# Whittier-city, Water Dept. — Whittier, Ca, CA — Drinking Water Quality (2020)

> Contaminant levels for the Whittier-city, Water Dept. — Whittier, Ca, CA public water system from its 2020 Consumer Confidence Report, compared to federal limits.

- Page: https://www.thewatermap.com/water/ca/whittier-city-water-dept-whittier-ca/2020
- JSON API: https://www.thewatermap.com/api/water/ca/whittier-city-water-dept-whittier-ca/2020
- 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: 2020
- Contaminants measured: 32
- Contaminants with a federal limit: 10
- Contaminants at or above the federal limit: 3
- Part of The Water Map — https://www.thewatermap.com

## Contaminants measured

| Contaminant | Category | Measured level | Sampling context | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HAA5 | Disinfection byproducts | 7.5–19 ug/L (Range) | System-wide | No federal limit | Within the limit |
| TTHM | Disinfection byproducts | 10–50 ug/L (Range) | Source water | No federal limit | Within the limit |
| Bromide | Inorganic chemicals | 180–200 ug/L (Range) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Chloride | Inorganic chemicals | 75–110 mg/L (Range) | Source water | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Fluoride | Inorganic chemicals | 0.16–0.28 mg/L (Range) | Source water | 4 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Nitrate | Inorganic chemicals | 1.6–4.3 mg/L (Range) | Source water | 10 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Sulfate | Inorganic chemicals | 88–140 mg/L (Range) | Source water | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Arsenic | Metals | 0–2.2 ug/L (Range) | Source water | No federal limit | Within the limit |
| Barium | Metals | 0–0.59 mg/L (Range) | Source water | 2 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Calcium | Metals | 62–94 mg/L (Range) | Source water | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Copper | Metals | 1 mg/L (Range) | Source water | 1.3 mg/L (Action level) | Within the limit |
| Iron | Metals | 0–440 ug/L (Range) | Source water | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Lead | Metals | Not detected ug/L (Reported level) | Source water | No federal limit | None detected |
| Magnesium | Metals | 12–17 mg/L (Range) | Source water | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Manganese | Metals | 6.4 ug/L (Reported level) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Sodium | Metals | 67–77 mg/L (Range) | Source water | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Total Coliform | Microbial | 1.59 (Reported level) | Source water | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Chlorine Total | Other | 0.2–1.65 mg/L (Range) | Source water | No federal limit | Within the limit |
| Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 3.3–9 ng/L (Range) | Source water | 500 ng/L (NL) | Detected — no federal limit |
| Perfluorohexanoic acid | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 2–9 ng/L (Range) | Source water | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| PFOA | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 6.9–11 ng/L (Range) | Source water | 5.1 ng/L (NL) | At or above the limit |
| PFOS | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 12–26 ng/L (Range) | Source water | 6.5 ng/L (NL) | At or above the limit |
| Alkalinity | Physical & aggregate | 130–180 mg/L (Range) | Source water | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Hardness | Physical & aggregate | 206–304 mg/L (Range) | Source water | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Odor | Physical & aggregate | 0–1 (Range) | Source water | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| pH | Physical & aggregate | 7.1–7.6 (Range) | Source water | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Specific Conductance | Physical & aggregate | 750–940 (Range) | Source water | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| TOC | Physical & aggregate | 0–1.1 mg/L (Range) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Total Dissolved Solids | Physical & aggregate | 470–550 mg/L (Range) | Source water | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Turbidity | Physical & aggregate | 0–2.2 NTU (Range) | Source water | 1 NTU (MCL) | At or above the limit |
| Uranium | Radionuclides | 0–2.3 pCi/L (Range) | Source water | 20 pCi/L (MCL) | Detected — no federal limit |
| Tetrachloroethylene | VOCs & pesticides | 0–1.2 ug/L (Range) | Source water | 5 ug/L (MCL) | Within the limit |

## What these contaminants are

- **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.
- **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.
- **Bromide** — A naturally occurring salt found in source water. Not directly regulated, but a precursor that increases formation of brominated disinfection byproducts.
- **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.
- **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.
- **Barium** — A metal from erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge. Long-term exposure above the federal limit can raise blood pressure.
- **Calcium** — A naturally occurring mineral that contributes to water hardness. Not federally regulated for health; affects scaling and taste.
- **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.
- **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.
- **Sodium** — A naturally occurring salt component. Not federally regulated for health; relevant for people on sodium-restricted diets.
- **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.
- **Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid** — Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' Has no standalone limit but is part of the EPA PFAS Hazard Index that limits PFAS in combination.
- **Perfluorohexanoic acid** — Perfluorohexanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' Monitored under EPA rules; persistent and widely detected.
- **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.
- **Alkalinity** — A measure of the water's capacity to neutralize acids. Not federally regulated for health; relevant to corrosion control and treatment.
- **Hardness** — A measure of dissolved calcium and magnesium minerals. Not federally regulated for health; affects scaling, soap use, and taste.
- **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.
- **TOC** — Total organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water. Not harmful itself, but it is the raw material that forms disinfection byproducts; removal is a treatment requirement.
- **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.
- **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.
- **Tetrachloroethylene** — An industrial solvent (PCE) used in dry cleaning and degreasing. A likely human carcinogen; long-term exposure above the federal limit can damage the liver and kidneys.

## 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._