining

The EPA establishes regulations limiting contaminant amounts in public water systems to ensure drinking water safety. Similarly, FDA regulations set limits for contaminants in bottled water to provide equivalent public health protection. Your water may sometimes have taste, color, or odor issues that aren't necessarily health concerns. For questions about these aesthetic properties, contact the system's office directly.

Elevated lead levels can cause serious health problems, particularly for pregnant women and young children. Lead in municipal water primarily comes from materials and components in service lines and home plumbing. While we're responsible for providing quality water, we can't control materials used in residential plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If concerned about lead content, consider having your water tested. Information about lead in water, testing methods, and exposure reduction steps is available at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead or from the Safe Municipal Water Hotline.

White Settlement purchases water from Fort Worth and also draws from seven groundwater wells within city limits sourced from the Paluxy and Trinity aquifers. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has assessed our source water vulnerability to certain contaminants. For information about source water assessments and protection efforts, contact Doug Stevens at (817) 246-4971 ext. 275.

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