DE LEON, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – The City of De Leon has been notified by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) that the public water system used for drinking has exceeded the Maximum Containment Level (MCL) for trihalomethanes.

This has been determined as a health concern if people drink water with an excess of trihalomethanes over many years, with the possibility of health risks such as liver, kidney, central nervous systems and an increased risk of cancer.

Trihalomethanes are a group of volatile organic compounds then form when chlorine is added to water to disinfect, it reacts with the organic matter in the water. Typically, the total for trihalomethanes should be 0.080 milligrams per liter according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In the quarter one 2023 report, the local level was at 0.087 milligrams.

The City of De Leon wrote that residents do not need to use an alternative water source. If someone has health concerns, they are advised to talk with their doctor to learn more about how this may affect them.

The City of De Leon purchases water from the Upper Leon River Municipal Water District, which pulls from Proctor Lake. As the water level has decreased (currently at 42%), the concentration of organic compounds has increase. The city is working to increase water line flushing to combat this situation.

Residents may contact Dean Thompson at (254) 893-3466 for questions and city officials ask the community to share this information with those who drink this water.