# Lakewood - City, Water Dept., CA — Drinking Water Quality (2023)

> Contaminant levels for the Lakewood - City, Water Dept., CA public water system from its 2023 Consumer Confidence Report, compared to federal limits.

- Page: https://www.thewatermap.com/water/ca/lakewood-city-water-dept/2023
- JSON API: https://www.thewatermap.com/api/water/ca/lakewood-city-water-dept/2023
- 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: 2023
- Contaminants measured: 9
- Contaminants with a federal limit: 5
- Contaminants at or above the federal limit: 2
- Part of The Water Map — https://www.thewatermap.com

## Contaminants measured

| Contaminant | Category | Measured level | Sampling context | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorine | Disinfectants | 0.5–0.9 mg/L (Range) | System-wide | No federal limit | Within the limit |
| HAA5 | Disinfection byproducts | 1.4–5 ug/L (Range) | System-wide | No federal limit | Within the limit |
| TTHM | Disinfection byproducts | 7.8–24.5 ug/L (Range) | System-wide | No federal limit | Within the limit |
| Fluoride | Inorganic chemicals | 0.33–0.35 mg/L (Range) | System-wide | 4 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Arsenic | Metals | 0.16–8.19 ug/L (Range) | System-wide | No federal limit | Approaching the limit |
| Copper | Metals | 0.24 mg/L (90th percentile) | At the tap | 1.3 mg/L (Action level) | Within the limit |
| Lead | Metals | 0.0 mg/L (90th percentile) | At the tap | 0.015 mg/L (Action level) | None detected |
| PFOA | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 5.9 ng/L (Reported level) | Well 18 | 5.1 ng/L (NL) | At or above the limit |
| PFOS | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 17 ng/L (Reported level) | Well 17 | 6.5 ng/L (NL) | At or above the limit |

## What these contaminants are

- **Chlorine** — A disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. Effective and necessary, but high residual levels can cause taste and odor issues; the EPA caps the residual disinfectant level.
- **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.
- **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.
- **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.
- **PFOA** — Perfluorooctanoic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical' once used in nonstick and stain-resistant products. Linked to cancer, liver damage, and immune effects; the EPA set an enforceable limit of 4 parts per trillion.
- **PFOS** — Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical' once used in firefighting foam and coatings. Linked to cancer, thyroid disease, and immune effects; the EPA set an enforceable limit of 4 parts per trillion.

## 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 2026-06-12 from thewatermap.com._