What's in Sunnyvale, CA tap water

26 contaminants were measured in the Sunnyvale, CA water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit.

Browse the mapFull source report ↗

Reporting year: 2024
Contaminants measured: 26
Over federal limit: 0
Approaching the limit: 0
Service area: CA
Source: Utility CCR

All within federal limits. Every measured contaminant in this report is below its federal threshold.

Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS

Sunnyvale, CA's drinking water comes from ground water, drawn from 7 sources.

Source

7ground water

HAMILTON · 2
WESTMOOR
SERRA
RAYNOR WELL
+ 2 more

Treatment

0treatment plants

Distribution

0storage units

Also buys water from SANTA CLARA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT, SAN FRANCISCO REGIONAL WATER SYSTEM, and 3 more.

Source: EPA SDWIS facilities inventory. Methodology.

Compliance history

Federal Safe Drinking Water Act violation & enforcement records (EPA SDWIS). A violation is a regulatory determination by the state or EPA — separate from the measured levels above.

Treatment technique violationHealth-based
3 violations on record · most recent Mar 2015
resolved

Source: EPA SDWIS / ECHO. View the full federal record on EPA ECHO ↗

Disinfection byproducts

Contaminant	Measured	Federal limit	Status
HAA5Haloacetic acids — a group of five disinfection byproducts formed when disinfectants react with organic matter.	37.5 ug/LRunning annual avgSystem-wide	None set	Within the limit
TTHMTotal trihalomethanes — a group of four chemicals (including chloroform) formed when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter.	47.2 ug/LRunning annual avgSystem-wide	None set	Within the limit
ChlorateA byproduct that can form during disinfection, especially when hypochlorite solutions degrade.	134 mg/LAverageSFPUC	800 mg/LNL	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (3)— SFPUC, Groundwater Well, Valley Water SFPUCZone avg134 mg/Lrange24–597 mg/L Groundwater WellPlant avgNot detected mg/LrangeNot detected mg/L Valley WaterZone avgNot detected mg/LrangeNot detected mg/L

Disinfectants

Contaminant	Measured	Federal limit	Status
ChlorineA disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses.	2.3 mg/LRunning annual avgSystem-wide	None set	Within the limit

Physical & aggregate

Contaminant	Measured	Federal limit	Status
TurbidityA measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water.	0.4 NTUAverageSFPUC	None set	Within the limit
+By source (5)— SFPUC, Groundwater Well, Valley Water +2 more SFPUCPlant avg0.2 NTUrange0.1–0.4 NTU40% of limit Groundwater WellPlant avg0.25 NTUrange0.13–0.38 NTU38% of limit Valley WaterZone avg0.3 NTU30% of limit Valley WaterPlant avgNot detected NTUrange0–0.3 NTU30% of limit SFPUCZone avg0.4 %range0.3–0.5 %
ColorA measure of visible tint in the water.	2AverageValley Water	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (3)— Valley Water, Groundwater Well, SFPUC Valley WaterPlant avg2range0–3 Groundwater WellPlant avgNot detectedrangeNot detected SFPUCPlant avgNot detectedrangeNot detected
HardnessA measure of dissolved calcium and magnesium minerals.	290 mg/LAverageGroundwater Well	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (3)— Groundwater Well, Valley Water, SFPUC Groundwater WellPlant avg290 mg/Lrange270–310 mg/L Valley WaterZone avg111 mg/Lrange93–133 mg/L SFPUCZone avg57 mg/Lrange8.4–106 mg/L
OdorA measure of detectable smell in the water.	1.6AverageValley Water	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (3)— Valley Water, Groundwater Well, SFPUC Valley WaterPlant avg1.6range1.4–2 Groundwater WellPlant avgNot detectedrangeNot detected SFPUCPlant avgNot detectedrangeNot detected
pHA measure of how acidic or basic the water is.	7.7AverageValley Water	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (2)— Valley Water, Groundwater Well Valley WaterZone avg7.7range7.5–8 Groundwater WellPlant avg7.5range7.4–7.6
Specific ConductanceA measure of how well water conducts electricity, which tracks dissolved mineral content.	662AverageGroundwater Well	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (3)— Groundwater Well, Valley Water, SFPUC Groundwater WellPlant avg662range600–700 Valley WaterPlant avg466range414–522 SFPUCPlant avg174range31–317
TemperatureThe measured temperature of the water sample.	64AverageGroundwater Well	None set	Detected — no federal limit
TOCTotal organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water.	1.6 mg/LAverageValley Water	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (2)— Valley Water, SFPUC Valley WaterZone avg1.6 mg/Lrange1.2–2 mg/L SFPUCZone avg1.5 mg/Lrange1.1–1.8 mg/L
Total Dissolved SolidsTotal dissolved solids — the combined content of all dissolved minerals and salts.	427 mg/LAverageGroundwater Well	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (3)— Groundwater Well, Valley Water, SFPUC Groundwater WellPlant avg427 mg/Lrange390–450 mg/L Valley WaterPlant avg268 mg/Lrange238–298 mg/L SFPUCPlant avg97 mg/Lrange24–169 mg/L

Inorganic chemicals

Contaminant	Measured	Federal limit	Status
NitrateA compound from fertilizer runoff, septic systems, and erosion of natural deposits.	3 mg/LAverageGroundwater Well	10 mg/LMCL	Within the limit
+By source (3)— Groundwater Well, Valley Water, SFPUC Groundwater WellPlant avg3 mg/Lrange1.8–6.3 mg/L63% of limit Valley WaterZone avgNot detected mg/Lrange0–0.7 mg/L7% of limit SFPUCZone avgNot detected mg/Lrange0–0.4 mg/L4% of limit
FluorideA mineral often added to drinking water to help prevent tooth decay.	0.2 mg/LAverageSFPUC	4 mg/LMCL	Within the limit
+By source (3)— SFPUC, Groundwater Well, Valley Water SFPUCZone avg0.2 mg/Lrange0–0.8 mg/L20% of limit Groundwater WellPlant avg0.15 mg/Lrange0.14–0.17 mg/L4% of limit Valley WaterZone avgNot detected mg/Lrange0–0.11 mg/L3% of limit
ChlorideA naturally occurring salt compound.	50 mg/LAverageValley Water	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (3)— Groundwater Well, Valley Water, SFPUC Groundwater WellPlant avg43 mg/Lrange32–62 mg/L Valley WaterPlant avg50 mg/Lrange47–53 mg/L SFPUCPlant avg4.9 mg/Lrange0–9.9 mg/L
SulfateA naturally occurring mineral from rock and soil.	66 mg/LAverageValley Water	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (3)— Valley Water, Groundwater Well, SFPUC Valley WaterPlant avg66 mg/Lrange57–80 mg/L Groundwater WellPlant avg34 mg/Lrange23–41 mg/L SFPUCPlant avg21 mg/Lrange1–41 mg/L

Metals

Contaminant	Measured	Federal limit	Status
CopperA metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing.	0.234 mg/L90th percentileAt the tap	1.3 mg/LAction level	Within the limit
BariumA metal from erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge.	Not detected mg/LAverageValley Water	2 mg/LMCL	Within the limit
+By source (3)— Groundwater Well, Valley Water, SFPUC Groundwater WellPlant avgNot detected mg/Lrange0–0.12 mg/L6% of limit Valley WaterZone avgNot detected mg/LrangeNot detected mg/L0% of limit SFPUCZone avgNot detected mg/LrangeNot detected mg/L0% of limit
LeadA toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures.	Not detected ug/L90th percentileAt the tap	None set	None detected
AluminumA common element sometimes used as a treatment coagulant.	Not detected mg/LAverageGroundwater Well	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (3)— SFPUC, Groundwater Well, Valley Water SFPUCZone avgNot detected mg/Lrange0–0.06 mg/L Groundwater WellPlant avgNot detected mg/LrangeNot detected mg/L Valley WaterZone avgNot detected mg/LrangeNot detected mg/L
Chromium, HexavalentHexavalent chromium ('chromium-6') — the more toxic form of chromium.	0.01 ug/LAverageSFPUC	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (2)— SFPUC, Valley Water SFPUCZone avg0.01 ug/Lrange0–0.1 ug/L Valley WaterZone avgNot detected ug/LrangeNot detected ug/L
IronA naturally occurring metal common in groundwater.	20 ug/LAverageSFPUC	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (3)— SFPUC, Groundwater Well, Valley Water SFPUCPlant avg20 ug/Lrange0–41 ug/L Groundwater WellPlant avgNot detected ug/LrangeNot detected ug/L Valley WaterPlant avgNot detected ug/LrangeNot detected ug/L
ManganeseA naturally occurring metal from soil and rock.	Not detected ug/LAverageGroundwater Well	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (3)— SFPUC, Groundwater Well, Valley Water SFPUCPlant avgNot detected ug/Lrange0–2.7 ug/L Groundwater WellPlant avgNot detected ug/LrangeNot detected ug/L Valley WaterPlant avgNot detected ug/LrangeNot detected ug/L
SodiumA naturally occurring salt component.	47 mg/LAverageValley Water	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (3)— Valley Water, Groundwater Well, SFPUC Valley WaterZone avg47 mg/Lrange45–49 mg/L Groundwater WellPlant avg28 mg/Lrange22–41 mg/L SFPUCZone avg13 mg/Lrange3.1–24 mg/L

Microbial

Contaminant	Measured	Federal limit	Status
Giardia lamblia	0.02AverageSFPUC	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (2)— SFPUC, Valley Water SFPUCZone avg0.02range0–0.06 Valley WaterZone avgNot detectedrangeNot detected

Source: Sunnyvale, CA's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. utility is required to publish. The numbers on this page are the utility's own. A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.