What was found in Porterville'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 | 7721.29 µg/L 77% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 27120 µg/L — SIERRA MUTUAL WATER COMPANY · 43 people · 2019 | 10/10 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 20400 µg/L 204% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: LAKE SUCCESS MOBILE LODGE · 75 people · 2018 | 4/10 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 690 µg/L 53% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2019 | 5/10 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 300 µg/L 7.5% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 400 µg/L — PORTERVILLE - EAST PLANO · 46 people · 2018 | 10/10 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 200 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2019 | 7/10 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 0.8000 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 169 µg/L — PORTERVILLE - EAST PLANO · 46 people · 2018 | 2/10 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 22.125 µg/L 148% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 15 µg/L Highest in the city: SIERRA MUTUAL WATER COMPANY · 43 people · 2019 | 3/10 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 11.6 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2023 | 1/10 | UCMR-5 |
| Combined Uranium | 8.47214 µg/L 28% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 9.6038 µg/L — LAKE SUCCESS MOBILE LODGE · 75 people · 2019 | 4/10 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 7.925 µg/L 9.9% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2019 | 4/10 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 2.965 µg/L 30% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 7.89 µg/L — EAGLE'S NEST RESORT · 60 people · 2019 | 8/10 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 7 µg/L 7% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Highest in the city: FOOTHILL APARTMENTS · 41 people · 2018 | 2/10 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 5.95 µg/L 12% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Highest in the city: LAKE SUCCESS MOBILE LODGE · 75 people · 2018 | 2/10 | SYR4 |
| Tetrachloroethylene | 5.145 µg/L 103% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 5 µg/L Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2019 | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 4 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2019 | 2/10 | SYR4 |
| Cadmium | 3.3 µg/L 66% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Highest in the city: PORTERVILLE - EAST PLANO · 46 people · 2018 | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 2 µg/L 3.3% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 3 µg/L — LAKE SUCCESS MOBILE LODGE · 75 people · 2019 | 3/10 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 2.82 pCi/L 19% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Highest in the city: Tule River Apple Valley · 25 people · 2014 | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 2.52 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 2.65 µg/L — PORTERVILLE DEVELOPMENTAL CENTER · 1,281 people · 2019 | 3/10 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 2 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2019 | 3/10 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 2 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: LAKE SUCCESS MOBILE LODGE · 75 people · 2019 | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 1.01 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 1.95 µg/L — LAKE SUCCESS MOBILE LODGE · 75 people · 2019 | 3/10 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 1.71 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2019 | 3/10 | SYR4 |
| Thallium, Total | 1.22 µg/L 61% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Highest in the city: PORTERVILLE - EAST PLANO · 46 people · 2018 | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| 1,1-Dichloroethylene | 1.18 µg/L 17% of the EPA limit 7 µg/L Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2019 | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 1 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: LAKE SUCCESS MOBILE LODGE · 75 people · 2019 | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 1 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2019 | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 0.6155 pCi/L 12% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Highest in the city: Tule River Apple Valley · 25 people · 2014 | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 0.5000 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2019 | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Mercury | 0.4000 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Highest in the city: PORTERVILLE - EAST PLANO · 46 people · 2018 | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| 1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE | 0.0310 µg/L 16% of the EPA limit 0.2000 µg/L Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2019 | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| PFOS | 0.0230 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2023 | 1/10 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOA | 0.0220 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2023 | 1/10 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfpea | 0.0093 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2023 | 1/10 | UCMR-5 |
| PFBS | 0.0091 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2023 | 1/10 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhxa | 0.0085 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2023 | 1/10 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhpa | 0.0065 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2023 | 1/10 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfba | 0.0058 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2023 | 1/10 | UCMR-5 |
| Lead | 0.0 mg/L 0% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0050 mg/L — Tule River Apple Valley · 25 people · 2025 | 10/10 | LCR |
| PFHXS | 0.0036 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PORTERVILLE, CITY OF · 63,487 people · 2023 | 1/10 | UCMR-5 |
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 Porterville
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| PORTERVILLE, CITY OF | 63,487 |
| PORTERVILLE DEVELOPMENTAL CENTER | 1,281 |
| PORTERVILLE-JONES CORNER | 339 |
| WILLIAMS MUTUAL WATER COMPANY | 165 |
| LAKE SUCCESS MOBILE LODGE | 75 |
| EAGLE'S NEST RESORT | 60 |
| PORTERVILLE - EAST PLANO | 46 |
| SIERRA MUTUAL WATER COMPANY | 43 |
| FOOTHILL APARTMENTS | 41 |
| Tule River Apple Valley | 25 |
Frequently asked questions about Porterville tap water
Is Porterville tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 40 contaminants in the water serving Porterville. 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 Porterville?
10 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Porterville, California to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Porterville's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Porterville include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Copper, Fluoride, Barium. 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.