Is Palm Desert, CA Tap Water Safe? Quality & Contaminants

What was found in Palm Desert'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	3/5	SYR4
Nitrate	12656 µg/L 127% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 10000 µg/L	4/5	SYR4
Fluoride	1500 µg/L 38% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L	4/5	SYR4
Copper	560 µg/L 43% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L	2/5	SYR4
Barium	140 µg/L 7% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L	2/5	SYR4
Combined Uranium	52.15 µg/L 174% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 30 µg/L	4/5	SYR4
Chromium	37 µg/L 37% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L	2/5	SYR4
Arsenic	32 µg/L 320% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 10 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
TTHM	24 µg/L 30% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L	3/5	SYR4
Lithium	17.7 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/5	UCMR-5
Bromoform	15 µg/L No EPA limit set	3/5	SYR4
Selenium	15 µg/L 30% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L	2/5	SYR4
Dibromochloromethane	8.7 µg/L No EPA limit set	3/5	SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid	6.6 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/5	SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	6.6 µg/L 11% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L	2/5	SYR4
Bromodichloromethane	5.5 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/5	SYR4
Chloroform	4.6 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/5	SYR4
Gross Beta Particle Activity	4.58 pCi/L No EPA limit set	1/5	SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid	2.5 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/5	SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid	1.5 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/5	SYR4
Monobromoacetic Acid	1.2 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/5	SYR4
Tetrachloroethylene	0.8400 µg/L 17% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE	0.0670 µg/L 34% of the EPA limit 0.2000 µg/L	1/5	SYR4
Lead	0.0085 mg/L 57% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L	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 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 Palm Desert

Supplier	Population served
COACHELLA VWD: COVE COMMUNITY	270,000
COACHELLA VWD: I.D. NO. 8	4,600
STONE CREEK WATER COMPANY	152
PINYON CREST HOA	104
ROYAL CARRIZO HOA	25

Frequently asked questions about Palm Desert tap water

Is Palm Desert tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 24 contaminants in the water serving Palm Desert. 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 Palm Desert?

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

What contaminants are in Palm Desert's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Palm Desert 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.