Is Santa Ana, CA tap water safe?
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
City of Santa Ana, the largest system here, had PFAS above the 2024 federal limits (PFOA, 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 Santa Ana. The largest, City of Santa Ana, serves 316,184 people, and one system here had PFAS above a federal limit. Your water bill names your system.
Largest system
City of Santa Ana
316,184 people · Purchased surface water · EPA ID CA3010038
Buys treated water from Mesa Water District, City of Fountain Valley, Metropolitan Water District of SO. Cal., City of Tustin.
| PFAS | Highest average | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PFOA Above limit | 8.1 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFOS Above limit | 13.5 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS Detected, below limit | 7.85 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 PFOA average is higher than at 94% of the California systems EPA tested and the PFOS average is higher than at 92% of the California systems EPA tested.
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.
Santa Ana homes and lead pipes
Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so homes from before then are the ones to check. City of Santa Ana's service line inventory lists 0 lead lines and 0 galvanized lines that need replacing (as of 2024-10-02). Look up your address. 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 Santa Ana city (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
Other water systems serving Santa Ana
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Orange 4 mi City of Orange | Above limit | 2.33 ppb |
| Tustin 4 mi Irvine Ranch Water District | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Fountain Valley 4 mi City of Fountain Valley | None above limits | 6 ppb |
| Costa Mesa 5 mi Irvine Ranch Water District | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Garden Grove 5 mi City of Garden Grove | Above limit | 0 ppb |
| Westminster 6 mi City of Westminster | Above limit | 4.7 ppb |
Santa Ana ZIP codes (6)
- 92701
- 92703
- 92704
- 92705
- 92706
- 92707
Questions
Is Santa Ana tap water safe to drink?
City of Santa Ana 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 Santa Ana, CA?
2 public water systems serve parts of Santa Ana. The largest is City of Santa Ana (316,184 people). Your water bill names your system. The EPA ID is also on your utility's Consumer Confidence Report.
Does Santa Ana tap water have PFAS?
Yes. EPA's 2023–2025 testing found entry-point averages above the 2024 federal limits for PFOA and PFOS at City of Santa Ana. Systems have until 2029 to meet them.
Do Santa Ana homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 74% of Santa Ana 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 Santa Ana's service line inventory lists 0 lead lines. 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.