States › California

California Tap Water Quality 2026

EPA drinking water data for 1,434 cities across California — covering lead levels, violation history, and compliance status.

Systems tracked: 951 Cities covered: 1,434 Updated: 2026 Q2
A

California earns an A for overall water quality

1434 communities across 58 counties and 951 water systems. 89.7% have no open violations.

Median lead where detected: 2.28 ppb
64.1% of systems report lead as not detected — a state filing convention, not a water quality measure
PFAS tested at 57.5% of communities; 149 above the federal limit
Lead reported for 96.0% of communities
89.7% of communities have no open violations
Water Systems
951
Active community systems
Median Lead Level
2.28 ppb
15% of EPA action level
Fully Compliant
89.7%
of systems — no active violations
How we grade states Grades are based on actual EPA enforcement data — MCL violations and lead levels measured against the 15 ppb federal action level. We do not use MCLG-based detections, which are aspirational zero-tolerance goals that would make nearly every state look dangerous. Read our full methodology →

Best & Worst Cities in California

✓ Cleanest Water
Robinson Mill
Butte County
2.4 ppb B
Madera Acres
Madera County
3.0 ppb A
Rackerby
Butte County
2.4 ppb B
Forbestown
Butte County
2.4 ppb B
Norris Canyon
Contra Costa County
0.0 ppb A
Lake Davis
Plumas County
0.0 ppb B
⚠ Needs Attention
Pala
San Diego County
1.0 ppb F
Yosemite Lakes
Madera County
8.4 ppb F
Big River
San Bernardino County
2.7 ppb F
Rodriguez Camp
Tulare County
5.0 ppb F
Salton City
Imperial County
5.0 ppb F
El Rancho
Tulare County
5.0 ppb F

Water Quality by County

58 of 58
Sort:
CountySystemsLead LevelViolationsGrade
Los Angeles County 142 1.8 ppb 0 A
Kern County 83 2.2 ppb 0 B
Riverside County 73 2.8 ppb 0 A
San Diego County 56 1.1 ppb 0 A
Contra Costa County 53 3.1 ppb 0 A
Tulare County 51 2.2 ppb 0 B
San Bernardino County 51 1.6 ppb 0 B
Orange County 45 2.2 ppb 0 A
Fresno County 41 7.6 ppb 0 B
Humboldt County 37 1.6 ppb 0 B

About California Drinking Water

California is served by 951 community water systems covering 1434 communities across 58 counties. 89.7% have no open violation on record.

Lead was detected in 494 communities, with a median of 2.28 ppb — 15% of the federal action level. A further 883 reported none detected. That share is a state reporting convention rather than a measure of water quality, so it is stated separately rather than averaged in.

PFAS has been tested at 57.5% of communities here, and 149 are above the limits EPA set in 2024. Coverage matters: states that test more find more, so this figure is not comparable with a state that has tested less.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is California tap water safe to drink? ▼
89.7% of communities have no open violation on record. 149 have PFAS above the federal limit set in 2024, which is the main open concern.
Does California have a lead problem? ▼
34 water systems report a 90th-percentile lead result at or above the 15 ppb action level. The action level is a treatment trigger, not a legal maximum, and 883 communities report no detection at all.
How complete is the data for California? ▼
Lead results are reported for 96.0% of communities and PFAS for 57.5%. Where a figure is missing it is shown as not reported rather than assumed safe.
How does California compare with other states? ▼
We do not rank states against each other. Lead reporting completeness ranges from under 20% to 100% depending on the state, so a national ranking would compare filing practice rather than water quality.