# Liberty Utilities - Bellflower-norwalk — Downey, Ca, CA — Drinking Water Quality (2023)

> Contaminant levels for the Liberty Utilities - Bellflower-norwalk — Downey, Ca, CA public water system from its 2023 Consumer Confidence Report, compared to federal limits.

- Page: https://www.thewatermap.com/water/ca/liberty-utilities-bellflower-norwalk-downey-ca/2023
- JSON API: https://www.thewatermap.com/api/water/ca/liberty-utilities-bellflower-norwalk-downey-ca/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: 21
- Contaminants with a federal limit: 12
- Contaminants at or above the federal limit: 1
- Part of The Water Map — https://www.thewatermap.com

## Contaminants measured

| Contaminant | Category | Measured level | Sampling context | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorine | Disinfectants | 2.06 mg/L (Average) | System-wide | 4 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Chlorate | Disinfection byproducts | 77 ug/L (Average) | MWD | 800 ug/L (NL) | Detected — no federal limit |
| HAA5 | Disinfection byproducts | 23 ug/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Within the limit |
| TTHM | Disinfection byproducts | 55 ug/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Within the limit |
| Fluoride | Inorganic chemicals | 0.7 mg/L (Average) | System-wide | 4 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Aluminum | Metals | 0–0.11 mg/L (Range) | MWD | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Barium | Metals | 124 ug/L (Average) | MWD | 2000 ug/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Boron | Metals | 140 ug/L (Average) | MWD | 1000 ug/L (NL) | Detected — no federal limit |
| Copper | Metals | Not detected mg/L (90th percentile) | At the tap | 1.3 mg/L (Action level) | Within the limit |
| Lead | Metals | 0.08 ug/L (90th percentile) | At the tap | No federal limit | Within the limit |
| Lithium | Metals | 40 ug/L (Average) | MWD | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Cis Dichloroethylene 12 | Other | 0.9 ug/L (Average) | LU Sources | No federal limit | Within the limit |
| Radium 226 228 | Other | 2 pCi/L (Average) | LU Sources | 5 pCi/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 1 ng/L (Average) | LU Sources | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 6.7 ng/L (Average) | LU Sources | 3 ng/L (NL) | Within the limit |
| PFBA | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 4.1 ng/L (Average) | LU Sources | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| PFOA | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 2.9 ng/L (Average) | LU Sources | 5.1 ng/L (NL) | Within the limit |
| PFOS | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 28 ng/L (Average) | LU Sources | 6.5 ng/L (NL) | At or above the limit |
| Gross Alpha | Radionuclides | 3 pCi/L (Average) | LU Sources | 15 pCi/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | Radionuclides | 4 pCi/L (Average) | MWD | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Uranium | Radionuclides | 4 pCi/L (Average) | LU Sources | 20 pCi/L (MCL) | Detected — no federal 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.
- **Chlorate** — A byproduct that can form during disinfection, especially when hypochlorite solutions degrade. Has no enforceable federal limit but is on the EPA contaminant candidate list; high levels can affect the thyroid.
- **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.
- **Aluminum** — A common element sometimes used as a treatment coagulant. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; high levels can discolor water.
- **Barium** — A metal from erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge. Long-term exposure above the federal limit can raise blood pressure.
- **Boron** — A naturally occurring element from rock and soil. No enforceable federal limit; the EPA has issued a health advisory level.
- **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.
- **Lithium** — A naturally occurring element found in some groundwater. No enforceable federal limit; on the EPA contaminant candidate list for further study.
- **Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid** — Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' Has no standalone limit but is part of the EPA PFAS Hazard Index that limits PFAS in combination.
- **Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid** — Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical.' Regulated by the EPA at 10 parts per trillion and included in the PFAS Hazard Index.
- **PFBA** — Perfluorobutanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' Monitored under EPA rules; persistent in the environment and the human body.
- **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.
- **Gross Alpha** — Gross alpha particle activity — a combined measure of alpha-emitting radioactive substances. Long-term exposure above the federal limit increases cancer risk.
- **Gross Beta Particle Activity** — Gross beta particle activity — a combined measure of beta-emitting radioactive substances. Long-term exposure above the federal screening level increases cancer risk.
- **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.

## 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._