Is Desert Hot Springs, CA Tap Water Safe? Quality & Contaminants

What was found in Desert Hot Springs's water

The highest level seen across the city's suppliers, the EPA limit for each, and where the figure comes from.

Contaminant	Level vs EPA limit	Suppliers	Source
Nitrate-Nitrite	1000000 µg/L 10000% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 10000 µg/L	3/3	SYR4
Nitrate	4200 µg/L 42% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L	3/3	SYR4
Fluoride	1400 µg/L 35% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L	3/3	SYR4
Combined Uranium	58.11 µg/L 194% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 30 µg/L	3/3	SYR4
Chromium	27 µg/L 27% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L	1/3	SYR4
TTHM	26.8 µg/L 34% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L	3/3	SYR4
Dibromochloromethane	9.5 µg/L No EPA limit set	3/3	SYR4
Bromoform	9.3 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/3	SYR4
Bromodichloromethane	5.7 µg/L No EPA limit set	3/3	SYR4
Chloroform	4.1 µg/L No EPA limit set	3/3	SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	3.7 µg/L 6.2% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L	3/3	SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid	2.8 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/3	SYR4
Arsenic	2.7 µg/L 27% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L	2/3	SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid	1.7 µg/L No EPA limit set	3/3	SYR4
Dichloromethane	1 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L	1/3	SYR4
Lead	0.0 mg/L 0% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L	3/3	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 single worst sample on record — 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 Desert Hot Springs

Supplier	Population served
MISSION SPRINGS WD	43,484
WEST PALM SPRINGS VILLAGE	517
PALM SPRINGS CREST	399

Frequently asked questions about Desert Hot Springs tap water

Is Desert Hot Springs tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 16 contaminants in the water serving Desert Hot Springs. 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 Desert Hot Springs?

3 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Desert Hot Springs, California to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.

What contaminants are in Desert Hot Springs's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Desert Hot Springs include Nitrate-Nitrite, Nitrate, Fluoride, Combined Uranium, Chromium. The full list, with the highest level found 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.