What was found in Long Beach'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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fluoride | 620 µg/L 16% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT · 466,772 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 285 µg/L 22% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT · 466,772 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 145 µg/L 7.2% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT · 466,772 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 64.025 µg/L 80% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT · 466,772 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 54 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT · 466,772 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| Chloroform | 24.02 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT · 466,772 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 23.4 µg/L 39% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT · 466,772 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 22.15 µg/L 222% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 10 µg/L Main supplier: LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT · 466,772 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 20.905 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT · 466,772 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 18.41 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT · 466,772 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 11 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT · 466,772 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 8.18 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT · 466,772 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 7.51695 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT · 466,772 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 7.14 µg/L 48% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT · 466,772 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 5 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT · 466,772 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Dichloromethane | 4.0265 µg/L 81% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT · 466,772 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 3.145 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT · 466,772 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 2.5926 µg/L 8.6% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Main supplier: LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT · 466,772 people · 2017 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Benzene | 2.2 µg/L 44% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT · 466,772 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 1.98 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT · 466,772 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 1.4975 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT · 466,772 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 1.075 µg/L 0% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT · 466,772 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Ethylbenzene | 0.7875 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 700 µg/L Main supplier: LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT · 466,772 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.00097 mg/L 6.5% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT · 466,772 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 Long Beach
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT | 466,772 |
Frequently asked questions about Long Beach tap water
Is Long Beach tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 24 contaminants in the water serving Long Beach. 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 Long Beach?
1 public water supplier report drinking-water monitoring for Long Beach, California to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Long Beach's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Long Beach include Fluoride, Copper, Barium, TTHM, Lithium. 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.