What was found in Santa Cruz's water
The level at the city's main supplier, the highest level anywhere in the city, the EPA limit for each, and where every figure comes from.
| Contaminant | Level vs EPA limit | Suppliers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 1400 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA CRUZ WATER DEPARTMENT · 94,626 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 727000 µg/L — ROUNTREE FACILITY(PREV. SHERIFF'S REHAB) · 235 people · 2014 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate | 990 µg/L 9.9% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA CRUZ WATER DEPARTMENT · 94,626 people · 2019 | 4/4 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 487.5 µg/L 12% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA CRUZ WATER DEPARTMENT · 94,626 people · 2019 | 3/4 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 126 µg/L 6.3% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA CRUZ WATER DEPARTMENT · 94,626 people · 2019 | 3/4 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 71.35 µg/L 89% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA CRUZ WATER DEPARTMENT · 94,626 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 78.25 µg/L — DAVENPORT COUNTY SANITATION · 350 people · 2019 | 2/4 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 57.75 µg/L 96% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA CRUZ WATER DEPARTMENT · 94,626 people · 2019 | 2/4 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 42 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SANTA CRUZ WATER DEPARTMENT · 94,626 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 55.25 µg/L — DAVENPORT COUNTY SANITATION · 350 people · 2019 | 2/4 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 54 µg/L 4.2% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA CRUZ WATER DEPARTMENT · 94,626 people · 2019 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 54 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SANTA CRUZ WATER DEPARTMENT · 94,626 people · 2024 | 1/4 | UCMR-5 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 38.7 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SANTA CRUZ WATER DEPARTMENT · 94,626 people · 2019 | 2/4 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 23 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SANTA CRUZ WATER DEPARTMENT · 94,626 people · 2019 | 2/4 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 19 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SANTA CRUZ WATER DEPARTMENT · 94,626 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 21 µg/L — DAVENPORT COUNTY SANITATION · 350 people · 2019 | 2/4 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 13 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SANTA CRUZ WATER DEPARTMENT · 94,626 people · 2019 | 2/4 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 3.95 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SANTA CRUZ WATER DEPARTMENT · 94,626 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 9.8 µg/L — DAVENPORT COUNTY SANITATION · 350 people · 2019 | 2/4 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 7.7 µg/L 7.7% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Highest in the city: ROUNTREE FACILITY(PREV. SHERIFF'S REHAB) · 235 people · 2013 | 3/4 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 3.96 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SANTA CRUZ WATER DEPARTMENT · 94,626 people · 2019 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 3.796 µg/L 25% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Highest in the city: DAVENPORT COUNTY SANITATION · 350 people · 2019 | 3/4 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 3.57 µg/L 36% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA CRUZ WATER DEPARTMENT · 94,626 people · 2019 | 3/4 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 2.755 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SANTA CRUZ WATER DEPARTMENT · 94,626 people · 2019 | 2/4 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 1.19692 µg/L 4% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Highest in the city: DAVENPORT COUNTY SANITATION · 350 people · 2018 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 1.173 µg/L 0% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA CRUZ WATER DEPARTMENT · 94,626 people · 2019 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Thallium, Total | 0.7400 µg/L 37% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Highest in the city: DAVENPORT COUNTY SANITATION · 350 people · 2019 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Tetrachloroethylene | 0.6785 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA CRUZ WATER DEPARTMENT · 94,626 people · 2019 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Antimony, Total | 0.6590 µg/L 11% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Highest in the city: DAVENPORT COUNTY SANITATION · 350 people · 2019 | 1/4 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0 mg/L 0% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: SANTA CRUZ WATER DEPARTMENT · 94,626 people · 2024
Highest in the city: 0.0028 mg/L — ROUNTREE FACILITY(PREV. SHERIFF'S REHAB) · 235 people · 2024 | 4/4 | LCR |
Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is
well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the
limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there
means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a
running annual average while the figure is the 95th percentile of the
system's samples — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a
violation.
Formal violations are listed separately.
These are the utilities' own EPA-reported results, not a city-wide
average. A detection means the lab measured the
substance — it isn't the same as exceeding a legal limit. Hover a source
tag to see the EPA program and years behind each figure.
Water suppliers serving Santa Cruz
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| SANTA CRUZ WATER DEPARTMENT | 94,626 |
| DAVENPORT COUNTY SANITATION | 350 |
| ROUNTREE FACILITY(PREV. SHERIFF'S REHAB) | 235 |
| JARVIS MUTUAL WATER SYSTEM | 125 |
Frequently asked questions about Santa Cruz tap water
Is Santa Cruz tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 25 contaminants in the water serving Santa Cruz. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most detected levels are within federal limits. Check the level and source for each contaminant above, and your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for the official compliance status.
How many water suppliers serve Santa Cruz?
4 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Santa Cruz, California to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Santa Cruz's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Santa Cruz include Nitrate-Nitrite, Nitrate, Fluoride, Barium, TTHM. The full list, with the level at the main supplier and the data source, is in the table above.
Where does this data come from?
Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.