Drinking water quality · 2024
· Verified
What's in Riverside, CA tap water
18 contaminants were measured in the Riverside, CA water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit — 1 sit at or above that limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 18
- Over federal limit
- 1
- Approaching the limit
- 0
- Worst contaminant
- Lead
- Service area
- CA
PFAS — EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025)
1 PFAS compound above EPA limits in Riverside, 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 (1.0×)below national p90 (19.900000000000006 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
PFHxA
● Detected (no federal limit)below national p90 (12.190000000000003 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
PFPeA
● Detected (no federal limit)below national p90 (15.95999999999999 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
Lithium
● Detected (no federal limit)below national p90 (76.59999999999991 mg/L across detecting U.S. systems)
Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Riverside, CA's drinking water comes from ground water, drawn from 45 sources.
Source
- RAUB · 5
- FLUME · 4
- GARNER · 3
- WARREN · 2
- + 30 more
Treatment
- GAGE DELIVERY - TREATED
- 7TH & CHICAGO - DISTRIBUTION
- JW NORTH WTP - FINAL EFFLUENT
- + 9 more
Distribution
Also buys water from WESTERN MWD.
Historical readings · EPA Six-Year Review (2012–2019)
6 contaminants historically over EPA limits in Riverside, 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: 2012 | 0.027 mg/L 5.4× | 0.005 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
GROSS BETA worst: 2015 | 15 mrem/yr 3.8× | 4 mrem/yr | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
DBCP worst: 2012 | 0.00057 mg/L 2.8× above national p90 | 0.0002 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
ARSENIC worst: 2014 | 0.02 mg/L 2.0× above national p90 | 0.01 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
NITRATE worst: 2016 | 17 mg/L 1.7× | 10 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
NITRATE NITRITE worst: 2016 | 17 mg/L 1.7× | 10 mg/L | '16'17'18 |
RADIUM 226 228 worst: 2019 | 4.5 pCi/L 90% near national p90 | 5 pCi/L | '19 |
DICHLOROMETHANE worst: 2014 | 0.0024 mg/L within | 0.005 mg/L | '14'16'17'19 |
TTHM worst: 2012 | 0.036 mg/L within | 0.08 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
DICHLOROETHYLENE 11 worst: 2016 | 0.0027 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.007 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
FLUORIDE worst: 2014 | 1.3 mg/L within | 4 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
PCE worst: 2012 | 0.0012 mg/L within | 0.005 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'19 |
CHROMIUM worst: 2017 | 0.014 mg/L within above national p90 | 0.1 mg/L | '16'17'18'19 |
BARIUM worst: 2018 | 0.07 mg/L within below national p90 | 2 mg/L | '18'19 |
PICLORAM worst: 2012 | 0.0051 mg/L within | 0.5 mg/L | '12 |
URANIUM worst: 2016 | 0.0775 ug/L within 3.6× the national p90 | 30 ug/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
COPPER worst: 2017 | 0.14 mg/L below national p90 | — | '17'19 |
LEAD worst: 2012 | 0.0056 mg/L | — | '12'17 |
DBAA worst: 2013 | 0.0012 mg/L | — | '13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
BROMODICHLOROMETHANE worst: 2012 | 0.016 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
BROMOFORM worst: 2012 | 0.0034 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
CHLOROFORM worst: 2012 | 0.012 mg/L | — | '12'18'19 |
DIBROMOCHLOROMETHANE worst: 2012 | 0.0069 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
Disinfection byproducts
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| PerchlorateA chemical used in rocket fuel and fireworks that can also form during disinfection. | 2AverageRiverside Public Utilities Promedio | 6MCL | Within the limit |
+By source (3)— Riverside Public Utilities, Riverside Public Utilities Rango, Riverside Public Utilities Promedio
| |||
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chromium, HexavalentHexavalent chromium ('chromium-6') — the more toxic form of chromium. | 2.1AverageRiverside Public Utilities Promedio | 10MCL | Within the limit |
+By source (2)— Riverside Public Utilities Promedio, Riverside Public Utilities
| |||
| SeleniumA trace element from natural deposits and industrial discharge. | 1.9AverageRiverside Public Utilities | 50MCL | Within the limit |
+By source (3)— Riverside Public Utilities, Riverside Public Utilities Promedio, Riverside Public Utilities Rango
| |||
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChlorineA disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. | 0.6AverageRiverside Public Utilities | 4MCL | Within the limit |
+By source (3)— Riverside Public Utilities, Riverside Public Utilities Rango, Riverside Public Utilities Promedio
| |||
Radionuclides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross AlphaGross alpha particle activity — a combined measure of alpha-emitting radioactive substances. | Not detectedAverageRiverside Public Utilities Promedio | 15MCL | Within the limit |
+By source (3)— Riverside Public Utilities, Riverside Public Utilities Rango, Riverside Public Utilities Promedio
| |||
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluoroheptanoic acidPerfluoroheptanoic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical.' | 5.9AverageRiverside | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| PFBAPerfluorobutanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' | Not detectedAverageRiverside | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TurbidityA measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. | 0.17AverageRiverside Public Utilities | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
+By source (2)— Riverside Public Utilities, Riverside Public Utilities Promedio
| |||
People also ask about Riverside, CA's water
+Is Riverside, CA tap water safe to drink in 2024?
The 2024 Consumer Confidence Report for the Riverside, CA water utility lists 1 contaminant at or above the federal limit: Lead. 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 Riverside, CA tap water?
18 contaminants were measured in Riverside, CA's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning metals, pfas ("forever chemicals"), and disinfection byproducts. 12 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 Riverside, CA tap water?
One contaminant in Riverside, CA's 2024 report sits at or above the federal limit: Lead (6.0× 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 Riverside, CA tap water?
The contaminant with the highest measured value relative to its federal limit in the 2024 report is Lead, at 6.0× the federal threshold. It belongs to the metals family of contaminants.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from Riverside, 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 Riverside, 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.