# City of Santa Clara, CA — Drinking Water Quality (2026)

> Contaminant levels for the City of Santa Clara, CA public water system from its 2026 Consumer Confidence Report, compared to federal limits.

- Page: https://www.thewatermap.com/water/ca/santa-clara/2026
- JSON API: https://www.thewatermap.com/api/water/ca/santa-clara/2026
- 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: 2026
- Contaminants measured: 28
- Contaminants with a federal limit: 13
- Contaminants at or above the federal limit: 0
- Part of The Water Map — https://www.thewatermap.com

## Contaminants measured

| Contaminant | Category | Measured level | Sampling context | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bromodichloromethane | Disinfection byproducts | 1.065 UG/L (Average) | Distribution | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Bromoform | Disinfection byproducts | Not detected UG/L (Highest single sample) | Distribution | No federal limit | None detected |
| Chloroform | Disinfection byproducts | 19.45 UG/L (Average) | Distribution | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Dibromochloromethane | Disinfection byproducts | Not detected UG/L (Highest single sample) | Distribution | No federal limit | None detected |
| HAA5 | Disinfection byproducts | 21.5375 UG/L (Average) | Distribution | 60 UG/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Perchlorate | Disinfection byproducts | 1.055 UG/L (Average) | Source water | 6 UG/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| TTHM | Disinfection byproducts | 20.45 UG/L (Average) | Distribution | 80 UG/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Chloride | Inorganic chemicals | 51.5 MG/L (Average) | Source water | 500 MG/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Fluoride | Inorganic chemicals | 0.15500000000000003 MG/L (Average) | Source water | 2 MG/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Sulfate | Inorganic chemicals | 41.5 MG/L (Average) | Source water | 500 MG/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Calcium | Metals | 31.900000000000002 MG/L (Average) | Source water | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Iron | Metals | Not detected UG/L (Highest single sample) | Source water | 300 UG/L (MCL) | None detected |
| Magnesium | Metals | 18.4 MG/L (Average) | Source water | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Manganese | Metals | Not detected UG/L (Highest single sample) | Source water | 50 UG/L (MCL) | None detected |
| Potassium | Metals | 1.05 MG/L (Average) | Source water | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Sodium | Metals | 22.4 MG/L (Average) | Source water | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Dbaa | Other | Not detected UG/L (Highest single sample) | Distribution | No federal limit | None detected |
| Dcaa | Other | 10.22875 UG/L (Average) | Distribution | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Mbaa | Other | Not detected UG/L (Highest single sample) | Distribution | No federal limit | None detected |
| Mcaa | Other | 1.10625 UG/L (Average) | Distribution | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Tcaa | Other | 10.56375 UG/L (Average) | Distribution | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Alkalinity | Physical & aggregate | 132 MG/L (Average) | Source water | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Color | Physical & aggregate | 2 UNITS (Average) | Source water | 15 UNITS (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Odor | Physical & aggregate | Not detected TON (Highest single sample) | Source water | 3 TON (MCL) | None detected |
| pH | Physical & aggregate | 7.6 PH (Average) | Source water | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Specific Conductance | Physical & aggregate | 666.5 UMHO/CM (Average) | Source water | 1600 UMHO/CM (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Total Dissolved Solids | Physical & aggregate | 359 MG/L (Average) | Source water | 1000 MG/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Turbidity | Physical & aggregate | 0.85 NTU (Average) | Source water | 5 NTU (MCL) | Within the limit |

## What these contaminants are

- **Bromodichloromethane** — A trihalomethane disinfection byproduct. Counted within regulated total trihalomethanes; long-term exposure is associated with cancer and reproductive effects.
- **Bromoform** — A trihalomethane disinfection byproduct. Counted within regulated total trihalomethanes; long-term exposure is associated with liver and kidney effects.
- **Chloroform** — A trihalomethane formed when chlorine reacts with organic matter in water. A component of regulated total trihalomethanes; long-term exposure is linked to liver and kidney effects.
- **Dibromochloromethane** — A trihalomethane disinfection byproduct. Part of regulated total trihalomethanes; long-term exposure is linked to nervous-system, liver, and kidney effects.
- **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.
- **Perchlorate** — A chemical used in rocket fuel and fireworks that can also form during disinfection. Can interfere with thyroid hormone production; has no national enforceable limit but is regulated in some states.
- **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.
- **Chloride** — A naturally occurring salt compound. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; high levels cause a salty taste and can corrode pipes.
- **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.
- **Sulfate** — A naturally occurring mineral from rock and soil. No health-based federal limit; high levels can have a laxative effect and a bitter taste.
- **Calcium** — A naturally occurring mineral that contributes to water hardness. Not federally regulated for health; affects scaling and taste.
- **Iron** — A naturally occurring metal common in groundwater. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; causes rusty color, staining, and metallic taste.
- **Magnesium** — A naturally occurring mineral that contributes to water hardness. Not federally regulated for health; affects scaling and taste.
- **Manganese** — A naturally occurring metal from soil and rock. No enforceable federal limit; high levels stain fixtures and laundry and can affect taste, with a health advisory for infants.
- **Potassium** — A naturally occurring mineral from rock and soil. Not federally regulated for health.
- **Sodium** — A naturally occurring salt component. Not federally regulated for health; relevant for people on sodium-restricted diets.
- **Alkalinity** — A measure of the water's capacity to neutralize acids. Not federally regulated for health; relevant to corrosion control and treatment.
- **Color** — A measure of visible tint in the water. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard.
- **Odor** — A measure of detectable smell in the water. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard.
- **pH** — A measure of how acidic or basic the water is. Regulated only as a secondary standard; very low or high pH can corrode pipes or affect taste.
- **Specific Conductance** — A measure of how well water conducts electricity, which tracks dissolved mineral content. Not federally regulated for health; used as a proxy for total dissolved solids.
- **Total Dissolved Solids** — Total dissolved solids — the combined content of all dissolved minerals and salts. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; high levels affect taste and hardness.
- **Turbidity** — A measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. High turbidity can shelter microbes from disinfection; the EPA enforces it through a treatment-technique standard.

## 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 2026-05-26 from thewatermap.com._