Water Quality

Texas Optimization Program (TOP) Award

The Benbrook Water Authority (BWA) continues to be recognized by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for participation in the Texas Optimization Program (TOP). This award recognizes water treatment plants that voluntarily work to exceed the minimum requirements set by the State of Texas for water clarity. The TOP award is one of the highest awards a water system can receive from the TCEQ. Each time that a plant meets the extremely stringent recognition criteria continuously for six months, the TCEQ presents the water system with a TOP recognition award. The BWA has received fifteen (15) consecutive awards since it began participating in the program in 2007.

The goal of optimization is to lower the risk of waterborne disease by reducing the number of pathogenic organisms that could pass through a treatment plants. The program has been in place since 1998 and includes 22 participants (out of 320 plants) in the entire State of Texas as of 2022. Only one water treatment plant has been recognized longer than BWA. BWA treatment plant operators are to be commended for their dedication and diligence in pursuing and maintaining TOP recognition.

Learn more about the Texas Optimization Program.

Outstanding Public Drinking Water System

Benbrook Water Authority received the TCEQ’s Outstanding Public Drinking Water System Award in 2005 and 2006; view the 2005 Outstanding Water System Award Press Release (PDF). This award recognizes overall excellence in all aspects of operating a public water system (PWS).

To be recognized, a PWS must go above and beyond the minimum standards in protecting public health and ensuring reliable operation. BWA is one of only 44 public water systems to have received this award. To be eligible for this award, a PWS must meet several criteria, including meeting the criteria for being recognized as a Superior PWS, meeting the criteria for the Total Coliform Rule Program Award, and having no major violations or enforcement actions for the recognition calendar year.

Learn more about the Outstanding Public Drinking Water System Award.

Total Coliform Rule Program Award

BWA has earned this award from 2003 to 2007. This award is presented every two years based on compliance during the previous two calendar years. To receive this recognition, the public water system must have been an active public water system for each of the 24 consecutive months and had no Total Coliform Rule violations during that 24-month period.

Superior Public Water System

The Benbrook Water Authority (BWA) has been recognized by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) as a Superior Public Water System since 1998. The requirements for achieving and maintaining Superior recognition are established by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality per 30 Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Section 290.47(a) - Appendix A

Requirements

Public water supply systems which achieve and maintain recognition must exceed the minimum acceptable standards of the commission in these sections.

To attain recognition as a “Superior Public Water System,” the following additional requirements must be met:

1. Physical facilities shall comply with the requirements in these sections.
   1. There shall be a minimum of two certified operators with additional operators required for larger systems.
   2. The system’ microbiological record or the previous 24 months period shall indicate no violations (frequency, number or maximum contaminant level) of the drinking water standards.
   3. The quality of the water shall comply with all primary water quality parameters listed in the drinking water standards.
   4. The chemical quality of the water shall comply with all secondary constituent levels listed in the drinking water standards.
   5. The system’s operation shall comply with applicable state statutes and minimum acceptable operating practices set forth in Section 290.46 of this title (relating to Minimum Acceptable Operating Practices for Public Drinking Water Supplies).
   6. The system’s capacities shall meet or exceed minimum water system capacity requirements set forth in Section 290.45 of this title (relating to Minimum Water System Capacity Requirements).
   7. The system shall have at least two wells, two raw water pumps or a combination of these with enough capacity to provide average daily consumption with the largest well or pump out of service. This requirement shall also apply to treatment plant pumps necessary for operation in accordance with Section 290.42 of this title (relating to Water Treatment).
   8. The water system shall be well maintained and the facilities shall present a pleasing appearance to the public.
2. To attain recognition as an “Approved Public Water System,” all additional requirements listed under subsection (a)(1) of this section with exception of secondary constituents, subsection (a)(1)(E) of this section must be met. Public water systems which provide water quality that exceed the secondary chemical standards may be excluded from this recognition program at the discretion of the executive director.

Signs

Systems which have met the requirements for recognition a superior or approved system may erect signs denoting this honor.

Inspections

To receive or maintain recognition as a superior or approved water system, the system must be inspected and evaluated by commission personnel as to physical facilities, appearance and operation. Systems which fail to meet the above requirements in this section will be denied recognition or will have their recognition revoked. The signs shall be immediately removed on notice from the executive director.

PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances)

You may have recently heard about the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposed rules for PFAS, and want to know what your utility is doing to ensure your water is safe. This FAQ explains how your drinking water quality is tested and reported. Our goal is to safely provide our customers with a supply of safe drinking water at each connection. We accomplish this by following the rules and regulations provided by the EPA and the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality (TCEQ).  

Is my water tested?

Every day — in some cases, many times a day — BWA runs tests on your drinking water at the treatment plant, the distribution system, and the storage tanks. Test results for regulated contaminants are compiled into the Drinking Water Quality Report. By law, this report must be delivered to customers by July 1st of each year. You can view the latest report here.

EPA and TCEQ are responsible for setting the Maximum Contaminant Level Goal, or MCLG, for regulated contaminants. MCLG is the level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety. EPA and TCEQ also set the Maximum Contaminant Level, or MCL, which is the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology.

Look at the data from page 10 in our 2021 Water Quality Report. The MCLG and MCL are circled in blue, and our testing results are circled in green. This demonstrates that our water is safe for the three chemicals listed. Copies of BWA’s water quality reports are available online here.

What is PFAS?

PFAS are manufactured chemicals used in many household, commercial, and industrial products. Household products that use PFAS chemicals include non-stick pans, makeup, waterproof clothing, stain-resistant carpet, and much more. These chemicals are often called "forever compounds" because many break down very slowly and can build up in people, animals, and the environment over time. As of March 2023, the EPA has proposed regulations for several PFAS chemicals, but action is only required once the regulation is finalized. 

At this time, most utilities, including Benbrook Water Authority, have done little or no testing for PFAS chemicals. BWA anticipates learning more over the next 12-18 months through tests for PFAS required by EPA’s Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5) sampling program. This sampling study will include BWA and all major water systems serving more than 10,000 people. The information collected will be analyzed and evaluated by EPA and TCEQ, then the regulations for PFAS will likely be finalized. 

We are examining the proposed regulations and evaluating the next steps for our system and will report more information when it is available. You can learn more about PFAS from the EPA at epa.gov/pfas. If you have questions, don't hesitate to get in touch with our customer service center via email at info@benbrookwater.com or call 817-249-1250.