Is Mountain View, 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 Mountain View.
2 public water systems serve parts of Mountain View. The largest, City of Mountain View, serves 81,340 people. Your water bill names your system.
Largest system
City of Mountain View
81,340 people · Purchased surface water · EPA ID CA4310007
Buys treated water from Santa Clara Valley Water District, City of Palo Alto, San Francisco Regional Water System, City of Sunnyvale.
| 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 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.
Mountain View 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 Mountain View city (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
Other water systems serving Mountain View
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Los Altos 2 mi California Water Service Los Altos Suburban | None above limits | 1.5 ppb |
| Sunnyvale 3 mi City of Sunnyvale | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Palo Alto 4 mi City of Palo Alto | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| East Palo Alto 6 mi City of East Palo Alto | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Cupertino 6 mi California Water Service Los Altos Suburban | None above limits | 1.5 ppb |
| Santa Clara 7 mi City of Santa Clara | None above limits | 2.7 ppb |
Mountain View ZIP codes (3)
- 94040
- 94041
- 94043
Questions
Is Mountain View tap water safe to drink?
City of Mountain View 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 Mountain View, CA?
2 public water systems serve parts of Mountain View. The largest is City of Mountain View (81,340 people). Your water bill names your system. The EPA ID is also on your utility's Consumer Confidence Report.
Does Mountain View tap water have PFAS?
None detected above EPA's reporting limits. City of Mountain View 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 Mountain View homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 60% of Mountain View 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 Mountain View'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.