Drinking water quality
What's in Pasadena, CA tap water
65 contaminants were measured in the Pasadena, CA water system's most recent annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit — 1 sit at or above that limit.
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorine | 0–3 mg/LRange | 4 mg/LMRDL | Approaching the limit |
Disinfection byproducts
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HAA5 | 3–36 ug/LRange | 60 ug/LMCL | Approaching the limit |
| Perchlorate | 0–3.1 ug/LRange | 6 ug/LMCL | Approaching the limit |
| TTHM | 6–66 ug/LRange | 80 ug/LMCL | Approaching the limit |
Inorganic chemicals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chloride | 25–66 mg/LRange | 500 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
| Fluoride | 0.6–1.1 mg/LRange | 2 mg/LMCL | Approaching the limit |
| Nitrate | 0–7.5 mg/LRange | 10 mg/LMCL | Approaching the limit |
| Sulfate | 42–159 mg/LRange | 500 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum | 115 ug/LReported Level | 1000 ug/LMCL | Within the limit |
| Arsenic | Not detected ug/LReported Level | 10 ug/LMCL | None detected |
| Barium | 0–140 ug/LRange | 1000 ug/LMCL | Within the limit |
| Calcium | 58–110 mg/LRange | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Chromium, Hexavalent | 1.3–8.6 ug/LRange | 0.02 ug/LPHG | At or above the limit |
| Copper | 0.26 mg/L90th percentile | 1.3 mg/LAL | Within the limit |
| Iron | 0–260 ug/LRange | 300 ug/LMCL | Approaching the limit |
| Lead | Not detected ug/L90th percentile | 15 ug/LAL | None detected |
| Lithium | 0–36 ug/LRange | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Magnesium | 12–32 mg/LRange | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Potassium | 2.6–3 mg/LRange | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Sodium | 39–55 mg/LRange | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Microbial
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Escherichia coli (E. coli) | 0Average | 0MCL | None detected |
| Total Coliform | 1.4 %Average | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11-Chloroeicosafluoro-3-oxaundecane-1-sulfonic acid (11Cl-PF3OUdS) | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| 4,8-Dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoic acid (ADONA) | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| 4:2 Fluorotelomer sulfonic acid (4:2 FTS) | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| 6:2 Fluorotelomer sulfonic acid (6:2 FTS) | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| 8:2 Fluorotelomer sulfonic acid (8:2 FTS) | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| 9-Chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanonane-1-sulfonic acid (9Cl-PF3ONS) | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| N-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NEtFOSAA) | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NMeFOSAA) | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| Nonafluoro-3,6-dioxaheptanoic acid | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| Perfluoro-3-methoxypropanoic acid (PFMPA) | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| Perfluoro-4-methoxybutanoic acid (PFMBA) | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| Perfluoro(2-ethoxyethane)sulfonic acid (PFEESA) | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| Perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA) | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS) | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| Perfluorohexanoic acid | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| Perfluorononanoic acid | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| Perfluoropentanesulfonic acid (PFPeS) | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| Perfluoropentanoic acid | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| Perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTeDA) | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| Perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA) | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA) | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| PFBA | Not detected ug/LRange | None set | None detected |
| PFOA | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
| PFOS | Not detected ug/LAverage | None set | None detected |
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alkalinity | 130–200 mg/LRange | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Color | 1Reported Level | 15MCL | Within the limit |
| Hardness | 190–370 mg/LRange | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Odor | 2Reported Level | 3MCL | Approaching the limit |
| pH | 8.6Reported Level | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Specific Conductance | 520–880Range | 1600MCL | Approaching the limit |
| Total Dissolved Solids | 300–600 mg/LRange | 1000 mg/LMCL | Approaching the limit |
| Turbidity | 0–1.1 NTURange | 5 NTUMCL | Within the limit |
Radionuclides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combined Radium | Not detectedReported Level | 5MCL | None detected |
| Gross Alpha | 2.1–14Range | 15MCL | Approaching the limit |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 0–6Range | 50MCL | Within the limit |
| Uranium | 3.2–14Range | 20MCL | Approaching the limit |
VOCs & pesticides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tetrachloroethylene | 0–0.8 ug/LRange | 5 ug/LMCL | Within the limit |
| Trichloroethylene | 0–0.7 ug/LRange | 5 ug/LMCL | Within the limit |
Every figure here is transcribed verbatim from Pasadena, CA's annual Consumer Confidence Report, cross-checked by a second model, and approved by a person before publishing. Numbers are the utility's own — a water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.