Is Stanton, CA tap water safe?
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
Golden State Water Company – West Orange County 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.
Golden State Water Company – West Orange County supplies Stanton (114,693 people).
Water system
Golden State Water Company – West Orange County
114,693 people · Purchased surface water · EPA ID CA3010022
Buys treated water from Golden State Water Company – Artesia, Metropolitan Water District of SO. Cal., City of Garden Grove, City of Buena Park, City of Seal Beach.
| PFAS | Highest average | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PFOA Above limit | 7.5 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFOS Above limit | 15.2 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS Detected, below limit | 9.25 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 PFOA average is higher than at 93% of the California systems EPA tested and the PFOS average is higher than at 93% of the California systems EPA tested.
Lead: 2.2 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
Full Golden State Water Company – West Orange County results
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.
Stanton 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 Stanton city (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Garden Grove 2 mi City of Garden Grove | Above limit | 0 ppb |
| Cypress 3 mi Golden State Water Company – West Orange County | Above limit | 2.2 ppb |
| Westminster 3 mi City of Westminster | Above limit | 4.7 ppb |
| Buena Park 4 mi City of Buena Park | Above limit | 0 ppb |
| Cerritos 6 mi Golden State Water Company – Artesia | Above limit | 0 ppb |
| Fountain Valley 7 mi City of Fountain Valley | None above limits | 6 ppb |
Stanton ZIP codes (1)
- 90680
Questions
Is Stanton tap water safe to drink?
Golden State Water Company – West Orange County 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 Stanton, CA?
Golden State Water Company – West Orange County, which serves 114,693 people.
Does Stanton tap water have PFAS?
Yes. EPA's 2023–2025 testing found entry-point averages above the 2024 federal limits for PFOA and PFOS at Golden State Water Company – West Orange County. Systems have until 2029 to meet them.
Do Stanton homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 65% of Stanton 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. Golden State Water Company – West Orange County'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.