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

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

- Page: https://www.thewatermap.com/water/ca/watsonville-watsonville-ca/2023
- JSON API: https://www.thewatermap.com/api/water/ca/watsonville-watsonville-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: 14
- Contaminants with a federal limit: 9
- 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 | 0.61–0.96 mg/L (Average) | Treated Surface Water | 4 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Fluoride | Inorganic chemicals | 175 ug/L (Average) | Treated Surface Water | 4000 ug/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Nitrate | Inorganic chemicals | 1.1 mg/L (Average) | Treated Ground-water 2 | 10 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Aluminum | Metals | 80 ug/L (Average) | Treated Surface Water | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Arsenic | Metals | 1 ug/L (Average) | Niveles de Promedio de la Ciudad | 0.004 ug/L (Public health goal) | Within the limit |
| Chromium, Hexavalent | Metals | 8.9 ug/L (Average) | Niveles de Promedio de la Ciudad | 0.02 ug/L (Public health goal) | Detected — no federal limit |
| Copper | Metals | 90 ug/L (Average) | Treated Surface Water | 1300 ug/L (Action level) | Within the limit |
| Lead | Metals | 90 ug/L (Average) | Treated Surface Water | No federal limit | At or above the limit |
| Nickel | Metals | 1.4 ug/L (Average) | Treated Ground-water 2 | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Total Coliform | Microbial | 0.05 (Average) | COW Average Level | 0 (Public health goal) | Detected — no federal limit |
| Chromium | Other | 6.3 ug/L (Average) | Treated Ground-water 2 | No federal limit | Within the limit |
| PFOA | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 0.74 ng/L (Average) | Niveles de Promedio de la Ciudad | 0.007 ng/L (Public health goal) | Within the limit |
| PFOS | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 0.76 ng/L (Average) | COW Average Level | 1 ng/L (Public health goal) | Within the limit |
| Turbidity | Physical & aggregate | 0.029 NTU (Average) | Treated Surface Water | No federal limit | Within the 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.
- **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.
- **Aluminum** — A common element sometimes used as a treatment coagulant. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; high levels can discolor water.
- **Arsenic** — A naturally occurring element that also enters water from industry and agriculture. A known human carcinogen; long-term exposure is linked to skin, bladder, and lung cancer.
- **Chromium, Hexavalent** — Hexavalent chromium ('chromium-6') — the more toxic form of chromium. A known carcinogen by inhalation; regulated nationally only within the total-chromium limit, with stricter limits in some states.
- **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.
- **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.
- **Nickel** — A metal from natural deposits and industrial discharge. Long-term exposure can cause skin and other effects; monitored under EPA rules.
- **Total Coliform** — A group of bacteria used as an indicator of overall water-system sanitation. Coliforms themselves are usually harmless, but their presence signals that disease-causing organisms could enter the system.
- **PFOA** — Perfluorooctanoic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical' once used in nonstick and stain-resistant products. Linked to cancer, liver damage, and immune effects; the EPA set an enforceable limit of 4 parts per trillion.
- **PFOS** — Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical' once used in firefighting foam and coatings. Linked to cancer, thyroid disease, and immune effects; the EPA set an enforceable limit of 4 parts per trillion.
- **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 2026-06-04 from thewatermap.com._