Drinking water quality · 2024
· Verified
What's in El Monte, CA tap water
25 contaminants were measured in the El Monte, CA water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit — 3 sit at or above that limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 25
- Over federal limit
- 3
- Approaching the limit
- 0
- Worst contaminant
- Specific Conductance
- Service area
- CA
PFAS — EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025)
1 PFAS compound above EPA limits in El Monte, CA
The EPA finalized the first-ever federal drinking-water limits for six PFAS compounds in April 2024. These numbers come straight from EPA's UCMR5 lab dataset — every U.S. system serving more than 3,300 people tested every PFAS sample at an entry point to its distribution system. PFAS not listed below were either tested and not detected, or not yet sampled.
PFOS (Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid)
● Over EPA limit (1.1×)below national p90 (19.900000000000006 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
PFHxS (Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid)
● Below limitbelow national p90 (12.049999999999997 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
El Monte, CA's drinking water comes from ground water, drawn from 6 sources.
Source
- WELL · 3
- WELL 10 LACFC
- WELL 02-A
- WELL 12 - ACTIVE
Treatment
- GAC FOR WELL 12 - COMBINED EFFLEUNT
- GAC FOR WELL 02A - COMBINED EFFLUENT
- GAC FOR WELL 02A - VESSEL 02 - EFFLUENT
- + 10 more
Distribution
Also buys water from CAL/AM WATER COMPANY - BALDWIN HILLS, SAN GABRIEL VALLEY WATER CO.-EL MONTE, and 1 more.
Historical readings · EPA Six-Year Review (2012–2019)
3 contaminants historically over EPA limits in El Monte, CA
Every U.S. public water system reports compliance-monitoring data to EPA. The Six-Year Review releases the 2012–2019 window as a single dataset — here's what your system reported, year by year. Values shown are the highest detection per analyte per year, compared to the federal MCL.
| Contaminant | Worst detection | EPA limit | Years (2012–2019) |
|---|---|---|---|
TCE worst: 2019 | 0.087 mg/L 17.4× | 0.005 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
PCE worst: 2019 | 0.06 mg/L 12.0× | 0.005 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
NITRATE worst: 2013 | 15.1 mg/L 1.5× | 10 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
DEHP worst: 2018 | 0.0044 mg/L within | 0.006 mg/L | '18 |
CARBON TETRACHLORIDE worst: 2019 | 0.0015 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.005 mg/L | '12'16'17'18'19 |
FLUORIDE worst: 2019 | 1 mg/L within | 4 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
TTHM worst: 2012 | 0.017 mg/L within | 0.08 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
BARIUM worst: 2019 | 0.17 mg/L within near national p90 | 2 mg/L | '19 |
DICHLOROETHYLENE 11 worst: 2019 | 0.00059 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.007 mg/L | '19 |
HAA5 worst: 2018 | 0.0016 mg/L within | 0.06 mg/L | '12'15'18 |
CIS DICHLOROETHYLENE 12 worst: 2019 | 0.0011 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.07 mg/L | '16'17'18'19 |
NITRITE worst: 2019 | 0.0015 mg/L within | 1 mg/L | '19 |
URANIUM worst: 2017 | 0.0116 ug/L within near national p90 | 30 ug/L | '12'16'17'18'19 |
COPPER worst: 2012 | 0.05 mg/L below national p90 | — | '12'13'17'18'19 |
DBAA worst: 2012 | 0.001 mg/L | — | '12'15'18 |
BROMODICHLOROMETHANE worst: 2012 | 0.0042 mg/L | — | '12'15'18 |
BROMOFORM worst: 2014 | 0.0011 mg/L | — | '14'15'16'17'18 |
CHLOROFORM worst: 2012 | 0.011 mg/L | — | '12 |
DIBROMOCHLOROMETHANE worst: 2012 | 0.0014 mg/L | — | '12'14'15'18 |
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specific ConductanceA measure of how well water conducts electricity, which tracks dissolved mineral content. | 460–800RangeSystem-wide | 1MCL | At or above the limit |
| Total Dissolved SolidsTotal dissolved solids — the combined content of all dissolved minerals and salts. | 270–500 mg/LRangeSystem-wide | 1 mg/LMCL | At or above the limit |
| TurbidityA measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. | 0–1.8 mg/LRangeSystem-wide | 5 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
| HardnessA measure of dissolved calcium and magnesium minerals. | 200–380 mg/LRangeSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
VOCs & pesticides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TrichloroethyleneAn industrial solvent (TCE) used in metal degreasing. | 0–5.5 ug/LRangeSystem-wide | 5 ug/LMCL | At or above the limit |
| TetrachloroethyleneAn industrial solvent (PCE) used in dry cleaning and degreasing. | 0–1.6 ug/LRangeSystem-wide | 5 ug/LMCL | Within the limit |
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chromium, HexavalentHexavalent chromium ('chromium-6') — the more toxic form of chromium. | 3.5–5.6 ug/LRangeSystem-wide | 10 ug/LMCL | Within the limit |
| LeadA toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures. | 0.004 ug/L90th percentileAt the tap | 15 ug/LAction level | Within the limit |
| IronA naturally occurring metal common in groundwater. | Not detected ug/LReported levelSystem-wide | 300 ug/LMCL | None detected |
| SodiumA naturally occurring salt component. | 14–25 mg/LRangeSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Radionuclides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross AlphaGross alpha particle activity — a combined measure of alpha-emitting radioactive substances. | 0–7.8 pCi/LRangeSystem-wide | 15 pCi/LMCL | Within the limit |
Inorganic chemicals
Microbial
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Escherichia coli (E. coli)Escherichia coli — bacteria found in the gut of humans and animals. | 0Reported levelSystem-wide | None set | None detected |
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorohexanoic acidPerfluorohexanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' | Not detected ng/LReported levelSystem-wide | None set | None detected |
| Perfluoropentanoic acidPerfluoropentanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' | Not detected ng/LReported levelSystem-wide | None set | None detected |
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChlorineA disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. | 0.36–1.28 mg/LRangeSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
People also ask about El Monte, CA's water
+Is El Monte, CA tap water safe to drink in 2024?
The 2024 Consumer Confidence Report for the El Monte, CA water utility lists 3 contaminants at or above the federal limit: Specific Conductance, Total Dissolved Solids, and Trichloroethylene. Whether that means the water is "unsafe" depends on which contaminant, how long the exposure, and individual health factors. The table on this page shows the measured value, the federal threshold, and the regulated statistic used for compliance.
+What contaminants are in El Monte, CA tap water?
25 contaminants were measured in El Monte, CA's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning metals, inorganic chemicals, and pfas ("forever chemicals"). 16 have an enforceable federal limit; the rest are detected but unregulated. Every measured value, in the utility's own units, is on this page.
+Which contaminants exceed federal limits in El Monte, CA tap water?
3 contaminants in El Monte, CA's 2024 report sit at or above the federal limit: Specific Conductance (800.0× the limit); Total Dissolved Solids (500.0× the limit); Trichloroethylene (1.1× the limit). The EPA enforces these limits against the regulated reporting statistic — typically a running annual average or 90th percentile — not a one-off sample spike.
+What is the worst contaminant in El Monte, CA tap water?
The contaminant with the highest measured value relative to its federal limit in the 2024 report is Specific Conductance, at 800.0× the federal threshold. It belongs to the physical & aggregate family of contaminants.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from El Monte, CA's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. public water utility is required by federal law to publish. The original source document is archived and viewable on this site. A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
+How often is El Monte, CA's water quality data updated?
Each U.S. public water utility publishes one Consumer Confidence Report per year, covering the prior calendar year's measurements. This page reflects the 2024 report; a new report will replace it once the utility publishes its next annual update.