Is Lakewood, CA tap water safe?
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
City of Lakewood Water Dept., the largest system here, had PFAS above the 2024 federal limits (PFOS) in EPA's 2023–2025 testing.
Is it an emergency? No: PFAS limits are about years of exposure, not a glass of water, and nothing in EPA's data calls for you to stop drinking the water today. If your utility issues a boil-water or do-not-drink notice, follow it.
2 public water systems serve parts of Lakewood. The largest, City of Lakewood Water Dept., serves 66,356 people, and 2 systems here had PFAS above a federal limit. Your water bill names your system.
Largest system
City of Lakewood Water Dept.
66,356 people · Groundwater · EPA ID CA1910239
Buys treated water from Metropolitan Water District of SO. Cal..
| PFAS | Highest average | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PFOA Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFOS Above limit | 17.6 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS Detected, below limit | 3.25 ppt | 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.
For context: the PFOS average is higher than at 95% of the California systems EPA tested.
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.
Lakewood homes and lead pipes
Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so homes from before then are the ones to check. How to check your own line.
Housing: Census American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for Lakewood city (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
Which system serves your ZIP code
Based on the ZIP codes each system reported serving. Boundaries don't follow ZIP lines exactly, so your water bill is the final word.
| System | ZIP codes in Lakewood |
|---|---|
| City of Lakewood Water Dept. 66,356 people | 90712, 90713 |
| Golden State Water Company – Artesia 50,415 people | 90715 |
Other water systems serving Lakewood
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Bellflower 3 mi Liberty Utilities – Bellflower-Norwalk | Above limit | 0 ppb |
| Cerritos 3 mi Golden State Water Company – Artesia | Above limit | 0 ppb |
| Paramount 4 mi City of Paramount Water Dept. | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Norwalk 5 mi Liberty Utilities – Bellflower-Norwalk | Above limit | 0 ppb |
| Cypress 5 mi Golden State Water Company – West Orange County | Above limit | 2.2 ppb |
| Long Beach 5 mi Long Beach Utilities Department | None above limits | 0.97 ppb |
Questions
Is Lakewood tap water safe to drink?
City of Lakewood Water Dept. has had no health-based violations since 2016, and EPA testing found PFAS above the 2024 federal limits, which it must meet by 2029. 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 Lakewood, CA?
2 public water systems serve parts of Lakewood. The largest is City of Lakewood Water Dept. (66,356 people). Your water bill names your system. The EPA ID is also on your utility's Consumer Confidence Report.
Does Lakewood tap water have PFAS?
Yes. EPA's 2023–2025 testing found entry-point averages above the 2024 federal limits for PFOS at City of Lakewood Water Dept.. Systems have until 2029 to meet them.
Do Lakewood homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 89% of Lakewood 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 Lakewood Water Dept.'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.