What was found in Salinas'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-Nitrite | 10200 µg/L 102% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 10000 µg/L Main supplier: ALCO WATER SERVICE · 56,253 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 817085 µg/L — ORCHARD LN WS #02 · 32 people · 2018 | 41/55 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate | 8989 µg/L 90% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: ALCO WATER SERVICE · 56,253 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 64850.7 µg/L — ENCINAL RD WS #01 · 91 people · 2019 | 54/55 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 570 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: ALCO WATER SERVICE · 56,253 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 2705 µg/L — PRINCES CAMP RESORT WS · 126 people · 2019 | 51/55 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 81.8 µg/L 4.1% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: ALCO WATER SERVICE · 56,253 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 857.9 µg/L — HIDDEN CANYON RANCH MWC · 116 people · 2019 | 37/55 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 700 µg/L 70% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: EL CAMINO WC INC · 133 people · 2017 | 19/55 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 440 µg/L 34% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: ALCO WATER SERVICE · 56,253 people · 2019 | 19/55 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 2.82 µg/L 3.5% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: ALCO WATER SERVICE · 56,253 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 80.15 µg/L — ROYAL SIERRA ESTATES WS · 36 people · 2019 | 14/55 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 65.1 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ALCO WATER SERVICE · 56,253 people · 2023 | 1/55 | UCMR-5 |
| Arsenic | 15.95 µg/L 160% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 10 µg/L Main supplier: ALCO WATER SERVICE · 56,253 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 54.8 µg/L — PRUNEDALE MWC · 277 people · 2019 | 38/55 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 17 µg/L 28% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: ALCO WATER SERVICE · 56,253 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 50.4 µg/L — ROYAL SIERRA ESTATES WS · 36 people · 2019 | 11/55 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 42.5 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: ROYAL SIERRA ESTATES WS · 36 people · 2019 | 8/55 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 2.055 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ALCO WATER SERVICE · 56,253 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 32 µg/L — MOUNT TORO RANCHOS MWA · 45 people · 2017 | 13/55 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 5.71 µg/L 5.7% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: ALCO WATER SERVICE · 56,253 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 31.7 µg/L — COLONIAL OAK WC INC · 198 people · 2018 | 40/55 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 3.78 µg/L 25% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: ALCO WATER SERVICE · 56,253 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 26 µg/L — ROLLING HILLS RANCHO WA · 185 people · 2016 | 16/55 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 24.4 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: ROYAL SIERRA ESTATES WS · 36 people · 2019 | 9/55 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 1.395 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ALCO WATER SERVICE · 56,253 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 24 µg/L — MOUNT TORO RANCHOS MWA · 45 people · 2017 | 12/55 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 22.9 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: ROYAL SIERRA ESTATES WS · 36 people · 2019 | 4/55 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 22.648 µg/L 75% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Highest in the city: TASCO SPRECKELS WATER COMPANY · 1,772 people · 2018 | 16/55 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 22 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ALCO WATER SERVICE · 56,253 people · 2019 | 2/55 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 21.4 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: ROYAL SIERRA ESTATES WS · 36 people · 2019 | 2/55 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 2.815 µg/L 5.6% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Main supplier: ALCO WATER SERVICE · 56,253 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 17.25 µg/L — LAGUNA SECA WC · 162 people · 2016 | 23/55 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 3.675 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ALCO WATER SERVICE · 56,253 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 9 µg/L — MOUNT TORO RANCHOS MWA · 45 people · 2017 | 11/55 | SYR4 |
| Cadmium | 4.35 µg/L 87% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Highest in the city: CALERA CANYON HEIGHTS HOA · 40 people · 2019 | 7/55 | SYR4 |
| Cyanide | 3 µg/L 1.5% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Highest in the city: CALERA CANYON HEIGHTS HOA · 40 people · 2016 | 1/55 | SYR4 |
| Antimony, Total | 0.5675 µg/L 9.5% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Main supplier: ALCO WATER SERVICE · 56,253 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 2.7 µg/L — HIDDEN CANYON RANCH MWC · 116 people · 2019 | 5/55 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 2.6 µg/L 0.3% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: ROYAL SIERRA ESTATES WS · 36 people · 2018 | 4/55 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 1.1 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ALCO WATER SERVICE · 56,253 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 2 µg/L — MOUNT TORO RANCHOS MWA · 45 people · 2017 | 3/55 | SYR4 |
| Mercury | 0.1092 µg/L 5.5% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Highest in the city: TIERRA VERDE MWC · 48 people · 2015 | 2/55 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0 mg/L 0% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: ALCO WATER SERVICE · 56,253 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0092 mg/L — ROYAL SIERRA ESTATES WS · 36 people · 2025 | 55/55 | LCR |
| Beryllium, Total | 0.0059 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 4 µg/L Highest in the city: FOOTHILL ESTATES WS · 183 people · 2018 | 1/55 | SYR4 |
| Thallium, Total | 0.0050 µg/L 0.3% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Highest in the city: FOOTHILL ESTATES WS · 183 people · 2018 | 1/55 | SYR4 |
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 Salinas
The 50 largest of 55 suppliers serving Salinas, by population served.
Frequently asked questions about Salinas tap water
Is Salinas tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 31 contaminants in the water serving Salinas. 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 Salinas?
55 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Salinas, California to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Salinas's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Salinas include Nitrate-Nitrite, Nitrate, Fluoride, Barium, Nitrite. 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.