Is El Centro, 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 El Centro.
City of El Centro supplies El Centro (44,124 people).
Water system
City of El Centro
44,124 people · Purchased surface water · EPA ID CA1310004
| 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
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.
El Centro 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 El Centro city (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Calexico 8 mi City of Calexico | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Brawley 13 mi City of Brawley | None above limits | – |
| Coachella 71 mi Coachella Water Authority | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| La Quinta 72 mi Coachella Valley Water District – Cove Community | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Indio 76 mi Coachella Valley Water District – Cove Community | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Palm Desert 81 mi Coachella Valley Water District – Cove Community | None above limits | 0 ppb |
El Centro ZIP codes (1)
- 92243
Questions
Is El Centro tap water safe to drink?
City of El Centro 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 El Centro, CA?
City of El Centro, which serves 44,124 people.
Does El Centro tap water have PFAS?
None detected above EPA's reporting limits. City of El Centro 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 El Centro homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 47% of El Centro 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 El Centro'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.