Is Alhambra, CA tap water safe?
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
No federal limits exceeded in EPA data for City of Alhambra.
2 public water systems serve parts of Alhambra. The largest, City of Alhambra, serves 80,279 people. Your water bill names your system.
Largest system
City of Alhambra
80,279 people · Purchased surface water · EPA ID CA1910001
Buys treated water from Metropolitan Water District of SO. Cal., San Gabriel County Water District, California American Water – San Marino.
| PFAS | Highest average | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PFOA Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFOS Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| PFNA Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
ppt = parts per trillion. "Highest average" is the highest average at any of the system's entry points, the way EPA compares results with the limits.
Lead: 0 ppb at the 90th percentile (Nov 2026, and 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it) Below action level
Health-based violations since 2016: 0
Across California, 129 of 691 water systems EPA tested had PFAS above a 2024 federal limit, and 26 systems were above the lead action level in results from the last five years. California results.
Alhambra homes and lead pipes
Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so homes from before then are the ones to check. Renting? Ask your landlord what the service line is made of, because it's their pipe to replace. How to check your own line.
Housing: Census American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for Alhambra city (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
Other water systems serving Alhambra
- California American Water – San Marino48,065 people · Purchased surface water · California · reported ZIPs hereLithium above screening level
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| South Pasadena 2 mi City of South Pasadena | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| San Gabriel 2 mi San Gabriel Valley Water Company – El Monte | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Monterey Park 2 mi San Gabriel Valley Water Company – El Monte | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Rosemead 3 mi San Gabriel Valley Water Company – El Monte | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Temple City 5 mi San Gabriel Valley Water Company – El Monte | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Montebello 5 mi San Gabriel Valley Water Company – El Monte | None above limits | 0 ppb |
Alhambra ZIP codes (2)
- 91801
- 91803
Questions
Is Alhambra tap water safe to drink?
City of Alhambra has had no health-based violations since 2016. Utility data can't show lead from your own pipes: if your home was built before 1986, test your tap. Your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report is the official summary.
Who supplies water in Alhambra, CA?
2 public water systems serve parts of Alhambra. The largest is City of Alhambra (80,279 people). Your water bill names your system. The EPA ID is also on your utility's Consumer Confidence Report.
Does Alhambra tap water have PFAS?
None detected above EPA's reporting limits. City of Alhambra had no PFAS detected in EPA's 2023–2025 testing. "Not detected" means below the reporting limit (about 2 to 20 ppt), not proven zero.
Do Alhambra homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 72% of Alhambra homes as built before 1980 (California: 56%). Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so older homes are more likely to have them. City of Alhambra's service line inventory says what your line is made of. The only way to know for your home is to check the line where it enters the house and test your tap.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.