Tyler bills itself as the Rose Capital of America. It’s a growing city of about 105,000 in the heart of East Texas — a region defined by pine forests, red clay, and oil. That last one matters most for water quality, because Tyler sits squarely in the East Texas Oil Field, one of the most prolific petroleum-producing regions in American history.
The East Texas Oilfield Legacy
The East Texas Oil Field was discovered in 1930 and at its peak was the largest known oil reserve in the world outside the Middle East. For decades, oil production dominated the economy and landscape of Smith County and surrounding areas.
The water quality legacy of nearly a century of oil and gas production includes:
Brine disposal — oil production generates enormous volumes of produced water (brine) — salty, mineral-laden water that comes up with the oil. In the early decades of the East Texas field, this brine was often disposed of in unlined pits or discharged directly to surface water. The salt and heavy metals in produced water contaminated both surface water and shallow groundwater across the region.
Abandoned wells — thousands of oil and gas wells were drilled across Smith County and neighboring counties. Many early wells were never properly plugged when they stopped producing. These orphaned wells can serve as conduits for contamination, allowing produced water, hydrocarbons, and naturally occurring radioactive materials to migrate between geologic formations and into freshwater aquifers.
Pipeline leaks and spills — the infrastructure of oil production — pipelines, storage tanks, processing facilities — created countless opportunities for petroleum contamination of soil and groundwater over the decades.
The Texas Railroad Commission (which regulates oil and gas in Texas) has records of thousands of wells in the Tyler area, many dating to the 1930s and 1940s when drilling regulations were minimal. The state’s orphaned well plugging program works to address the worst abandoned wells, but the backlog is substantial.
Lake Palestine: Tyler’s Primary Water Source
Tyler’s municipal water supply comes primarily from Lake Palestine, a reservoir on the Neches River about 15 miles southeast of the city. The lake was completed in 1962 and supplies water to Tyler and several surrounding communities through the Upper Neches River Municipal Water Authority.
Lake Palestine water quality factors:
- Nutrient loading — agricultural activity and residential development in the watershed contribute nitrogen and phosphorus that can drive algal blooms in the reservoir
- Taste and odor events — algal blooms can produce compounds (geosmin and MIB) that give water an earthy or musty taste and odor. While not harmful, these episodes generate significant customer complaints.
- Sediment — erosion from development, logging, and agricultural activity in the watershed increases turbidity in the raw water
- Organic matter — natural organic matter in the lake reacts with disinfectants during treatment to form disinfection byproducts (THMs and HAAs)
The City of Tyler operates a water treatment plant that processes Lake Palestine water through conventional treatment. The utility has invested in upgrades to address taste and odor issues and manage disinfection byproduct formation.
Agricultural and Rural Contamination
East Texas agriculture — cattle, poultry, timber, and row crops — affects water quality throughout the region:
Nitrates — fertilizer application and animal waste contribute nitrates to both surface water and groundwater. Rural private wells in Smith County may be at risk for elevated nitrate levels, particularly shallow wells in areas with sandy soils that provide little natural filtration.
Pesticides and herbicides — agricultural chemicals used in crop production and timber management can reach groundwater and surface water through runoff and infiltration. Atrazine, a widely used herbicide, has been detected in surface water across East Texas.
Bacterial contamination — livestock operations and septic systems in rural areas contribute bacteria to shallow groundwater. E. coli and other bacterial contaminants are the most common water quality problem in East Texas private wells.
Naturally Occurring Contaminants
East Texas geology contributes several naturally occurring contaminants to groundwater:
Iron and manganese — the iron-rich red clay and sandstone formations that characterize East Texas produce elevated iron and manganese levels in many wells. While not typically health threats at the levels found locally, these metals cause staining, taste problems, and plumbing buildup.
Radionuclides — naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) are present in some East Texas geological formations, particularly those associated with oil production. Radium and gross alpha activity can be elevated in wells drawing from certain formations.
Hydrogen sulfide — the “rotten egg” smell that’s common in East Texas well water comes from hydrogen sulfide gas produced by sulfate-reducing bacteria in the aquifer. It’s a nuisance contaminant that affects taste and odor but is typically not a health concern at levels found in domestic wells.
Total dissolved solids (TDS) — some East Texas aquifers produce water with elevated TDS levels, resulting in hard water that affects taste and creates scaling in pipes and appliances.
What Residents Can Do
- Read Tyler’s annual water quality report — the city publishes comprehensive test results each year
- Test your well — if you’re on a private well in Smith County, test annually for bacteria, nitrates, and pH. Consider testing for iron, manganese, and TDS if you’re experiencing taste or staining issues.
- Know your well’s proximity to oil operations — if you’re near active or abandoned oil wells, consider testing for petroleum-related contaminants including BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes)
- Address iron and manganese — if your water stains fixtures or has a metallic taste, water treatment systems designed for iron and manganese removal can resolve these issues
- Consider whole-house treatment — East Texas water chemistry often benefits from a comprehensive treatment approach combining softening, iron removal, and point-of-use filtration
If you’re concerned about your water quality, a certified water treatment professional can test your water and recommend solutions specific to East Texas’s unique geology and contamination profile.