What was found in Watsonville'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 | 480000 µg/L 4800% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 10000 µg/L | 6/10 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate | 15481 µg/L 155% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 10000 µg/L | 7/10 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 390 µg/L 9.8% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L | 8/10 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 220 µg/L 11% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L | 5/10 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 80 µg/L 100% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 52 µg/L 87% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 50 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 32 µg/L 32% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L | 6/10 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 30 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 28 µg/L 2.2% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L | 3/10 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 27.3 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/10 | UCMR-5 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 25 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 22 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 20 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 19 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 10 µg/L 67% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L | 5/10 | SYR4 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate | 6.8 µg/L 113% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 6 µg/L | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 6.5 µg/L 65% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L | 8/10 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 5.6 µg/L 11% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L | 5/10 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 4.7 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 1.1 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 1 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| Cadmium | 0.5500 µg/L 11% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L | 1/10 | SYR4 |
| PFHXS | 0.0067 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/10 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOA | 0.0065 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/10 | UCMR-5 |
| PFBS | 0.0063 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/10 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOS | 0.0051 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/10 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfpea | 0.0044 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/10 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhxa | 0.0042 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/10 | UCMR-5 |
| Lead | 0.0025 mg/L 17% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L | 10/10 | LCR |
Water suppliers serving Watsonville
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| WATSONVILLE, CITY OF | 65,231 |
| MONTE VISTA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL | 1,051 |
| RANCHO SAN ANDREAS | 200 |
| SUNSET BEACH MUTUAL WATER CO | 182 |
| MOUNT MADONNA CENTER | 170 |
| JARDINES DEL VALLE | 130 |
| CRESTWOOD HEIGHTS WATER ASSN | 126 |
| APTOS RIDGE MUTUAL WATER CO | 52 |
| LAKEVIEW APARTMENTS | 43 |
| APTOS HILLS MUTUAL WATER CO | 32 |
Frequently asked questions about Watsonville tap water
Is Watsonville tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 30 contaminants in the water serving Watsonville. 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 Watsonville?
10 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Watsonville, California to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Watsonville's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Watsonville 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.