The Woodlands, TX


The Woodlands, TX

The City of The Woodlands is home to an estimated 109,608 residents, and it’s located in Montgomery County, TX.

This report will help you become better acquainted with The Woodlands and the surrounding area by addressing the following questions:

  • Are there any hazardous sites in Montgomery County, TX?
  • How clean is the air in Montgomery County, TX?
  • What’s the average radon level for homes in Montgomery County, TX?
  • Is the water in Montgomery County, TX safe to drink?

Hazardous Sites near The Woodlands, TX

There are two Superfund sites in Montgomery County, TX. Superfund sites, like Conroe Creosoting Co. in Conroe, TX, are areas that have been contaminated with hazardous substances. If not for the cleanup efforts orchestrated by the EPA, these sites could endanger people living in nearby communities.

The EPA uses the Hazardous Ranking System (HRS) to quantify the risk a contaminated site poses to human health and the environment. Sites assigned HRS scores of 28.5 or greater qualify for placement on the National Priorities List (NPL), and are eligible to receive federal funding for cleanup efforts.

Before the EPA deletes a site from the NPL, it conducts reviews to ensure the cleanup was sufficient. As a result, some sites remain on the active site list long after cleanup activities are complete.

For more information about the Superfund sites located in the The Woodlands, TX area, be sure to review the map and background information provided below:


Map Legend:

48339

A. Conroe Creosoting Co. (HRS Score: 48)

The Conroe Creosoting Co. site is located in Conroe, TX.

The EPA found dangerous levels of Pentachlorophenol, and Naphthalene at the Conroe Creosoting Co. site.

48339

B. United Creosoting Co. (HRS Score: 37)

The United Creosoting Co. site is located in Conroe, TX.

Contaminants found at the United Creosoting Co. site include:

  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)
  • Dioxins (Chlorinated Dibenzodioxins)
  • 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-P-Dioxin (TCDD) Toxicity Equivalents (TEQ)
  • 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-P-Dioxin (TCDD)
  • Pentachlorophenol

Air Quality in the The Woodlands, TX Area

The two most widespread forms of air pollution are ozone (smog) and particle pollution (soot). Exposure to these harmful pollutants, for even just a short period, can have adverse effects on your health.

Thanks to data collected by air monitoring equipment located across the country, the American Lung Association (ALA) is able to assess and track our air quality using three metrics:

  • Ozone
  • Short-term Particle Pollution
  • Year-round Particle Pollution

In their 2019 annual report, the ALA rated the air quality in Montgomery County, TX as follows:

Ground-Level
Ozone Pollution

Grading Scale: A-F

Short-Term
Particle Pollution

Grading Scale: A-F

Year-Round
Particle Pollution

Grading Scale: Pass/Fail

DNC (Data Not Collected): Data on associated pollutants were not collected in this county or county equivalent.
INC (Incomplete): Associated pollutants are being monitored in this county or county equivalent, but data were insufficient to assign a grade.

Radon Levels in The Woodlands, TX Area

Air quality inside your home can be impacted by a number of factors, including the presence of hazardous substances in building materials (asbestos, lead, formaldehyde, etc.) and local radon levels.

Radon is a naturally occurring gas you cannot see or smell. It can build up inside your home and negatively impact your indoor air quality as well as your health.

To provide a guideline, the EPA assigned one of three zones to each U.S. county and county equivalent:

  • Zone 1 (higher radon levels)
  • Zone 2 (moderate levels)
  • Zone 3 (lower levels)

The average indoor radon reading in Montgomery County, TX is predicted to be less than 2 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), so the county has been assigned EPA Radon Zone 3.

EPA Radon Zone

But, it's worth mentioning homes with elevated levels of radon have been found in all three radon zones. So, despite the fact The Woodlands, TX is in EPA Radon Zone 3, you should have a radon test performed on any home you purchase in the area.

Water Quality in The Woodlands, TX Area

In accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the EPA sets regulatory limits for drinking water contaminants known to cause adverse health effects.

The following Montgomery County, TX water provider(s) violated the maximum allowable level for one or more regulated contaminants:

Filter ValueWater SystemContaminantHealth Effects
48339Conroe OaksCombined Radium (-226 and -228)Increased risk of cancer 
48339Conroe OaksGross Alpha, Excl. Radon and UIncreased risk of cancer
48339Crystal Forest SubdivisionCombined Radium (-226 and -228)Increased risk of cancer 
48339Crystal Forest SubdivisionGross Alpha, Excl. Radon and UIncreased risk of cancer
48339Dobbin Plantersville WSC 1TTHMLiver, kidney, or central nervous system problems; increased risk of cancer 
48339Hulon Lakes SubdivisionGross Alpha, Excl. Radon and UIncreased risk of cancer
48339Lake Bonanza WSCGross Alpha, Excl. Radon and UIncreased risk of cancer
48339Lake Lorraine WsCombined Radium (-226 and -228)Increased risk of cancer 
48339Lake Lorraine WsGross Alpha, Excl. Radon and UIncreased risk of cancer
48339Montgomery County MUD 60TTHMLiver, kidney, or central nervous system problems; increased risk of cancer 
48339Montgomery County MUD 7TTHMLiver, kidney, or central nervous system problems; increased risk of cancer 
48339Montgomery Trace Water SystemGross Alpha, Excl. Radon and UIncreased risk of cancer
48339Oak Tree SubdivisionCombined Radium (-226 and -228)Increased risk of cancer 
48339Oak Tree SubdivisionGross Alpha, Excl. Radon and UIncreased risk of cancer
48339Pine Lake Subdivision North WSCCombined Radium (-226 and -228)Increased risk of cancer 
48339Pine Lake Subdivision North WSCGross Alpha, Excl. Radon and UIncreased risk of cancer
48339Porter SUDGross Alpha, Excl. Radon and UIncreased risk of cancer
48339Shady Oaks EstatesGross Alpha, Excl. Radon and UIncreased risk of cancer
48339Vista Verde Water SystemsCombined Radium (-226 and -228)Increased risk of cancer 
48339Vista Verde Water SystemsGross Alpha, Excl. Radon and UIncreased risk of cancer
48339White Oak HillsCombined Radium (-226 and -228)Increased risk of cancer 
48339White Oak HillsGross Alpha, Excl. Radon and UIncreased risk of cancer
48339Woodland Lakes Estates WSCCombined Radium (-226 and -228)Increased risk of cancer 

In addition to setting enforceable standards for harmful contaminants, the EPA also established guidelines to assist public water providers in managing the taste, odor and color of their drinking water.

To find out more about what’s in your drinking water, contact your utility company and request a copy of the latest Consumer Confidence Report.


Sources and Methods

Hazardous Sites: Identified using a report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), hazardous sites detailed on trendingtowns.com represent sites contained on the National Priorities List (NPL) as of November 25, 2019.  The NPL is the list of national priorities among the known releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants throughout the United States and its territories.  All site-related data was sourced from the EPA.

Air Quality: Grades for ozone, short-term particle pollution, and year-round particle pollution were obtained from State of the Air 2019, a report compiled by the American Lung Association.

Radon Zones: Radon zone designations were obtained using a public use dataset provided by the EPA (September 11, 2019).

Water Quality: Drinking water violation data was sourced from the Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), a public use database provided by the EPA.  The dataset included violations submitted to the database as of the third quarter of 2019.

Paul

I’ve moved several times over the years, so I know just how stressful it can be to relocate. I want to help put your mind at ease. That’s why I research and write about all the things I think you should consider when moving to a new town.

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