Drinking water quality · 2024
· Verified
What's in Santa Clara, CA tap water
18 contaminants were measured in the Santa Clara, CA water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 18
- Over federal limit
- 0
- Approaching the limit
- 0
- Service area
- CA
PFAS — EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025)
1 PFAS compound detected in Santa Clara, 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.
Lithium
● Detected (no federal limit)below national p90 (76.59999999999991 mg/L across detecting U.S. systems)
Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Santa Clara, CA's drinking water comes from ground water, drawn from 21 sources.
Source
- WELL · 13
- WELL 13-02
- WELL 22-02
- WELL 18-02
- + 5 more
Treatment
Distribution
Also buys water from SANTA CLARA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT, SAN FRANCISCO REGIONAL WATER SYSTEM.
Historical readings · EPA Six-Year Review (2012–2019)
1 contaminant historically over EPA limits in Santa Clara, 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
TTHM worst: 2016 | 0.089 mg/L 1.1× | 0.08 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
HAA5 worst: 2018 | 0.056 mg/L 93% | 0.06 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
NITRATE worst: 2014 | 6.55 mg/L within | 10 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
NITRATE NITRITE worst: 2016 | 6.1 mg/L within | 10 mg/L | '15'16'17'18'19 |
ARSENIC worst: 2014 | 0.0048 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.01 mg/L | '14'17'18 |
BARIUM worst: 2013 | 0.21 mg/L within near national p90 | 2 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
FLUORIDE worst: 2017 | 0.19 mg/L within | 4 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
DBAA worst: 2012 | 0.0066 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
DCAA worst: 2012 | 0.017 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
TCAA worst: 2012 | 0.021 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
MBAA worst: 2012 | 0.0018 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'16'19 |
MCAA worst: 2017 | 0.002 mg/L | — | '17'18'19 |
BROMODICHLOROMETHANE worst: 2012 | 0.02 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
BROMOFORM worst: 2012 | 0.014 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
CHLOROFORM worst: 2012 | 0.064 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
DIBROMOCHLOROMETHANE worst: 2012 | 0.027 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
Radionuclides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross AlphaGross alpha particle activity — a combined measure of alpha-emitting radioactive substances. | 3.3 pCi/LAverageSFPUC | 15 pCi/LMCL | Within the limit |
+By source (2)— SFPUC, Valley Water
| |||
| UraniumA naturally occurring radioactive metal from erosion of natural deposits. | 1.3 pCi/LAverageSFPUC | 20 pCi/LMCL | Within the limit |
+By source (2)— SFPUC, Valley Water
| |||
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChlorineA disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. | 0.8 mg/LAverageSystem-wide | 4 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chromium, HexavalentHexavalent chromium ('chromium-6') — the more toxic form of chromium. | 1.9 ug/LAverageCSC Well Water | 10 ug/LMCL | Within the limit |
+By source (3)— CSC Well Water, Valley Water, SFPUC
| |||
| LeadA toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures. | 1 ug/LAverageSystem-wide | 15 ug/LAction level | Within the limit |
| CopperA metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing. | 0 mg/LAverageSystem-wide | 1.3 mg/LAction level | Within the limit |
VOCs & pesticides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toluene | 0.6 ug/LAverageCSC Well Water | 150 ug/LMCL | Within the limit |
+By source (3)— CSC Well Water, SFPUC, Valley Water
| |||
Disinfection byproducts
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| PerchlorateA chemical used in rocket fuel and fireworks that can also form during disinfection. | Not detected ug/LAverageValley Water | 6 ug/LMCL | Within the limit |
+By source (3)— CSC Well Water, Valley Water, SFPUC
| |||
Microbial
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Escherichia coli (E. coli)Escherichia coli — bacteria found in the gut of humans and animals. | 0AverageSystem-wide | 0MCL | None detected |
| Total ColiformA group of bacteria used as an indicator of overall water-system sanitation. | Not detected %AverageSystem-wide | 5 %MCL | Within the limit |
| Giardia lamblia | 0.02AverageValley Water | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
People also ask about Santa Clara, CA's water
+Is Santa Clara, CA tap water safe to drink in 2024?
Every one of the 18 contaminants measured in Santa Clara, CA's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report is below its federal limit. "Safe" under the EPA's drinking-water standards is health-based, not aesthetic — but by those standards, no measured contaminant in this report exceeds its enforceable threshold. Individual health concerns (e.g. immunocompromised, infant, pregnancy) may warrant additional filtering regardless of compliance.
+What contaminants are in Santa Clara, CA tap water?
18 contaminants were measured in Santa Clara, CA's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning metals, disinfection byproducts, and microbial. 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.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from Santa Clara, 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 Santa Clara, 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.