Is Ridgecrest, 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 Indian Wells Valley Water District.
2 public water systems serve parts of Ridgecrest. The largest, Indian Wells Valley Water District, serves 41,474 people. Your water bill names your system.
Largest system
Indian Wells Valley Water District
41,474 people · Groundwater · EPA ID CA1510017
Buys treated water from China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station Water System, Searles Valley Minerals Operations Inc.
| 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.
Ridgecrest 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 Ridgecrest city (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
Other water systems serving Ridgecrest
- China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station Water System1,000 people · Groundwater · California · reported ZIPs hereLithium above screening level
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Lancaster 71 mi Los Angeles County Waterworks District 40 Region 4 & 34 Lancaster | None above limits | 1.8 ppb |
| Adelanto 73 mi City of Adelanto | Above limit | 0 ppb |
| Palmdale 76 mi Palmdale Water District | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Victorville 78 mi Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District | None above limits | 1.3 ppb |
| Bakersfield 79 mi California Water Service – Bakersfield | Above limit | 2.8 ppb |
| Apple Valley 80 mi Liberty Utilities – Apple Valley Ranchos | None above limits | 0.56 ppb |
Ridgecrest ZIP codes (1)
- 93555
Questions
Is Ridgecrest tap water safe to drink?
Indian Wells Valley 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 Ridgecrest, CA?
2 public water systems serve parts of Ridgecrest. The largest is Indian Wells Valley Water District (41,474 people). Your water bill names your system. The EPA ID is also on your utility's Consumer Confidence Report.
Does Ridgecrest tap water have PFAS?
None detected above EPA's reporting limits. Indian Wells Valley 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 Ridgecrest homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 46% of Ridgecrest 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. Indian Wells Valley 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.