Is El Monte, CA Tap Water Safe? Quality & Contaminants

What was found in El Monte'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	580000 µg/L 5800% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 10000 µg/L	2/6	SYR4
Nitrate	22000 µg/L 220% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 10000 µg/L	5/6	SYR4
Fluoride	1300 µg/L 33% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L	5/6	SYR4
Copper	370 µg/L 28% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L	1/6	SYR4
Barium	220 µg/L 11% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L	4/6	SYR4
Tetrachloroethylene	220 µg/L 4400% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 5 µg/L	2/6	SYR4
Trichloroethylene	140 µg/L 2800% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 5 µg/L	2/6	SYR4
1,1-Dichloroethylene	64 µg/L 914% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 7 µg/L	2/6	SYR4
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene	23 µg/L 23% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L	1/6	SYR4
Carbon Tetrachloride	17 µg/L 340% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 5 µg/L	2/6	SYR4
TTHM	17 µg/L 21% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L	4/6	SYR4
Combined Uranium	14.9 µg/L 50% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L	4/6	SYR4
Chloroform	11 µg/L No EPA limit set	3/6	SYR4
Bromoform	6.9 µg/L No EPA limit set	3/6	SYR4
Dibromochloromethane	6.2 µg/L No EPA limit set	4/6	SYR4
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene	6.1 µg/L 8.7% of the EPA limit 70 µg/L	2/6	SYR4
Gross Beta Particle Activity	5.8 pCi/L No EPA limit set	1/6	SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	5.5 µg/L 9.2% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L	2/6	SYR4
Selenium	5 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L	1/6	SYR4
Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate	4.4 µg/L 73% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L	1/6	SYR4
Bromodichloromethane	4.2 µg/L No EPA limit set	4/6	SYR4
1,1,2-Trichloroethane	3.8 µg/L 76% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L	1/6	SYR4
Arsenic	3.8 µg/L 38% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L	3/6	SYR4
1,2-Dichloroethane	3.7 µg/L 74% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L	1/6	SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid	3 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/6	SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid	2.5 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/6	SYR4
Nitrite	1.5 µg/L 0.2% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L	2/6	SYR4
Pentachlorophenol	0.8500 µg/L 85% of the EPA limit 1 µg/L	1/6	SYR4
Toluene	0.5200 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L	1/6	SYR4
Pfba	0.0100 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/6	UCMR-5
Pfpea	0.0056 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/6	UCMR-5
PFOS	0.0044 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/6	UCMR-5
PFHXS	0.0032 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/6	UCMR-5
Lead	0.0 mg/L 0% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L	6/6	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 El Monte

Supplier	Population served
SAN GABRIEL VALLEY WATER CO.-EL MONTE	248,000
EL MONTE-CITY, WATER DEPT.	22,968
SAN GABRIEL VALLEY WATER CO-MONTEBELLO 1	9,630
DEL RIO MUTUAL	700
HEMLOCK MUTUAL WATER CO.	686
STERLING MUTUAL WATER COMPANY	198

Frequently asked questions about El Monte tap water

Is El Monte tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 34 contaminants in the water serving El Monte. 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 El Monte?

6 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for El Monte, California to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.

What contaminants are in El Monte's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in El Monte include Nitrate-Nitrite, Nitrate, Fluoride, Copper, Barium. 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.