# Cerritos - City, Water Dept. — Cerritos, Ca, CA — Drinking Water Quality (2020)

> Contaminant levels for the Cerritos - City, Water Dept. — Cerritos, Ca, CA public water system from its 2020 Consumer Confidence Report, compared to federal limits.

- Page: https://www.thewatermap.com/water/ca/cerritos-city-water-dept-cerritos-ca/2020
- JSON API: https://www.thewatermap.com/api/water/ca/cerritos-city-water-dept-cerritos-ca/2020
- Source: the utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
- Verification: transcribed by a model, cross-checked by a second model, approved before publishing
- Reporting year: 2020
- Contaminants measured: 13
- Contaminants with a federal limit: 6
- Contaminants at or above the federal limit: 0
- Part of The Water Map — https://www.thewatermap.com

## Contaminants measured

| Contaminant | Category | Measured level | Sampling context | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HAA5 | Disinfection byproducts | 2.6 ug/L (Average) | Distribution System | No federal limit | Within the limit |
| TTHM | Disinfection byproducts | 14 ug/L (Average) | Distribution System | No federal limit | Within the limit |
| Fluoride | Inorganic chemicals | 0.28 mg/L (Average) | Groundwater | 4 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Nitrate | Inorganic chemicals | Not detected mg/L (Average) | Groundwater | 10 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Arsenic | Metals | 7 ug/L (Average) | Groundwater | No federal limit | Within the limit |
| Barium | Metals | 0.11 mg/L (Average) | Groundwater | 2 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Copper | Metals | 0.27 mg/L (90th percentile) | DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM 90th PERCENTILE LEVEL | No federal limit | Within the limit |
| Lead | Metals | Not detected ug/L (90th percentile) | DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM 90th PERCENTILE LEVEL | No federal limit | None detected |
| Manganese | Metals | 34 ug/L (Average) | Groundwater | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Total Coliform | Microbial | 0–0.96 % (Range) | Distribution System Range % Positive | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Chlorine Total | Other | 0.98 mg/L (Average) | Distribution System | 4 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Uranium | Radionuclides | Not detected pCi/L (Average) | Groundwater | 20 pCi/L (MCL) | Detected — no federal limit |
| Trichloroethylene | VOCs & pesticides | Not detected ug/L (Average) | Groundwater | 5 ug/L (MCL) | Within the limit |

## What these contaminants are

- **HAA5** — Haloacetic acids — a group of five disinfection byproducts formed when disinfectants react with organic matter. Long-term exposure above the federal limit is associated with an increased cancer risk.
- **TTHM** — Total trihalomethanes — a group of four chemicals (including chloroform) formed when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter. Long-term exposure above the federal limit is linked to liver, kidney, and central-nervous-system effects and increased cancer risk.
- **Fluoride** — A mineral often added to drinking water to help prevent tooth decay. Beneficial at low levels, but long-term exposure above the federal limit can cause bone disease and tooth mottling.
- **Nitrate** — A compound from fertilizer runoff, septic systems, and erosion of natural deposits. Levels above the federal limit can cause 'blue baby syndrome,' a serious oxygen-transport condition in infants.
- **Arsenic** — A naturally occurring element that also enters water from industry and agriculture. A known human carcinogen; long-term exposure is linked to skin, bladder, and lung cancer.
- **Barium** — A metal from erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge. Long-term exposure above the federal limit can raise blood pressure.
- **Copper** — A metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing. Short-term exposure causes stomach distress; long-term exposure can damage the liver and kidneys.
- **Lead** — A toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures. There is no safe level of lead; it harms brain development in children and raises blood pressure in adults. The EPA sets an action level, not a health goal above zero.
- **Manganese** — A naturally occurring metal from soil and rock. No enforceable federal limit; high levels stain fixtures and laundry and can affect taste, with a health advisory for infants.
- **Total Coliform** — A group of bacteria used as an indicator of overall water-system sanitation. Coliforms themselves are usually harmless, but their presence signals that disease-causing organisms could enter the system.
- **Uranium** — A naturally occurring radioactive metal from erosion of natural deposits. Long-term exposure above the federal limit can damage the kidneys and increase cancer risk.
- **Trichloroethylene** — An industrial solvent (TCE) used in metal degreasing. A known human carcinogen; long-term exposure above the federal limit can damage the liver.

## How to read this

- A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
- 'Federal limit' is the EPA standard (MCL, action level, treatment technique, etc.) that the measured level is compared against.
- 'At or above the federal limit' means the utility's own reported figure met or exceeded that standard.

_Figures are the utility's own published numbers. Generated 2026-06-04 from thewatermap.com._