Is Hemet, 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 Eastern Municipal Water District.
3 public water systems serve parts of Hemet. The largest, Eastern Municipal Water District, serves 659,923 people. Your water bill names your system.
Largest system
Eastern Municipal Water District
659,923 people · Purchased surface water · EPA ID CA3310009
Buys treated water from Rancho California Water District, Western Municipal Water District, Lake Hemet Municipal Water District, Metropolitan Water District of SO. Cal., Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District.
| 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: 2.8 ppb at the 90th percentile (Dec 2025, 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.
Hemet 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 Hemet city (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
Other water systems serving Hemet
- Lake Hemet Municipal Water District52,913 people · Groundwater · California · reported ZIPs hereColiform bacteria violationAlso: Lithium above screening level
- City of Hemet33,591 people · Purchased surface water · California · lists this cityLithium above screening level
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| San Jacinto 4 mi Eastern Municipal Water District | None above limits | 2.8 ppb |
| Beaumont 10 mi Beaumont Cherry Valley Water District | None above limits | 7.8 ppb |
| Menifee 11 mi Eastern Municipal Water District | None above limits | 2.8 ppb |
| Perris 13 mi Eastern Municipal Water District | None above limits | 2.8 ppb |
| Banning 16 mi City of Banning | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Murrieta 16 mi Eastern Municipal Water District | None above limits | 2.8 ppb |
Hemet ZIP codes (2)
- 92543
- 92545
Questions
Is Hemet tap water safe to drink?
Eastern Municipal Water District 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 Hemet, CA?
3 public water systems serve parts of Hemet. The largest is Eastern Municipal Water District (659,923 people). Your water bill names your system. The EPA ID is also on your utility's Consumer Confidence Report.
Does Hemet tap water have PFAS?
None detected above EPA's reporting limits. Eastern Municipal Water District 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 Hemet homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 42% of Hemet 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. Eastern Municipal Water District'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.