Is Santa Cruz, CA Tap Water Safe? Quality & Contaminants

What was found in Santa Cruz'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	730000 µg/L 7300% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 10000 µg/L	4/4	SYR4
Nitrate	1500 µg/L 15% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L	4/4	SYR4
Fluoride	640 µg/L 16% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L	3/4	SYR4
Barium	130 µg/L 6.5% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L	3/4	SYR4
TTHM	89 µg/L 111% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 80 µg/L	2/4	SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	83 µg/L 138% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 60 µg/L	2/4	SYR4
Chloroform	62 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/4	SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid	58 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/4	SYR4
Copper	54 µg/L 4.2% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L	1/4	SYR4
Lithium	54 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/4	UCMR-5
Dichloroacetic Acid	33 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/4	SYR4
Bromodichloromethane	27 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/4	SYR4
Dibromochloromethane	19 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/4	SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid	9.8 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/4	SYR4
Chromium	7.7 µg/L 7.7% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L	3/4	SYR4
Bromoform	6.7 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/4	SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid	5.1 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/4	SYR4
Lead	4.6 µg/L 31% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L	3/4	SYR4
Arsenic	4 µg/L 40% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L	3/4	SYR4
Combined Uranium	1.22329 µg/L 4.1% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L	1/4	SYR4
Xylenes, Total	1.2 µg/L 0% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L	1/4	SYR4
Thallium, Total	0.7400 µg/L 37% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L	1/4	SYR4
Tetrachloroethylene	0.6800 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L	1/4	SYR4
Antimony, Total	0.6600 µg/L 11% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L	1/4	SYR4
Lead	0.0028 mg/L 19% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L	4/4	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 Santa Cruz

Supplier	Population served
SANTA CRUZ WATER DEPARTMENT	94,626
DAVENPORT COUNTY SANITATION	350
ROUNTREE FACILITY(PREV. SHERIFF'S REHAB)	235
JARVIS MUTUAL WATER SYSTEM	125

Frequently asked questions about Santa Cruz tap water

Is Santa Cruz tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 25 contaminants in the water serving Santa Cruz. 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 Santa Cruz?

4 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Santa Cruz, California to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.

What contaminants are in Santa Cruz's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Santa Cruz include Nitrate-Nitrite, Nitrate, Fluoride, Barium, TTHM. 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.