What was found in Santa Monica'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 | 502000 µg/L 5020% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 10000 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2018 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate | 6329.13 µg/L 63% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 360 µg/L 9% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 90.12 µg/L 4.5% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2018 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 45.58 µg/L 3.5% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2018 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 41.869 µg/L 140% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 30 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 34.8 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| TTHM | 33.715 µg/L 42% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroethylene | 20.03 µg/L 401% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 5 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Tetrachloroethylene | 17.54 µg/L 351% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 5 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 14.5 µg/L 24% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 13.8 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 12.42 µg/L 25% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2018 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 7.5 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 7.235 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 7.05 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 4.9 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 4.9 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 4.6 pCi/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2017 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 4.5 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| 1,1-Dichloroethylene | 4.2 µg/L 60% of the EPA limit 7 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 3.04 µg/L 0.3% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 2.95 µg/L 3% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2018 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 2.8 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene | 2.575 µg/L 3.7% of the EPA limit 70 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 2.44 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 1.485 µg/L 9.9% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2018 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 1.3 µg/L 13% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2018 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Cadmium | 0.5000 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2018 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Carbon Tetrachloride | 0.5000 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Pfpea | 0.0220 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhxa | 0.0179 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfba | 0.0088 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhpa | 0.0050 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOA | 0.0046 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| PFBS | 0.0045 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| Lead | 0.0014 mg/L 9.3% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION · 89,947 people · 2025 | 1/1 | 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 Monica
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| SANTA MONICA-CITY, WATER DIVISION | 89,947 |
Frequently asked questions about Santa Monica tap water
Is Santa Monica tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 37 contaminants in the water serving Santa Monica. 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 Monica?
1 public water supplier report drinking-water monitoring for Santa Monica, California to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Santa Monica's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Santa Monica include Nitrate-Nitrite, Nitrate, Fluoride, Barium, Copper. 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.