Toxic Water
The issue of toxic water in Texas prisons is a serious public health crisis that has been repeatedly raised by incarcerated individuals, advocates, and investigative reports. Many Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) facilities have been found to have contaminated water sources, exposing incarcerated people to dangerous substances such as lead, arsenic, and harmful bacteria. Despite ongoing complaints, the state has been slow to address these hazardous conditions, leaving those in custody with no choice but to drink, cook, and bathe in unsafe water.TDCJ has historically had several problems with its water and multiple citations from governing bodies. Some have described drinking water that is brown with white or black specks, smelling like sewage.
Contaminants have been found in the water at multiple units. In units that use city water, it has often been contaminated or shut off completely.
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Metal Contamination - Arsenic - Lead - Copper
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Bacterial Contamination - H. pylori - Legionella - Coliform
“I would never drink the water at the tap,” said Don Aldaco, a recently paroled man who spent 24 years in various TDCJ facilities. “I would always get a piece of a sheet, and I would tie it on the actual spigot, like a filter. I would have to change it like every other day because of all the rust and all the crud coming out.
“I actually begged him not to [drink the tap water],” said Amy Aguilar, who's loved one is at TDCJ’s Ferguson Unit. Her significant other — whose name she asked us not to reveal— has described the water as “rancid” smelling. And she said she was concerned about the quality.
“Do you smell the sewer?” Aguilar said she asked him, “And he goes, 'you kind of just smell it all. It's just this big ole rich mix of rancid smell.'”
Inability to boil water
Although boil notices may be posted, incarcerated perons have no resourses to boil water which may force incarcerated people to either drink contaminated water or go without.
Limited access to bottled water
Bottled can be purchased, and the price of bottled water went up 50% in prison commissaries across Texas last summer, while incarcerated individuals struggled to endure an entrenched and deadly heatwave in facilities without air conditioning.
The state raised the price from $4.80 per case (24 bottles) to $7.20 per case on June 27, 2023 (Walmart sells a case of water for just over $5.00). Incarcerated individuals via their families are paying higher prices than many free world stores.
Regulatory agencies and policy makers do not extend the same protections to incarcerated people as they do with the public community.
Some prison units, particularly in rural areas, rely on outdated water treatment systems that fail to meet safe drinking water standards.
Several units are over 100 years ols and may contian ledad piping. Other facilities may relay on well water
Regular comprehensive testing is lacking
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and TDCJ have faced criticism for failing to provide timely and transparent water quality reports.Many prison units do not regularly test for all possible contaminants, leaving significant gaps in available data.
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Legislative work
2025 1 pager
2025 Toxic Water Bills Progress Tracker
Policy recommendations
Long term recommendations
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TDCJ should refine grievances processes, particularly as they pertain to potential environmental contamination.
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Texas should conduct immediate investigation of all Texas prisons and jails for common contaminants and water-borne illnesses. These should incorporate testing for contamination of drinking water due to faulty plumbing within TDCJ facilities.
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TDCJ Units with noncompliant water should be closed down until compliant with TDEC standards.
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Regular testing for all water-borne communicable disease, including H Pylori and Legionella should be made available for all people incarcerated in TDCJ facilities.
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TDCJ should collect and publish anonymized demographic data regarding prisoners who have tested positive for water-borne communicable disease, such as H. Pylori, and/or related stomach infections.
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TDCJ Units should be subject to mandated testing at regularly occurring intervals, with test results made available to the public and to incarcerated people upon request.
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TDCJ should investigate early release strategies, for example expanding MRIS criteria to include people receiving treatment for lead poisoning or for diseases associated with water-borne illnesses, to reduce budgetary and structural strains associated with shuttering units which are environmentally hazardous.
Short-term recommendations
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TDCJ should provide bottled and/or filtered water to people incarcerated in Units where contamination is detected or suspected. This water should be available upon request and sufficient for drinking, bathing, and preparation of food.
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Filtered water should be provided in community areas such as dayrooms, and chow halls.
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Incarcerated people should be provided the means to boil water, or be provided boiled water for food preparation during boil orders.
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TDCJ should seek information on secure personal filtration devices for incarcerated people.