What was found in Whittier'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 | 11849.999999999995 µg/L 118% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: CALIFORNIA DOMESTIC WATER COMPANY · 0 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate | 3314.999999999999 µg/L 33% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: WHITTIER-CITY, WATER DEPT. · 49,954 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 11000 µg/L — CALIFORNIA DOMESTIC WATER COMPANY · 0 people · 2019 | 2/5 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 280 µg/L 7% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: WHITTIER-CITY, WATER DEPT. · 49,954 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 360 µg/L — CALIFORNIA DOMESTIC WATER COMPANY · 0 people · 2019 | 2/5 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 200 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Highest in the city: CALIFORNIA DOMESTIC WATER COMPANY · 0 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 47.14999999999999 µg/L 59% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: WHITTIER-CITY, WATER DEPT. · 49,954 people · 2019 | 3/5 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroethylene | 1.1 µg/L 22% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: WHITTIER-CITY, WATER DEPT. · 49,954 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 28 µg/L — CALIFORNIA DOMESTIC WATER COMPANY · 0 people · 2019 | 2/5 | SYR4 |
| Tetrachloroethylene | 8.6 µg/L 172% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 5 µg/L Main supplier: WHITTIER-CITY, WATER DEPT. · 49,954 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 24 µg/L — CALIFORNIA DOMESTIC WATER COMPANY · 0 people · 2019 | 2/5 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 21 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: WHITTIER-CITY, WATER DEPT. · 49,954 people · 2019 | 3/5 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 19.049999999999997 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: WHITTIER-CITY, WATER DEPT. · 49,954 people · 2019 | 3/5 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 8.11 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: WHITTIER-CITY, WATER DEPT. · 49,954 people · 2019 | 3/5 | SYR4 |
| trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene | 6.4799999999999995 µg/L 6.5% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Highest in the city: CALIFORNIA DOMESTIC WATER COMPANY · 0 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 6.4 µg/L 11% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: WHITTIER-CITY, WATER DEPT. · 49,954 people · 2019 | 3/5 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 5.7 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: WHITTIER-CITY, WATER DEPT. · 49,954 people · 2019 | 3/5 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 3.427 µg/L 11% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Main supplier: WHITTIER-CITY, WATER DEPT. · 49,954 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 5.393799999999999 µg/L — CALIFORNIA DOMESTIC WATER COMPANY · 0 people · 2018 | 2/5 | SYR4 |
| 1,1-Dichloroethylene | 5.3 µg/L 76% of the EPA limit 7 µg/L Highest in the city: CALIFORNIA DOMESTIC WATER COMPANY · 0 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene | 4.1 µg/L 5.9% of the EPA limit 70 µg/L Highest in the city: CALIFORNIA DOMESTIC WATER COMPANY · 0 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 2.8 µg/L 28% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Highest in the city: CALIFORNIA DOMESTIC WATER COMPANY · 0 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 1.2 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: WHITTIER-CITY, WATER DEPT. · 49,954 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 2.2 µg/L — ORCHARD DALE WATER DISTRICT · 25,000 people · 2019 | 3/5 | SYR4 |
| Mercury | 2.2 µg/L 110% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 2 µg/L Main supplier: WHITTIER-CITY, WATER DEPT. · 49,954 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 1.7 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: WHITTIER-CITY, WATER DEPT. · 49,954 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 1.9999999999999991 µg/L — ORCHARD DALE WATER DISTRICT · 25,000 people · 2019 | 2/5 | SYR4 |
| Carbon Tetrachloride | 1.8 µg/L 36% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Highest in the city: CALIFORNIA DOMESTIC WATER COMPANY · 0 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 1.3849999999999998 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: WHITTIER-CITY, WATER DEPT. · 49,954 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 1.67 µg/L — ORCHARD DALE WATER DISTRICT · 25,000 people · 2019 | 2/5 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 1.4499999999999997 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: ORCHARD DALE WATER DISTRICT · 25,000 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| 1,2-Dichloroethane | 0.5000 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Highest in the city: CALIFORNIA DOMESTIC WATER COMPANY · 0 people · 2019 | 1/5 | SYR4 |
| PFOS | 0.0230 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: ORCHARD DALE WATER DISTRICT · 25,000 people · 2025 | 1/5 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfpea | 0.0100 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: ORCHARD DALE WATER DISTRICT · 25,000 people · 2025 | 1/5 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOA | 0.0099 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: ORCHARD DALE WATER DISTRICT · 25,000 people · 2025 | 1/5 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfba | 0.0088 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: ORCHARD DALE WATER DISTRICT · 25,000 people · 2025 | 1/5 | UCMR-5 |
| PFBS | 0.0072 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: ORCHARD DALE WATER DISTRICT · 25,000 people · 2025 | 1/5 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhxa | 0.0072 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: ORCHARD DALE WATER DISTRICT · 25,000 people · 2025 | 1/5 | UCMR-5 |
| Lead | 0.0 mg/L 0% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: WHITTIER-CITY, WATER DEPT. · 49,954 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0050 mg/L — Mora MHP · 25 people · 2023 | 5/5 | LCR |
| PFHXS | 0.0040 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: ORCHARD DALE WATER DISTRICT · 25,000 people · 2025 | 1/5 | 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 Whittier
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| WHITTIER-CITY, WATER DEPT. | 49,954 |
| ORCHARD DALE WATER DISTRICT | 25,000 |
| La Cienega MHP | 30 |
| Mora MHP | 25 |
| CALIFORNIA DOMESTIC WATER COMPANY | 0 |
Frequently asked questions about Whittier tap water
Is Whittier tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 32 contaminants in the water serving Whittier. 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 Whittier?
5 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Whittier, California to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Whittier's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Whittier include Nitrate-Nitrite, Nitrate, Fluoride, Barium, TTHM. 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.