What was found in Auburn'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 | 3860 µg/L 39% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: PLACER CWA - FOOTHILL · 89,544 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 943000 µg/L — AUBURN VALLEY COMMUNITY SERVICE DIS · 290 people · 2018 | 3/10 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate | 4165 µg/L 42% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: PLACER CWA - FOOTHILL · 89,544 people · 2019 | 3/10 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 477 µg/L 12% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: PLACER CWA - FOOTHILL · 89,544 people · 2019 | 4/10 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 176.22 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Highest in the city: AUBURN VALLEY COMMUNITY SERVICE DIS · 290 people · 2019 | 5/10 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 87.409 µg/L 8.7% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: AUBURN VALLEY COMMUNITY SERVICE DIS · 290 people · 2018 | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 38.5 µg/L 48% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: PLACER CWA - FOOTHILL · 89,544 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 76.41 µg/L — PLACER CWA - COLFAX · 3,149 people · 2019 | 7/10 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 36.975 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PLACER CWA - FOOTHILL · 89,544 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 74.39 µg/L — PLACER CWA - COLFAX · 3,149 people · 2019 | 7/10 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 52.308 µg/L 2.6% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: PLACER CWA - FOOTHILL · 89,544 people · 2019 | 8/10 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 29 µg/L 48% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Highest in the city: PCWA - WEIMAR · 1,689 people · 2019 | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 16 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: PCWA - WEIMAR · 1,689 people · 2019 | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 13 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: PCWA - WEIMAR · 1,689 people · 2019 | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 5.11 pCi/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PLACER CWA - FOOTHILL · 89,544 people · 2014 | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 4.274 µg/L 43% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: PLACER CWA - FOOTHILL · 89,544 people · 2019 | 7/10 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 3.12 µg/L 3.1% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: PLACER CWA - FOOTHILL · 89,544 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 4.2079 µg/L — PLACER CSA - SHERIDAN · 653 people · 2019 | 2/10 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 1.297 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PLACER CWA - FOOTHILL · 89,544 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 2.179 µg/L — PLACER CWA - COLFAX · 3,149 people · 2019 | 7/10 | SYR4 |
| Thallium, Total | 1.5275 µg/L 76% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Main supplier: PLACER CWA - FOOTHILL · 89,544 people · 2019 | 2/10 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 1.494 µg/L 0% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: PLACER CWA - ALTA · 748 people · 2019 | 2/10 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 1.04 µg/L 2.1% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Highest in the city: PLACER CSA - SHERIDAN · 653 people · 2019 | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 0.9357 µg/L 3.1% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Main supplier: PLACER CWA - FOOTHILL · 89,544 people · 2014 | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Mercury | 0.3800 µg/L 19% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Highest in the city: AUBURN VALLEY COMMUNITY SERVICE DIS · 290 people · 2018 | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0 mg/L 0% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: PLACER CWA - FOOTHILL · 89,544 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0030 mg/L — AUBURN VALLEY COMMUNITY SERVICE DIS · 290 people · 2024 | 10/10 | 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 Auburn
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| PLACER CWA - FOOTHILL | 89,544 |
| PLACER CWA - AUBURN/BOWMAN | 27,294 |
| PLACER CWA - COLFAX | 3,149 |
| PCWA - WEIMAR | 1,689 |
| PLACER CWA - ALTA | 748 |
| PLACER CSA - SHERIDAN | 653 |
| AUBURN VALLEY COMMUNITY SERVICE DIS | 290 |
| PLACER CWA - APPLEGATE | 190 |
| PLACER CWA - BIANCHI ESTATES | 110 |
| PLACER CWA - MONTE VISTA | 46 |
Frequently asked questions about Auburn tap water
Is Auburn tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 21 contaminants in the water serving Auburn. 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 Auburn?
10 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Auburn, California to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Auburn's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Auburn include Nitrate-Nitrite, Nitrate, Fluoride, Copper, Nitrite. 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.