Is Cathedral City, 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 Coachella Valley Water District – Cove Community.
2 public water systems serve parts of Cathedral City. The largest, Coachella Valley Water District – Cove Community, serves 270,000 people. Your water bill names your system.
Largest system
Coachella Valley Water District – Cove Community
270,000 people · Groundwater · EPA ID CA3310001
Buys treated water from Desert Water Agency, Indio Water Authority.
| 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 (Dec 2024, and 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it) Below action level
Health-based violations since 2016: 0
Full Coachella Valley Water District – Cove Community results
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.
Cathedral City 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 Cathedral City city (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
Other water systems serving Cathedral City
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Palm Springs 5 mi Coachella Valley Water District – Cove Community | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Palm Desert 9 mi Coachella Valley Water District – Cove Community | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Desert Hot Springs 10 mi Mission Springs Water District | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Indio 15 mi Coachella Valley Water District – Cove Community | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| La Quinta 17 mi Coachella Valley Water District – Cove Community | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Coachella 21 mi Coachella Water Authority | None above limits | 0 ppb |
Cathedral City ZIP codes (1)
- 92234
Questions
Is Cathedral City tap water safe to drink?
Coachella Valley Water District – Cove Community 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 Cathedral City, CA?
2 public water systems serve parts of Cathedral City. The largest is Coachella Valley Water District – Cove Community (270,000 people). Your water bill names your system. The EPA ID is also on your utility's Consumer Confidence Report.
Does Cathedral City tap water have PFAS?
None detected above EPA's reporting limits. Coachella Valley Water District – Cove Community 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 Cathedral City homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 27% of Cathedral City 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. Coachella Valley Water District – Cove Community'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.