Drinking Water Quality in Austin’s Colony

February 3, 2026

David Bahamon-Pinzon

Austin’s Colony residents have received hard water and intermittent discolored water for over a decade. PODER and the University of Texas at Austin partnered to better understand water quality issues in the neighborhood. ICP-MS analysis is essential to (i) determine regulatory exceedances of metals (e.g., copper, iron, and lead) in drinking water, (ii) quantify the proportion of total vs dissolved metals, and (iii) understand groundwater mixing and water discoloration mechanisms in the distribution system. Findings revealed toxic metals in the drinking water and showed that mixing groundwater sources within the distribution network causes water quality changes.