Drinking Water Lead and Copper Program
Texas Drinking Water Watch
Use this searchable database of analytical results, schedules and violations to learn more about the quality of your drinking water and your public water system's compliance with state and federal regulations.
2020 System Schedules
Lead Copper Tap Monitoring
All community and non-transient non-community water systems are subject to LCR monitoring requirements. Below are systems scheduled to monitor during the 6M1, and reduced 2020 monitoring periods including the number of required tap samples.
- 2020 L/C 6M2 List
- Sample during July 1 through December 31, 2020 - 2020 L/C REDUCED List - Sample during June 1 through September 30, 2020
Water Quality Parameter (WQP) Monitoring
A community and non-transient non-community water system may be subject to additional WQP monitoring requirements. Below are systems scheduled to monitor during the 6M1, and annual 2020 monitoring periods including the number of samples at each scheduled facility ID.
- 2020 WQP 6M2 List - Sample during July 1 through December 31, 2020
- 2020 WQP Annual List - Sample during January 1 through December 31, 2020
Sampling Instructions and Guidance
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is including Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sampling guidance along with PWS instructions and homeowner instructions. The PWS recommendations and guidance are to assist you in your sampling events and include the removal and cleaning of aerators, pre-stagnation flushing, and bottle configuration.
- Initial or Routine (6M) PWS Monitoring Instructions
- REDUCED PWS Monitoring Instructions
- Guidance on Classification Tiers
- PWS homeowner instructions - English
- PWS homeowner instructions - Spanish
The information provided is to assist PWSs in finding a laboratory to perform the lead and copper analysis under the TCEQ National Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP). It is also for NELAP accredited laboratories assisting PWSs with lead and copper analysis.
- Laboratories must deliver and accept only one liter unpreserved wide mouth laboratory-grade bottles. (30 TAC §290.117(h)(1))
- First-draw tap samples should be received at the laboratory within 14 days after collection date so laboratories can preserve the samples. (30 TAC §290.117(h)(2)(E))
- Laboratories cannot accept bottles for analysis without TCEQ Form 20683 - LCR Chain of Custody completely filled out and signed by the PWS representative. This form has the necessary information on it to determine first-draw samples and sampling sites or addresses.
- Lead and copper samples MUST be analyzed by a laboratory that is accredited in the "Drinking Water" matrix using an EPA approved drinking water method in the following table.
| Analyte Name | EPA | ASTM | Standard Methods | Hach Company |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper |
200.5, Rev. 4.2 200.7, Rev. 4.4 200.8, Rev. 5.4 200.9, Rev. 2.2 |
D1688-90 A D1688-95 A D1688-02 A D1688-07 A D1688-12 A D1688-90 C D1688-95 C D1688-02 C D1688-07 C D1688-12 C |
3111 B - 18th, 19th, 21st, 22nd eds. 3111 B-99 (online ed.) 3113 B - 18th, 19th, 21st, 22nd eds. 3113 B-99, B-04, B-10 (online eds.) 3120 B - 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd eds. 3120 B-99 (online ed.) |
8026, Rev. 1.2 10272, Rev. 1.2 |
| Lead |
200.5, Rev. 4.2 200.8, Rev. 5.4 200.9, Rev. 2.2 |
D3559-90 D D3559-96 D D3559-03 D D3559-08 D |
3113 B - 18th, 19th, 21st, 22nd eds. 3113 B-99, B-04, B-10 (online eds.) |
1001 |
How Many Samples Are Required and When
|
System Size (number of people served) |
Number of sites for Initial/Routine monitoring |
Number of sites for Reduced monitoring: 1YR, 3YR, or 9YR |
|---|---|---|
| More than 100,000 | 100 | 50 |
| 10,001 to 100,000 | 60 | 30 |
| 3,301 to 10,000 | 40 | 20 |
| 501 to 3,300 | 20 | 10 |
| 101 to 500 | 10 | 5 |
| 100 or fewer | 5 | 5 |
Initial Sampling: Systems must complete two (2) rounds of consecutive six month sampling. The monitoring periods for collection are:
6M1: Jan 1 - June 30, analytical results are due to TCEQ no later than July 10
6M2: July 1 - Dec 31, analytical results are due to TCEQ no later than Jan 10
Reduced Sampling: Systems that have completed their two rounds of initial sampling can be reduced to 1 year or 3 year sampling based on their 90th percentile lead and copper sampling during their initial sampling period. Reduced monitoring has a second requirement of a seasonal sampling period:
Reduced: Jun 1 - Sept 30, analytical results are due to TCEQ no later than Oct 10
Tap Water Lead and Copper Forms
PWSs are required to use these forms to help them with Lead and Copper Rule sampling. All sampling site addresses should be reviewed prior to sampling and updated if needed.
- Form 20467A : Sample Site Selection and Materials for sampling pool (Community water systems)
- Form 20467B : Sample Site Selection and Materials for sampling pool (Non-transient Non-community water systems)
TCEQ encourages public water systems to make available to the public any information regarding the location of lead plumbing, fixtures, and/or pipes including lead service lines. Methods to make this material publicly available include posting maps or other locational information on your system’s website, and adding into your Consumer Confidence Reports, Lead Consumer Notices, and Lead Public Education documents as applicable. TCEQ also encourages that the information be made available to your customers upon request.
- Form 20683 : LCR Chain of Custody, accompanies sample bottles to the laboratory for analyzing.
- Form 20680a : Lead Consumer Notice, CWS PWS to report and certify customer lead results after the PWS receives the analytical results back from the laboratory.
- Form 20680b : Lead Consumer Notice, NTNC PWS to report and certify customer lead results after the PWS receives the analytical results back from the laboratory.
LCR Action Level Exceedance
Action levels for lead and copper are based on a 90th percentile calculation. The action level for lead is 0.015 mg/L and 1.3 mg/L for copper. If a PWS exceeds either of the action levels, the PWS is required to conduct entry point and distribution water quality parameter sampling, entry point lead and copper sampling, and tap water lead and copper sampling. The PWS uses the sample results to submit a source water treatment recommendation, an optimal corrosion control treatment designation, and a corrosion control study. Lead action level exceedances also require delivery and posting of Lead Public Education (LPE). Forms and guidance documents are shown below:
- Form 20681a : Lead Public Education document for CWS PWSs
- Form 20681b : Lead Public Education document for NTNC PWS - Businesses
- Form 20681c : Lead Public Education document for NTNC PWS - Schools
- EPA Lead Public Education Implementation
: For community PWSs - EPA Lead Public Education Implementation: For non-transient non-community PWSs
- EPA Lead Public Education Posters
- Form 20755 : Source Water Treatment Recommendation
- Form 20884
: Optimal Corrosion Control Treatment Designation - Form 20495 : Corrosion Control Study
- Form 20799 : Corrosion Control Treatment Installation Completion Certification
- Form 20853 : Optimal Water Quality Parameter Recommendation
- Optimal Corrosion Control Treatment Evaluation Technical Recommendations: Technical recommendations that both systems and primacy agencies can use to comply with Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) corrosion control treatment requirements and to evaluate and designate optimal corrosion control treatment (OCCT) more effectively.
- Lead and Copper Corrosion Bench-Scale Testing Guidance Manual: Guidance from the Colorado Department of Public Health on using a desktop study to evaluate OCCT. Including situations that necessitate corrosion testing, typical corrosion testing approaches, and processes for conducting a bench-scale immersion test.
Water Quality Parameter SamplingUPDATE
Water Quality Parameters under the LCR are used to determine the corrosivity of the water flowing through the distribution system. All PWSs with a population over 50,000, new PWSs of all populations and any PWS who have exceeded the action levels are required to sample for water quality parameters (WQP). WQPs consist of pH, alkalinity, temperature, conductivity, calcium, chloride, iron, manganese, sodium, sulfate, total dissolved solids, hardness and an inhibitor such as orthophosphate, if added.
How Many WQP Samples are Required and When
|
System Size
|
Number of sites for Initial/Routine monitoring |
Number of sites for Reduced monitoring:
|
|---|---|---|
| More than 100,000 | 25 | 10 |
| 10,001 to 100,000 | 10 | 7 |
| 3,301 to 10,000 | 3 | 3 |
| 501 to 3,300 | 2 | 2 |
| 101 to 500 | 1 | 1 |
| 100 or fewer | 1 | 1 |
The number of samples listed above are sampled quarterly-twice within a six month monitoring period
TCEQ approved laboratories are not necessarily the same as the TCEQ NELAP accredited laboratories and have different approval requirements. Contact the TCEQ Laboratory Approval Coordinator for information.
- Form 20679 (01/2018): Reporting WQP analytical and field results. UPDATE
- TCEQ Approved Laboratories
- Search for Accredited Laboratories
- PWS WQP Sampling Guidance (12/20/2017) UPDATE
- Acceptable Laboratory Analytical Methods for Water Quality Parameters
- WQP Training Introduction
- WQP Training ALE
- WQP Training Large New and Undeemed
- WQP Training Lab Approval QAPP and pH Calibration
- WQP Training Tetra Tech Demonstration
Laboratory Information
- TCEQ NELAP Accreditation Program : Laboratories accredited by the State of Texas under NELAP.
- For information on acceptable sampling methods under the Lead and Copper Rule, please see Accepted Sampling Methods
-
Initial and routine WQP samples, including field measurements for pH and temperature, must be collected in the presence of an individual holding a valid water operator's license.
- Electronic Sampling Requirements: Contact the TCEQ Lead Copper Program for electronic sampling requirements.
- Guidance for Collection, Analysis and Reporting of Lead and Copper Samples under the Lead and Copper Rule
- Guidance for Collection, Analysis and Reporting of Water Quality Parameters under the Lead and Copper Rule
Additional Lead and Copper Rule Information
Additional information is available on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website including health effects, guidance for public water systems, and regulations.
- Form 20507 : Nine-year Reduced Monitoring Request/Renewal.
- Form 20807 Treatment Start Date 2018
Lead and Copper Regulations
Lead Testing in Schools
Information for schools in establishing programs to prevent lead in drinking water.
Contacts
Email: PWSLCR@tceq.texas.gov
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Lead and Copper Program
PO Box 13087, MC - 155
Austin, TX 78711-3087
Phone: 512-239-4691 Fax: 512-239-6050
Acronyms
CWS - community water system
EPA - Environmental Protection Agency
LPE - lead public education
NELAP - National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program
NTNC non-transient non-community water system
PWS - public water system
TCEQ - Texas commission on Environmental Quality
WQP - water quality parameters