Manganese Contamination

Manganese in Texas Drinking Water

Ranked by max manganese detected (µg/L) · UCMR 4 data (2018–2020) · Data from EPA SDWIS & UCMR

285

Cities Tested

Over SMCL

% Over SMCL

21.9 µg/L

State Avg

▼ 9% vs national

vs National

900

Health Violations

Analysis

Manganese in Texas: what the data shows

Texas has 285 cities with manganese data from the EPA's UCMR 4 program (2018–2020). Manganese exceeded the 50 µg/L EPA secondary MCL in 27 of those cities. The state average max detected level is 21.9 µg/L. Manganese occurs naturally in groundwater and surface water. Elevated levels are common in areas with iron-rich geology and in systems that draw from reservoirs with low dissolved oxygen. The secondary MCL of 50 µg/L is based on aesthetic concerns (taste, staining), but health-based guidelines suggest neurological effects at higher concentrations. Emerging research links chronic manganese exposure in drinking water to neurodevelopmental effects in children, including reduced IQ and behavioral issues. Oxidation filtration and water softeners are effective at removing manganese from household water.

Comparison

Cities exceeding 50 µg/L EPA Secondary MCL

Texas

27 of 285 cities

← ▼ 9% below national rate (better)

National avg

18%

729 of 4068 cities

City Map

Manganese data across Texas

Each dot is a city with UCMR 4 manganese testing data. Cities where manganese exceeds the 50 µg/L EPA secondary MCL are highlighted. Size reflects population served.

Worst Offenders

Top 10 cities by manganese level in Texas

Highest Manganese levels (µg/L)

All Cities

All Texas cities ranked by manganese level

#	City	Level	Over SMCL?	Violations	Grade
1	Benbrook	547.0 µg/L	Over SMCL	0	B
2	Plainview	417.0 µg/L	Over SMCL	25	F
3	Grapevine	348.5 µg/L	Over SMCL	0	A-
4	Friendswood	204.6 µg/L	Over SMCL	0	B+
5	Lake Dallas	169.0 µg/L	Over SMCL	2	B-
6	Houston	158.9 µg/L	Over SMCL	929	F
7	Pleasanton	135.0 µg/L	Over SMCL	7	B+
8	Sweeny	120.0 µg/L	Over SMCL	3	C+
9	Orange	116.9 µg/L	Over SMCL	10	C-
10	Missouri City	113.0 µg/L	Over SMCL	6	F
11	Midlothian	108.9 µg/L	Over SMCL	12	B
12	Jasper	98.6 µg/L	Over SMCL	77	F
13	Lytle	98.0 µg/L	Over SMCL	28	D
14	Wellborn	93.8 µg/L	Over SMCL	11	A-
15	Alvin	89.0 µg/L	Over SMCL	37	F
16	Richwood	78.0 µg/L	Over SMCL	0	B-
17	Progreso	74.0 µg/L	Over SMCL	52	D+
18	Clute	72.5 µg/L	Over SMCL	1	B
19	Austin	72.0 µg/L	Over SMCL	1288	F
20	Lake Jackson	70.4 µg/L	Over SMCL	6	D
21	Lavernia	56.7 µg/L	Over SMCL	0	A-
22	Big Spring	56.3 µg/L	Over SMCL	48	F
23	Lumberton	53.7 µg/L	Over SMCL	0	B+
24	Greenville	53.5 µg/L	Over SMCL	8	C
25	Pearland	53.1 µg/L	Over SMCL	14	F
26	Winnsboro	51.0 µg/L	Over SMCL	7	B
27	Sugar Land	50.8 µg/L	Over SMCL	4	F
28	Montalba	47.0 µg/L	No	3	C+
29	Alamo	46.0 µg/L	No	7	B+
30	Watauga	45.1 µg/L	No	4	A-
31	Henderson	44.3 µg/L	No	57	F
32	Porter	41.6 µg/L	No	58	F
33	Mission	40.9 µg/L	No	23	C-
34	Beaumont	40.5 µg/L	No	42	F
35	Weatherford	38.9 µg/L	No	140	F
36	Denton	38.3 µg/L	No	3	F
37	Abilene	38.1 µg/L	No	46	F
38	Rosenberg	38.1 µg/L	No	1	C-
39	Hutto	38.0 µg/L	No	17	B
40	Raymondville	37.5 µg/L	No	38	F
41	Uvalde	37.2 µg/L	No	0	D
42	Navasota	35.8 µg/L	No	6	F
43	Tomball	35.2 µg/L	No	25	C
44	Vidor	34.6 µg/L	No	250	F
45	Cleburne	33.6 µg/L	No	5	C
46	Athens	33.4 µg/L	No	95	F
47	Bastrop	31.5 µg/L	No	31	F
48	Coupland	31.2 µg/L	No	6	C
49	Denison	29.4 µg/L	No	24	F
50	Bay City	27.7 µg/L	No	14	F
51	Giddings	27.2 µg/L	No	7	F
52	El Paso	26.6 µg/L	No	192	F
53	Canyon Lake	25.2 µg/L	No	39	F
54	North Richland Hills	25.0 µg/L	No	1	B+
55	Jacksonville	24.7 µg/L	No	62	D
56	Hallsville	24.0 µg/L	No	20	B
57	Kerrville	23.4 µg/L	No	131	F
58	Conroe	23.2 µg/L	No	54	F
59	Livingston	23.0 µg/L	No	398	F
60	Kilgore	23.0 µg/L	No	26	F
61	Bedford	22.8 µg/L	No	0	B+
62	Richmond	22.7 µg/L	No	3	F
63	Pasadena	22.3 µg/L	No	0	B-
64	Georgetown	22.0 µg/L	No	3	F
65	White Settlement	21.8 µg/L	No	13	C+
66	Killeen	21.1 µg/L	No	11	F
67	Rogers	21.0 µg/L	No	6	B+
68	Katy	20.9 µg/L	No	46	F
69	Midland	20.2 µg/L	No	231	F
70	Hidalgo	20.0 µg/L	No	1	B-
71	Bridgeport	20.0 µg/L	No	89	D
72	Tyler	19.8 µg/L	No	53	F
73	Hereford	19.5 µg/L	No	13	F
74	Mount Vernon	19.4 µg/L	No	25	B+
75	Mckinney	19.3 µg/L	No	0	A-
76	Stafford	19.1 µg/L	No	1	A-
77	Liberty	18.8 µg/L	No	5	A-
78	Carrollton	18.6 µg/L	No	0	A-
79	Harlingen	18.3 µg/L	No	1	C
80	Edinburg	18.2 µg/L	No	12	C-
81	Bonham	18.1 µg/L	No	30	B+
82	Hurst	17.5 µg/L	No	1	A-
83	Baytown	17.2 µg/L	No	6	F
84	Bellaire	17.2 µg/L	No	1	A-
85	Cotulla	17.0 µg/L	No	6	D
86	Alice	16.8 µg/L	No	103	F
87	Bryan	16.4 µg/L	No	11	D
88	Highland Village	16.1 µg/L	No	3	A-
89	Magnolia	16.0 µg/L	No	2	F
90	Lavon	16.0 µg/L	No	1	B+
91	Brady	16.0 µg/L	No	746	D
92	Colorado City	16.0 µg/L	No	2	B
93	Jacinto City	15.9 µg/L	No	1	B+
94	Colleyville	15.6 µg/L	No	1	B+
95	Flower Mound	15.3 µg/L	No	2	C
96	Longview	15.0 µg/L	No	20	F
97	Tool	14.2 µg/L	No	6	A-
98	Sherman	14.0 µg/L	No	2	B+
99	Addison	13.6 µg/L	No	3	C
100	Lindale	13.5 µg/L	No	3	C
101	Euless	13.0 µg/L	No	1	A-
102	La Grange	13.0 µg/L	No	53	D
103	Mcallen	12.8 µg/L	No	0	A
104	Murphy	12.8 µg/L	No	0	B+
105	Garland	12.5 µg/L	No	0	A-
106	The Colony	12.4 µg/L	No	2	A-
107	Odessa	12.3 µg/L	No	225	F
108	Plano	12.1 µg/L	No	5	A-
109	Royse City	11.9 µg/L	No	6	C+
110	Prosper	11.6 µg/L	No	0	B+
111	Freeport	11.5 µg/L	No	209	F
112	Irving	11.2 µg/L	No	9	C
113	Waxahachie	11.0 µg/L	No	70	D+
114	Quitman	11.0 µg/L	No	2	A
115	George West	11.0 µg/L	No	6	F
116	Kingsville	10.6 µg/L	No	45	D+
117	Anna	10.6 µg/L	No	3	C
118	Pittsburg	10.6 µg/L	No	5	F
119	San Angelo	10.4 µg/L	No	40	F
120	Harker Heights	10.3 µg/L	No	19	B-
121	Sachse	10.3 µg/L	No	1	A
122	Mesquite	10.2 µg/L	No	0	B+
123	Humble	10.2 µg/L	No	1	B+
124	Wylie	10.0 µg/L	No	2	B-
125	Lockhart	10.0 µg/L	No	0	A-
126	Lincoln	9.9 µg/L	No	10	B-
127	Gainesville	9.6 µg/L	No	13	D
128	Granbury	9.6 µg/L	No	28	F
129	Richardson	9.4 µg/L	No	30	F
130	Allen	9.3 µg/L	No	0	A-
131	Balch Springs	9.3 µg/L	No	8	B
132	Rowlett	9.2 µg/L	No	0	A-
133	Robstown	9.2 µg/L	No	31	F
134	Leon Valley	8.8 µg/L	No	1	C
135	Forney	8.5 µg/L	No	10	B-
136	Terrell	8.4 µg/L	No	21	F
137	Niederwald	8.3 µg/L	No	6	B-
138	Huntsville	7.9 µg/L	No	128	F
139	Rockwall	7.9 µg/L	No	4	D
140	Dublin	7.9 µg/L	No	37	F
141	Angleton	7.8 µg/L	No	47	F
142	Little Elm	7.7 µg/L	No	2	C
143	Rio Hondo	7.6 µg/L	No	70	F
144	Texarkana	7.4 µg/L	No	17	F
145	West University Place	7.2 µg/L	No	2	B+
146	Robinson	7.1 µg/L	No	2	A-
147	Nederland	6.9 µg/L	No	28	D
148	Nacogdoches	6.8 µg/L	No	17	F
149	Roma	6.7 µg/L	No	40	F
150	El Campo	6.5 µg/L	No	19	F
151	Wichita Falls	6.4 µg/L	No	823	F
152	San Antonio	6.4 µg/L	No	25	F
153	Zapata	6.4 µg/L	No	75	D
154	New Boston	6.2 µg/L	No	66	C+
155	Donna	6.2 µg/L	No	6	B
156	Seabrook	6.1 µg/L	No	0	B+
157	San Juan	6.0 µg/L	No	4	B+
158	Joshua	5.9 µg/L	No	2	C-
159	Fate	5.9 µg/L	No	0	B
160	College Station	5.9 µg/L	No	2	B-
161	Boerne	5.8 µg/L	No	24	F
162	Whitehouse	5.8 µg/L	No	12	B+
163	Italy	5.7 µg/L	No	6	B-
164	Frisco	5.7 µg/L	No	3	B
165	Red Oak	5.6 µg/L	No	10	B+
166	Marshall	5.2 µg/L	No	46	F
167	Groves	5.2 µg/L	No	5	B+
168	Bellmead	5.2 µg/L	No	3	B-
169	Arlington	5.1 µg/L	No	5	D+
170	Eagle Pass	4.9 µg/L	No	45	D+
171	Buda	4.8 µg/L	No	6	C+
172	Rio Grande	4.8 µg/L	No	6	B
173	Corsicana	4.7 µg/L	No	30	F
174	Pilot Point	4.7 µg/L	No	5	C+
175	Duncanville	4.6 µg/L	No	5	B+
176	Itasca	4.5 µg/L	No	67	F
177	San Marcos	4.5 µg/L	No	56	C-
178	Canyon	4.5 µg/L	No	5	F
179	Southlake	4.4 µg/L	No	3	B
180	The Woodlands	4.3 µg/L	No	19	F
181	Pampa	4.3 µg/L	No	7	B
182	New Caney	4.2 µg/L	No	6	F
183	Brenham	4.2 µg/L	No	20	F
184	Fort Worth	4.2 µg/L	No	25	F
185	Webster	4.1 µg/L	No	1	A
186	Fabens	4.1 µg/L	No	0	A-
187	Beeville	4.0 µg/L	No	46	F
188	Mabank	4.0 µg/L	No	66	D
189	Laredo	3.9 µg/L	No	111	F
190	New Braunfels	3.9 µg/L	No	15	D
191	League City	3.8 µg/L	No	67	F
192	Deer Park	3.8 µg/L	No	2	B+
193	Burkburnett	3.6 µg/L	No	45	B-
194	Corpus Christi	3.5 µg/L	No	13	B
195	Dallas	3.4 µg/L	No	102	F
196	Weslaco	3.4 µg/L	No	2	C+
197	San Benito	3.4 µg/L	No	16	B+
198	Corinth	3.3 µg/L	No	2	A-
199	Fort Hood	3.2 µg/L	No	3	A-
200	Meadows Place	3.2 µg/L	No	0	A-
201	Galena Park	3.1 µg/L	No	4	B-
202	Round Rock	3.0 µg/L	No	17	F
203	Port Isabel	2.9 µg/L	No	24	B+
204	Waco	2.8 µg/L	No	53	F
205	Burleson	2.8 µg/L	No	9	B+
206	Clint	2.7 µg/L	No	2	B
207	Grand Prairie	2.7 µg/L	No	10	F
208	Copperas Cove	2.7 µg/L	No	1	B+
209	Texas City	2.6 µg/L	No	4	B
210	Kempner	2.6 µg/L	No	19	B-
211	La Porte	2.5 µg/L	No	0	B+
212	Azle	2.5 µg/L	No	30	F
213	Hewitt	2.5 µg/L	No	4	A-
214	Lufkin	2.4 µg/L	No	167	F
215	Seguin	2.4 µg/L	No	42	F
216	Ennis	2.4 µg/L	No	2	A-
217	Brownwood	2.4 µg/L	No	12	A-
218	Dripping Springs	2.4 µg/L	No	45	F
219	Pharr	2.3 µg/L	No	0	A-
220	Victoria	2.3 µg/L	No	28	F
221	Farmers Branch	2.2 µg/L	No	0	A-
222	Adkins	2.2 µg/L	No	2	A-
223	Stephenville	2.2 µg/L	No	39	F
224	South Houston	2.2 µg/L	No	4	A-
225	Mart	2.2 µg/L	No	40	C
226	Rio Vista	2.2 µg/L	No	1	C+
227	Keller	2.1 µg/L	No	1	B+
228	Saginaw	2.1 µg/L	No	4	A-
229	Garden Ridge	2.1 µg/L	No	0	A-
230	Jbsa Lackland	2.0 µg/L	No	4	B+
231	Mineral Wells	2.0 µg/L	No	7	C-
232	Lubbock	2.0 µg/L	No	1231	F
233	Lewisville	1.9 µg/L	No	1	C+
234	Port Arthur	1.8 µg/L	No	8	B+
235	Coppell	1.7 µg/L	No	0	A-
236	Temple	1.6 µg/L	No	31	C-
237	Pflugerville	1.5 µg/L	No	19	C+
238	Galveston	1.5 µg/L	No	2	B+
239	Brownsville	1.4 µg/L	No	5	C+
240	Schertz	1.4 µg/L	No	0	B+
241	Marion	1.3 µg/L	No	2	B-
242	Lancaster	1.2 µg/L	No	5	B-
243	Port Neches	1.2 µg/L	No	6	B+
244	Levelland	1.2 µg/L	No	168	F
245	Amarillo	1.1 µg/L	No	26	F
246	Port Aransas	1.1 µg/L	No	6	B+
247	Cedar Hill	1.0 µg/L	No	4	A-
248	Horizon City	1.0 µg/L	No	1	A
249	Belton	1.0 µg/L	No	22	F
250	Atascosa	0.9 µg/L	No	17	D
251	Dickinson	0.9 µg/L	No	8	F
252	Universal City	0.9 µg/L	No	0	B+
253	Dumas	0.9 µg/L	No	6	C+
254	Paris	0.9 µg/L	No	15	B+
255	Portland	0.9 µg/L	No	2	B+
256	Sweetwater	0.9 µg/L	No	8	B
257	Keene	0.9 µg/L	No	22	F
258	Sulphur Springs	0.8 µg/L	No	18	C
259	Mount Pleasant	0.8 µg/L	No	2	A-
260	Sheppard Afb	0.8 µg/L	No	3	A-
261	Snyder	0.8 µg/L	No	12	B-
262	Rusk	0.8 µg/L	No	2	C+
263	Desoto	0.8 µg/L	No	2	A-
264	Seagoville	0.7 µg/L	No	7	B
265	Borger	0.7 µg/L	No	1	C-
266	Kyle	0.6 µg/L	No	5	A-
267	Slaton	0.6 µg/L	No	2	A-
268	Aubrey	0.6 µg/L	No	3	F
269	Cibolo	0.6 µg/L	No	7	B+
270	Crystal Beach	0.6 µg/L	No	15	A-
271	Palestine	0.6 µg/L	No	15	C
272	Haltom City	0.6 µg/L	No	2	B
273	Cypress	0.6 µg/L	No	624	F
274	Cedar Park	0.5 µg/L	No	8	B-
275	Taylor	0.5 µg/L	No	6	A-
276	Crowley	0.5 µg/L	No	2	C+
277	Glenn Heights	0.5 µg/L	No	3	C-
278	Rockport	0.5 µg/L	No	20	B-
279	Andrews	0.5 µg/L	No	157	D
280	Scotland	0.5 µg/L	No	0	A-
281	Springtown	0.4 µg/L	No	71	D
282	Mercedes	0.4 µg/L	No	22	F
283	La Marque	0.4 µg/L	No	3	B
284	Pecos	0.4 µg/L	No	1	B+
285	Port Lavaca	0.4 µg/L	No	47	F

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about manganese in Texas

Is manganese in Texas tap water harmful?

The EPA secondary MCL for manganese is 50 µg/L, set primarily for aesthetic reasons (taste, color, staining). 27 cities in Texas exceed the secondary MCL. However, emerging research links chronic manganese exposure above 50–100 µg/L to neurodevelopmental effects in children, including reduced IQ.

How can I remove manganese from my drinking water?

Oxidation filtration (such as greensand or birm filters) is the most common and effective method for removing manganese from well water. Water softeners using ion exchange also work well. Standard carbon filters provide limited manganese removal. If your water has a metallic taste or brown/black discoloration, manganese may be the cause.

What causes high manganese in Texas water?

Manganese occurs naturally in groundwater and surface water, particularly in areas with iron-rich geology. Low dissolved oxygen conditions (common in deep wells and reservoir bottom waters) increase manganese solubility. Industrial sources include mining, steel production, and battery manufacturing. Seasonal changes in reservoir water chemistry can cause manganese spikes.

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