What was found in Santa Paula'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 | 400000 µg/L 4000% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 10000 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA PAULA · 31,018 people · 2019 | 3/5 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate | 5443 µg/L 54% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA PAULA · 31,018 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 5739.96 µg/L — SISAR MUTUAL WATER CO · 340 people · 2019 | 3/5 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 515 µg/L 13% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA PAULA · 31,018 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 785 µg/L — SOUTH MOUNTAIN MUTUAL WATER CO · 58 people · 2019 | 3/5 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 70 µg/L 5.4% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA PAULA · 31,018 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 18.3 µg/L 37% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA PAULA · 31,018 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 65.35 µg/L — SOUTH MOUNTAIN MUTUAL WATER CO · 58 people · 2019 | 3/5 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 46 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA PAULA · 31,018 people · 2025 | 1/5 | UCMR-5 |
| Barium | 29.815 µg/L 1.5% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA PAULA · 31,018 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 39.985 µg/L — SISAR MUTUAL WATER CO · 340 people · 2019 | 3/5 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 18.875 µg/L 24% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA PAULA · 31,018 people · 2019 | 5/5 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 10.735 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA PAULA · 31,018 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 11.05 µg/L — SOUTH MOUNTAIN MUTUAL WATER CO · 58 people · 2019 | 5/5 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 4 µg/L 6.7% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA PAULA · 31,018 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 7 µg/L — SOUTH MOUNTAIN MUTUAL WATER CO · 58 people · 2019 | 4/5 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 5.1 µg/L 51% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA PAULA · 31,018 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 6.9 µg/L — SOUTH MOUNTAIN MUTUAL WATER CO · 58 people · 2019 | 2/5 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 5.28056 µg/L 18% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA PAULA · 31,018 people · 2016
Highest in the city: 6.6454 µg/L — SOUTH MOUNTAIN MUTUAL WATER CO · 58 people · 2019 | 3/5 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 6.175 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA PAULA · 31,018 people · 2019 | 5/5 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 4 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA PAULA · 31,018 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 6 µg/L — SOUTH MOUNTAIN MUTUAL WATER CO · 58 people · 2019 | 4/5 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 4 µg/L 4% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA PAULA · 31,018 people · 2019 | 2/5 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 2.28 µg/L 15% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA PAULA · 31,018 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 2 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA PAULA · 31,018 people · 2019 | 5/5 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 1.74 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA PAULA · 31,018 people · 2019 | 3/5 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 1.6 µg/L 0.2% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: SISAR MUTUAL WATER CO · 340 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 1 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: SOUTH MOUNTAIN MUTUAL WATER CO · 58 people · 2019 | 2/5 | SYR4 |
| Pentachlorophenol | 0.4000 µg/L 40% of the EPA limit 1 µg/L Highest in the city: SISAR MUTUAL WATER CO · 340 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Cadmium | 0.3000 µg/L 6% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA PAULA · 31,018 people · 2019 | 2/5 | SYR4 |
| Mercury | 0.0400 µg/L 2% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA PAULA · 31,018 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0 mg/L 0% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA PAULA · 31,018 people · 2025 | 5/5 | 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 Paula
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| CITY OF SANTA PAULA | 31,018 |
| LIMONEIRA RANCH #1 | 1,187 |
| SISAR MUTUAL WATER CO | 340 |
| MIDDLE ROAD MUTUAL WATER CO | 134 |
| SOUTH MOUNTAIN MUTUAL WATER CO | 58 |
Frequently asked questions about Santa Paula tap water
Is Santa Paula tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 24 contaminants in the water serving Santa Paula. 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 Paula?
5 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Santa Paula, California to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Santa Paula's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Santa Paula include Nitrate-Nitrite, Nitrate, Fluoride, Copper, Selenium. 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.