Public water system · TX0310087
ActivePort Isabel Detention Center
At a glance
Port Isabel Detention Center (PWSID TX0310087) is an active non-transient non-community water system in Cameron County, Texas. It reports serving 1,355 people through 451 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by the federal government. EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in December 2024.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
1,355
Service connections
451
Primary source
SWP
Purchased surface water
System type
NTNCWS
Non-transient non-community water system
System record
How does Port Isabel Detention Center compare with other water systems in Cameron County?
By EPA's size categories, Port Isabel Detention Center is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Cameron County has 30 active public water systems. Its population served is well below the county average of 14,775 people per system, and accounts for 0.3% of the 443,241 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Texas, the 7,078 active systems average 4,789 people each. Nationally, the average active non-transient non-community water system reports serving 430 people, so Port Isabel Detention Center is about 3.2 times that figure.
What does “non-transient non-community water system” mean?
A non-transient non-community water system regularly serves at least 25 of the same people for more than six months a year, but not where they live. Schools, factories, office buildings and hospitals with their own supply are typical examples. Texas has 862 active non-transient non-community water systems, 12% of the state's 7,078 active systems. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own. 1,192 Texas systems (17%) list purchased surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Port Isabel Detention Center?
EPA lists Port Isabel Detention Center as owned by the federal government. The TX state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 1 of the 30 active systems in Cameron County (3.3%) are also owned by the federal government.
Does Port Isabel Detention Center have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in December 2024. The violations listed here began between April 2004 and December 2024. By type: 5 monitoring and reporting, 3 contaminant level above the legal limit and 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Lead and Copper Rule (3 of them). EPA lists 9 as resolved. Resolved means at least one resolving action is on record: the system returned to compliance, the rule no longer applies, or no further action was needed.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-12-30 | Monitoring and reportingLead Consumer Notice · code 66 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2015-12-30 | Monitoring and reportingLead Consumer Notice · code 66 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2015-02-13 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2007-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2005-08-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2005-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2004-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2004-04-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
All 9 violations in EPA's records, newest first.Labels and codes come from EPA's SDWIS reference tables. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found. "Health-based" marks violations of a legal limit or required treatment.
Port Isabel Detention Center: frequently asked questions
Who runs Port Isabel Detention Center?
Port Isabel Detention Center (PWSID TX0310087) is a non-transient non-community water system owned by the federal government. It is regulated by the TX state drinking water program.
How many people does Port Isabel Detention Center serve?
Port Isabel Detention Center reports serving 1,355 people through 451 service connections in Cameron County, Texas.
Where does Port Isabel Detention Center get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as purchased surface water. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own.
Does Port Isabel Detention Center have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in December 2024. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found.
Is Port Isabel Detention Center's water safe to drink?
AquaCensus shows EPA compliance records, not current water test results, so it cannot say whether the water is safe at a given moment. EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in December 2024. For current results, consult EPA ECHO, or the TX state drinking water program.
Where can I find Port Isabel Detention Center's water quality report?
The annual Consumer Confidence Report requirement applies to community water systems. Port Isabel Detention Center is a non-transient non-community water system, so it is not required to publish one; like every public water system, it must notify the people it serves about violations under EPA's public notification rules.
Other water systems in Cameron County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brownsville Public Utilities Board | Cameron | 201,249 | Community | Surface water |
| Harlingen Water Works System | Cameron | 85,900 | Community | Surface water |
| Laguna Madre Water District | Cameron | 46,674 | Community | Surface water |
| East Rio Hondo WSC | Cameron | 24,756 | Community | Surface water |
| City of San Benito | Cameron | 24,250 | Community | Surface water |
| El Jardin WSC | Cameron | 9,423 | Community | Purchased surface water |
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About this data
Source: U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and SDWA violation records, via EPA ECHO, as published October 1, 2026 — AquaCensus refreshes it quarterly. See the methodology for how records are matched, cleaned and scored.
Cite as: AquaCensus, “Port Isabel Detention Center, PWSID TX0310087, Texas”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/texas/port-isabel-detention-center-tx0310087 (data as of October 1, 2026).