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Tap water quality report

City of Palo Alto

EPA monitoring tested this supplier for 111 contaminants and detected 16. A detection doesn't automatically mean the water is unsafe — the level and EPA source for each is below.

111
contaminants tested
16
detected
67,231
people served
13
health-based violations
California rankingsLead in CaliforniaPFAS in California
Water source
SWP
Ownership
Local government
Counties served
Santa Clara

Compliance record

Formal violations the EPA has on file for this supplier. A health-based violation means a contaminant limit or a required treatment was breached; the rest are monitoring or reporting failures — still violations, but not a measured health risk.

13
health-based violations
16
violations on file
0
still open
ViolationTypeStatusPeriod
TT Health-based Resolved 2015-03-01 → 2015-03-31
TT Health-based Resolved 2015-03-01 → 2015-03-31
MCL Health-based Resolved 2012-05-01 → 2012-05-31
MCL Health-based Resolved 2010-07-01 → 2010-07-31
MCL Health-based Resolved 2010-07-01 → 2010-07-31
TT Health-based Resolved 1995-03-01 → 1995-03-31
TT Health-based Resolved 1995-03-01 → 1995-03-31
TT Health-based Resolved 1992-03-01 → 1992-03-31
TT Health-based Resolved 1992-03-01 → 1992-03-31
TT Health-based Resolved 1992-03-01 → 1992-03-31

Other contaminants detected

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.
ContaminantLevel vs EPA limitDetection rateSourcePeriod
Dichloroacetic Acid
37 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 248/248 SYR4 2012–2019
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
77 µg/L 128%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 60 µg/L
 248/248 SYR4 2012–2019
Trichloroacetic Acid
35 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 248/248 SYR4 2012–2019
Chloroform
59 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 240/240 SYR4 2012–2019
TTHM
60 µg/L 75%
of the EPA limit 80 µg/L
 240/240 SYR4 2012–2019
Bromodichloromethane
4.7 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 150/240 SYR4 2012–2019
Monochloroacetic Acid
6.5 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 86/248 SYR4 2012–2019
Lead
0.0 mg/L 0%
of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L
 45/45 LCR 2023
Monobromoacetic Acid
5 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 22/248 SYR4 2012–2019
Nitrate
3300 µg/L 33%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
 18/30 SYR4 2013–2019
Fluoride
240 µg/L 6%
of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L
 6/9 SYR4 2013–2018
Combined Uranium
5.513 µg/L 18%
of the EPA limit 30 µg/L
 4/4 SYR4 2013–2016
Barium
670 µg/L 34%
of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L
 3/9 SYR4 2013–2018
Dibromochloromethane
1.7 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 3/240 SYR4 2012–2019
Arsenic
2.1 µg/L 21%
of the EPA limit 10 µg/L
 1/9 SYR4 2013–2018
Nitrate-Nitrite
3000 µg/L 30%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
 1/3 SYR4 2017–2018
95 contaminants tested, none detected
1,1,1-Trichloroethane1,1,2-Trichloroethane1,1-Dichloroethylene1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE1,2-Dichloroethane1,2-Dichloropropane11Cl-PF3OUdS2,3,7,8-TCDD2,4,5-TP2,4-D4:2 Fts6:2 Fts8:2 Fts9Cl-PF3ONSAdonaAntimony, TotalAsbestosAtrazineBhc-GammaBenzeneBenzo(A)PyreneBeryllium, TotalBromoformChlorobenzeneCopperCyanideCadmiumCarbofuranCarbon TetrachlorideChlordaneChromiumDichloromethaneDalaponDi(2-ethylhexyl) AdipateDi(2-ethylhexyl) PhthalateDibromoacetic AcidDinosebDiquatEthylene DibromideEndothallEndrinEthylbenzeneGlyphosateHexachlorobenzeneHfpo-DaHeptachlorHeptachlor EpoxideHexachlorocyclopentadieneLassoLeadMercuryMethoxychlorNetfosaaNfdhaNmefosaaNitriteOxamylPfbaPFBSPfdaPfdoaPfeesaPfhpaPfhpsPfhxaPFHXSPfmbaPfmpaPFNAPFOAPFOSPfpeaPfpesPftaPftrdaPfunaPentachlorophenolPicloramSeleniumSimazineStyreneTetrachloroethyleneThallium, TotalTolueneTotal Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB)ToxapheneTrichloroethyleneVinyl ChlorideXylenes, Totalcis-1,2-DichloroethyleneLithiumO-DichlorobenzeneP-Dichlorobenzenetrans-1,2-Dichloroethylene

Utility contact

Contact
ZUCCA, MATT
Phone
650-329-2639
Email
Matt.Zucca@CityofPaloAlto.org

Frequently asked questions about City of Palo Alto

Is City of Palo Alto tap water safe to drink?

EPA monitoring detected 16 contaminants in City of Palo Alto's water. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most levels are within federal limits. See each level and source above, and the utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for its official compliance status.

What contaminants were detected in City of Palo Alto's water?

EPA monitoring detected Dichloroacetic Acid, Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Trichloroacetic Acid, Chloroform, TTHM, and others. The full list with the level and data source for each is above.

How many people does City of Palo Alto serve?

City of Palo Alto reports serving 67,231 people in California, per its EPA record.

Has City of Palo Alto had any water quality violations?

The EPA has 16 violations on file for City of Palo Alto, of which 13 are health-based (a contaminant limit or required treatment was breached) and 0 remain open. The rest are monitoring or reporting failures.

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.