# City of South Pasadena — South Pasadena, Ca, CA — Drinking Water Quality (2023)

> Contaminant levels for the City of South Pasadena — South Pasadena, Ca, CA public water system from its 2023 Consumer Confidence Report, compared to federal limits.

- Page: https://www.thewatermap.com/water/ca/south-pasadena-south-pasadena-ca/2023
- JSON API: https://www.thewatermap.com/api/water/ca/south-pasadena-south-pasadena-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: 24
- Contaminants with a federal limit: 7
- 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 | 0.2–1.3 mg/L (Range) | South Pasadena Groundwater | No federal limit | Within the limit |
| Bromate | Disinfection byproducts | 0–12 (Range) | Metropolitan Imported Water | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| HAA5 | Disinfection byproducts | 0–2.5 (Range) | South Pasadena Groundwater | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Perchlorate | Disinfection byproducts | 0–3.1 (Range) | Pasadena Groundwater | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Chloride | Inorganic chemicals | 25–66 mg/L (Range) | Pasadena Groundwater | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Fluoride | Inorganic chemicals | 0.6–1.1 mg/L (Range) | Pasadena Groundwater | 4 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Nitrate | Inorganic chemicals | 0–7.5 mg/L (Range) | Pasadena Groundwater | 10 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Sulfate | Inorganic chemicals | 42–160 mg/L (Range) | Pasadena Groundwater | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Aluminum | Metals | 120 (Reported level) | Metropolitan Imported Water | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Barium | Metals | 0–0.14 mg/L (Range) | Pasadena Groundwater | 2 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Copper | Metals | 0.3 mg/L (Reported level) | South Pasadena Groundwater | 1.3 mg/L (Action level) | Within the limit |
| Iron | Metals | 0–260 (Range) | Pasadena Groundwater | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Lead | Metals | 0 (Range) | South Pasadena Groundwater | No federal limit | None detected |
| Carbon Tetrachloride | Other | Not detected ng/L (Reported level) | Metropolitan Imported Water | No federal limit | None detected |
| Pce | Other | 0–2.9 (Range) | South Pasadena Groundwater | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Tce | Other | 0–1.9 (Range) | South Pasadena Groundwater | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Color | Physical & aggregate | 1 (Reported level) | Metropolitan Imported Water | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Odor | Physical & aggregate | 2 (Reported level) | Metropolitan Imported Water | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Specific Conductance | Physical & aggregate | 520–880 (Range) | Pasadena Groundwater | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Total Dissolved Solids | Physical & aggregate | 300–600 mg/L (Range) | Pasadena Groundwater | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Turbidity | Physical & aggregate | 0–1.1 NTU (Range) | Pasadena Groundwater | 1 NTU (MCL) | At or above the limit |
| Gross Alpha | Radionuclides | 0–14 pCi/L (Range) | Pasadena Groundwater | 15 pCi/L (MCL) | Approaching the limit |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | Radionuclides | 0–6 pCi/L (Range) | Metropolitan Imported Water | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Uranium | Radionuclides | 3.2–14 pCi/L (Range) | Pasadena Groundwater | 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.
- **Bromate** — A disinfection byproduct formed when bromide-containing water is treated with ozone. Classified as a probable human carcinogen; the EPA sets a strict maximum contaminant 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.
- **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.
- **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.
- **Nitrate** — A compound from fertilizer runoff, septic systems, and erosion of natural deposits. Levels above the federal limit can cause 'blue baby syndrome,' a serious oxygen-transport condition in infants.
- **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.
- **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.
- **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.
- **Iron** — A naturally occurring metal common in groundwater. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; causes rusty color, staining, and metallic taste.
- **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.
- **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.
- **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.
- **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._