Molybdenum Contamination

Molybdenum in Texas Drinking Water

Ranked by max molybdenum detected (µg/L) · UCMR 3 data (2013–2015) · Data from EPA SDWIS & UCMR

221

Cities Tested

Over HA

% Over HA

4.86 µg/L

State Avg

▼ 1% vs national

vs National

900

Health Violations

Analysis

Molybdenum in Texas: what the data shows

Texas has 221 cities with molybdenum data from the EPA's UCMR 3 program (2013–2015). Molybdenum exceeded the 40 µg/L EPA lifetime health advisory in 2 of those cities. The state average max detected level is 4.86 µg/L. Molybdenum is a naturally occurring trace element found in groundwater across the western United States, particularly in areas with shale or copper-mining geology. Industrial sources include mining, steel alloy production, and coal-fired power plants. There is no federal MCL — the EPA lifetime health advisory is 40 µg/L. Molybdenum is an essential nutrient at low doses, but chronic excess intake from drinking water has been linked to elevated uric acid, gout-like symptoms, and possible reproductive effects. Reverse osmosis is the most effective household treatment.

Comparison

Cities exceeding 40 µg/L EPA lifetime HA (no MCL)

Texas

2 of 221 cities

← ▼ 1% below national rate (better)

National avg

36 of 2228 cities

City Map

Molybdenum data across Texas

Each dot is a city with UCMR 3 molybdenum testing data. Cities where molybdenum exceeds the 40 µg/L EPA lifetime health advisory are highlighted. Size reflects population served.

Worst Offenders

Top 10 cities by molybdenum level in Texas

Highest Molybdenum levels (µg/L)

All Cities

All Texas cities ranked by molybdenum level

#	City	Level	Over HA?	Violations	Grade
1	Austin	59.40 µg/L	Over HA	1288	F
2	Niederwald	45.50 µg/L	Over HA	6	B-
3	Coupland	27.50 µg/L	No	6	C
4	Kyle	22.70 µg/L	No	5	A-
5	Mercedes	21.00 µg/L	No	22	F
6	El Paso	19.00 µg/L	No	192	F
7	Alamo	18.70 µg/L	No	7	B+
8	Progreso	18.50 µg/L	No	52	D+
9	Jbsa Lackland	14.80 µg/L	No	4	B+
10	Hutto	14.30 µg/L	No	17	B
11	Stafford	14.00 µg/L	No	1	A-
12	Sugar Land	13.00 µg/L	No	4	F
13	Mcallen	12.90 µg/L	No	0	A
14	Houston	12.60 µg/L	No	929	F
15	Levelland	12.60 µg/L	No	168	F
16	Cypress	12.50 µg/L	No	624	F
17	Kingsville	11.40 µg/L	No	45	D+
18	Odessa	11.00 µg/L	No	225	F
19	Boerne	10.60 µg/L	No	24	F
20	San Juan	10.10 µg/L	No	4	B+
21	Dumas	10.10 µg/L	No	6	C+
22	Horizon City	9.71 µg/L	No	1	A
23	San Antonio	9.20 µg/L	No	25	F
24	Brownsville	9.20 µg/L	No	5	C+
25	Borger	9.20 µg/L	No	1	C-
26	Post	9.11 µg/L	No	28	F
27	Midland	9.10 µg/L	No	231	F
28	Stamford	8.88 µg/L	No	76	D
29	Hereford	8.61 µg/L	No	13	F
30	Elsa	8.60 µg/L	No	5	B-
31	Fort Stockton	8.58 µg/L	No	54	D
32	Donna	8.40 µg/L	No	6	B
33	Midlothian	8.37 µg/L	No	12	B
34	Edinburg	8.29 µg/L	No	12	C-
35	Clint	8.07 µg/L	No	2	B
36	Red Oak	7.91 µg/L	No	10	B+
37	Weslaco	7.90 µg/L	No	2	C+
38	Snyder	7.86 µg/L	No	12	B-
39	Pasadena	7.80 µg/L	No	0	B-
40	Eagle Pass	7.52 µg/L	No	45	D+
41	Harlingen	7.46 µg/L	No	1	C
42	Pharr	7.44 µg/L	No	0	A-
43	Port Isabel	7.38 µg/L	No	24	B+
44	Mission	7.34 µg/L	No	23	C-
45	Big Spring	7.24 µg/L	No	48	F
46	Rio Hondo	6.90 µg/L	No	70	F
47	Katy	6.86 µg/L	No	46	F
48	Zapata	6.72 µg/L	No	75	D
49	Alvin	6.70 µg/L	No	37	F
50	San Angelo	6.50 µg/L	No	40	F
51	Laredo	6.49 µg/L	No	111	F
52	Lubbock	6.40 µg/L	No	1231	F
53	San Benito	6.40 µg/L	No	16	B+
54	Granbury	6.29 µg/L	No	28	F
55	Dayton	6.15 µg/L	No	4	D
56	Rio Grande	6.11 µg/L	No	6	B
57	Orange	6.00 µg/L	No	10	C-
58	Huntsville	5.99 µg/L	No	128	F
59	Friona	5.68 µg/L	No	10	B
60	Vidor	5.50 µg/L	No	250	F
61	Roma	5.46 µg/L	No	40	F
62	Ennis	5.38 µg/L	No	2	A-
63	Canyon	5.30 µg/L	No	5	F
64	Angleton	5.24 µg/L	No	47	F
65	Canyon Lake	5.20 µg/L	No	39	F
66	Deer Park	4.99 µg/L	No	2	B+
67	Plainview	4.53 µg/L	No	25	F
68	Abilene	4.52 µg/L	No	46	F
69	Lake Jackson	4.51 µg/L	No	6	D
70	Pearland	4.50 µg/L	No	14	F
71	Nocona	4.40 µg/L	No	8	C
72	Bellaire	4.38 µg/L	No	1	A-
73	Converse	4.34 µg/L	No	1	A
74	Pampa	4.10 µg/L	No	7	B
75	Adkins	4.09 µg/L	No	2	A-
76	Seabrook	4.06 µg/L	No	0	B+
77	Euless	3.98 µg/L	No	1	A-
78	Alice	3.93 µg/L	No	103	F
79	Highlands	3.93 µg/L	No	14	F
80	Weatherford	3.79 µg/L	No	140	F
81	Hurst	3.57 µg/L	No	1	A-
82	Robinson	3.54 µg/L	No	2	A-
83	Waxahachie	3.53 µg/L	No	70	D+
84	Three Rivers	3.52 µg/L	No	19	B+
85	Beeville	3.48 µg/L	No	46	F
86	Amarillo	3.39 µg/L	No	26	F
87	Sweetwater	3.36 µg/L	No	8	B
88	Bedford	3.34 µg/L	No	0	B+
89	Dallas	3.16 µg/L	No	102	F
90	Port Lavaca	3.10 µg/L	No	47	F
91	Crowley	3.07 µg/L	No	2	C+
92	Wharton	3.01 µg/L	No	1	D
93	Irving	3.00 µg/L	No	9	C
94	Beaumont	3.00 µg/L	No	42	F
95	Texas City	3.00 µg/L	No	4	B
96	Farmers Branch	2.97 µg/L	No	0	A-
97	Lewisville	2.90 µg/L	No	1	C+
98	Friendswood	2.84 µg/L	No	0	B+
99	Richland Hills	2.84 µg/L	No	2	A-
100	Victoria	2.83 µg/L	No	28	F
101	Grand Prairie	2.80 µg/L	No	10	F
102	Wichita Falls	2.80 µg/L	No	823	F
103	Cleburne	2.78 µg/L	No	5	C
104	Porter	2.72 µg/L	No	58	F
105	Robstown	2.71 µg/L	No	31	F
106	The Woodlands	2.66 µg/L	No	19	F
107	Rosenberg	2.63 µg/L	No	1	C-
108	Saginaw	2.63 µg/L	No	4	A-
109	Bellmead	2.63 µg/L	No	3	B-
110	The Colony	2.60 µg/L	No	2	A-
111	Kerrville	2.60 µg/L	No	131	F
112	Cooper	2.60 µg/L	No	10	B
113	Missouri City	2.57 µg/L	No	6	F
114	Coppell	2.54 µg/L	No	0	A-
115	Richmond	2.54 µg/L	No	3	F
116	Pflugerville	2.53 µg/L	No	19	C+
117	Grapevine	2.53 µg/L	No	0	A-
118	Cedar Hill	2.51 µg/L	No	4	A-
119	Addison	2.51 µg/L	No	3	C
120	Fort Worth	2.50 µg/L	No	25	F
121	White Settlement	2.47 µg/L	No	13	C+
122	Hewitt	2.46 µg/L	No	4	A-
123	West University Place	2.44 µg/L	No	2	B+
124	Conroe	2.43 µg/L	No	54	F
125	La Marque	2.40 µg/L	No	3	B
126	Mc Gregor	2.34 µg/L	No	5	C-
127	Baytown	2.33 µg/L	No	6	F
128	Universal City	2.33 µg/L	No	0	B+
129	Waco	2.30 µg/L	No	53	F
130	Carrollton	2.30 µg/L	No	0	A-
131	Portland	2.30 µg/L	No	2	B+
132	Bay City	2.30 µg/L	No	14	F
133	Grandview	2.30 µg/L	No	0	B+
134	Benbrook	2.26 µg/L	No	0	B
135	Round Rock	2.25 µg/L	No	17	F
136	Flower Mound	2.25 µg/L	No	2	C
137	Burleson	2.22 µg/L	No	9	B+
138	Kempner	2.22 µg/L	No	19	B-
139	West Columbia	2.22 µg/L	No	2	C+
140	Brownwood	2.21 µg/L	No	12	A-
141	Georgetown	2.20 µg/L	No	3	F
142	League City	2.20 µg/L	No	67	F
143	Livingston	2.20 µg/L	No	398	F
144	Belton	2.20 µg/L	No	22	F
145	Harker Heights	2.20 µg/L	No	19	B-
146	Lumberton	2.20 µg/L	No	0	B+
147	Holliday	2.20 µg/L	No	4	B+
148	Menard	2.20 µg/L	No	1	A-
149	Mansfield	2.19 µg/L	No	0	A-
150	Dickinson	2.19 µg/L	No	8	F
151	El Campo	2.19 µg/L	No	19	F
152	Lake Dallas	2.16 µg/L	No	2	B-
153	Southlake	2.14 µg/L	No	3	B
154	Joshua	2.12 µg/L	No	2	C-
155	Keller	2.10 µg/L	No	1	B+
156	Fort Hood	2.10 µg/L	No	3	A-
157	Denison	2.10 µg/L	No	24	F
158	Humble	2.10 µg/L	No	1	B+
159	Highland Village	2.09 µg/L	No	3	A-
160	La Porte	2.08 µg/L	No	0	B+
161	Denton	2.04 µg/L	No	3	F
162	Cleveland	2.04 µg/L	No	4	C-
163	Galena Park	2.02 µg/L	No	4	B-
164	Copperas Cove	2.01 µg/L	No	1	B+
165	Corsicana	2.00 µg/L	No	30	F
166	Sunset Valley	2.00 µg/L	No	0	A
167	Killeen	1.94 µg/L	No	11	F
168	Sulphur Springs	1.94 µg/L	No	18	C
169	Freeport	1.94 µg/L	No	209	F
170	Watauga	1.93 µg/L	No	4	A-
171	Corinth	1.91 µg/L	No	2	A-
172	Temple	1.90 µg/L	No	31	C-
173	North Richland Hills	1.90 µg/L	No	1	B+
174	Santa Fe	1.90 µg/L	No	25	F
175	De Leon	1.89 µg/L	No	45	F
176	Trophy Club	1.88 µg/L	No	0	A+
177	Arlington	1.86 µg/L	No	5	D+
178	Cedar Park	1.84 µg/L	No	8	B-
179	Taylor	1.81 µg/L	No	6	A-
180	Leander	1.80 µg/L	No	5	F
181	Azle	1.78 µg/L	No	30	F
182	Galveston	1.76 µg/L	No	2	B+
183	Haltom City	1.72 µg/L	No	2	B
184	Forest Hill	1.63 µg/L	No	7	A-
185	Colleyville	1.60 µg/L	No	1	B+
186	Lockhart	1.57 µg/L	No	0	A-
187	Burkburnett	1.56 µg/L	No	45	B-
188	Comanche	1.53 µg/L	No	42	D
189	Richardson	1.51 µg/L	No	30	F
190	Coldspring	1.51 µg/L	No	1	B
191	Longview	1.46 µg/L	No	20	F
192	Marion	1.43 µg/L	No	2	B-
193	Plano	1.40 µg/L	No	5	A-
194	Navasota	1.40 µg/L	No	6	F
195	Sheppard Afb	1.40 µg/L	No	3	A-
196	Rockport	1.40 µg/L	No	20	B-
197	San Marcos	1.31 µg/L	No	56	C-
198	New Braunfels	1.31 µg/L	No	15	D
199	Corpus Christi	1.30 µg/L	No	13	B
200	Frisco	1.30 µg/L	No	3	B
201	Stephenville	1.30 µg/L	No	39	F
202	Ingleside	1.30 µg/L	No	3	D+
203	Diboll	1.30 µg/L	No	9	B-
204	Gainesville	1.28 µg/L	No	13	D
205	Pleasanton	1.23 µg/L	No	7	B+
206	Little Elm	1.21 µg/L	No	2	C
207	Glenn Heights	1.19 µg/L	No	3	C-
208	Fredericksburg	1.19 µg/L	No	129	D
209	Garland	1.14 µg/L	No	0	A-
210	Greenville	1.13 µg/L	No	8	C
211	Murphy	1.13 µg/L	No	0	B+
212	Sherman	1.12 µg/L	No	2	B+
213	Springtown	1.12 µg/L	No	71	D
214	Rockwall	1.11 µg/L	No	4	D
215	Seguin	1.11 µg/L	No	42	F
216	Mckinney	1.10 µg/L	No	0	A-
217	Allen	1.10 µg/L	No	0	A-
218	Uvalde	1.10 µg/L	No	0	D
219	Parker	1.10 µg/L	No	0	A-
220	Lytle	1.07 µg/L	No	28	D
221	Balch Springs	1.00 µg/L	No	8	B

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about molybdenum in Texas

Is molybdenum in Texas tap water harmful?

Molybdenum is an essential trace nutrient at low levels, but chronic exposure above the EPA's 40 µg/L lifetime health advisory has been associated with elevated uric acid, gout-like joint pain, and possible reproductive effects. 2 cities in Texas exceed the 40 µg/L health advisory.

Where does molybdenum come from?

Molybdenum occurs naturally in groundwater, especially in the western US in regions with shale, copper mining, or molybdenum mining geology. Industrial sources include mining tailings, steel alloy production, and coal ash. Surface-water systems generally have lower molybdenum than groundwater.

How can I remove molybdenum from drinking water?

Reverse osmosis is the most effective household treatment for molybdenum, typically removing 90%+. Anion exchange and some specialty media (like activated alumina) also work. Standard activated carbon filters are NOT effective against molybdenum.

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