Is San Clemente, 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 Santa Margarita Water District.
2 public water systems serve parts of San Clemente. The largest, Santa Margarita Water District, serves 165,275 people. Your water bill names your system.
Largest system
Santa Margarita Water District
165,275 people · Purchased surface water · EPA ID CA3010101
Buys treated water from El Toro Water District, Metropolitan Water District of SO. Cal., Irvine Ranch Water District, City of San Clemente, Moulton Niguel Water District, Trabuco Canyon 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: 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.
San Clemente 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 San Clemente 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 San Clemente |
|---|---|
| Santa Margarita Water District 165,275 people | 92673 |
| City of San Clemente 51,545 people | 92672 |
Other water systems serving San Clemente
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| San Juan Capistrano 4 mi Moulton Niguel Water District | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Dana Point 5 mi Moulton Niguel Water District | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Laguna Niguel 7 mi Moulton Niguel Water District | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Laguna Hills 11 mi Moulton Niguel Water District | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Aliso Viejo 11 mi Moulton Niguel Water District | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Mission Viejo 11 mi Moulton Niguel Water District | None above limits | 0 ppb |
Questions
Is San Clemente tap water safe to drink?
Santa Margarita 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 San Clemente, CA?
2 public water systems serve parts of San Clemente. The largest is Santa Margarita Water District (165,275 people). Your water bill names your system. The EPA ID is also on your utility's Consumer Confidence Report.
Does San Clemente tap water have PFAS?
None detected above EPA's reporting limits. Santa Margarita 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 San Clemente homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 44% of San Clemente 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. Santa Margarita 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.