Tap Water Results

California Water Service – North Garden water quality

Rosedale, CA · serves 27,634 people (8,711 connections) · Surface water · Private · EPA ID CA1510055

Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it

Buys water from Kern County Water Agency. Treated water bought from another system can carry that system's contaminants.

Summary

PFAS above the 2024 federal limits. Systems have until 2029 to meet the PFAS limits.

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 ever issues a boil-water or do-not-drink notice, follow it.

PFAS
Above limitPFOS above the federal limit in EPA's 2023–2025 testing (PFOS 4.55 ppt vs a limit of 4 ppt, where ppt = parts per trillion).
Lithium
Above screening levelHighest result 18.9 ppb. EPA uses 10 ppb to decide what to study further. It is not a health limit, and there is no federal limit for lithium. About 1 in 4 systems tested were above it.
Lead
Below action level4.2 ppb (parts per billion) at the 90th percentile: 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it. Action level 15 ppb, falling to 10 ppb in Nov 2027. Monitoring period Jan 2024 – now, still in progress (results reported so far). Your home's pipes can make yours higher.
Violations
None health-basedNo health-based violations since 2016.
What you can do
  • Pregnant, or mixing baby formula with tap water? Babies drink more water for their size, so PFAS exposure matters more for them. Consider bottled water or a filter certified for PFAS for formula, and ask your doctor. Health effects.
  • To lower your PFAS exposure now, a home filter certified for PFAS reduction works (reverse osmosis, or activated carbon certified to NSF/ANSI 53 or 58). Filters for these results.
  • Built before 1986, or not sure what your service line is made of? Check your service line and test your tap. Utility data can't show your pipes.
  • Tested your own tap? Compare your result with these numbers. Moving? Compare this system with another.
  • Read California Water Service – North Garden's annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report). It lists every regulated contaminant tested and is usually on the utility's website or mailed with your bill, and you can also request it at (408) 367-8593. EPA: how to find it.

PFAS (“forever chemicals”)

EPA UCMR 5: 9 entry points tested Nov 2024 to Dec 2025. "Average" is the highest entry-point average (non-detects counted as zero), the way EPA compares UCMR 5 results to the limits. ppt = parts per trillion. These results do not determine compliance.

ContaminantHighest averageHighest resultLimitStatus
PFOA
Not detected
Limit 4 ppt
––4 pptNot detected
PFOS
Above limit
Limit 4 ppt
4.55 ppt
1.14× the limit
4.6 ppt4 pptAbove limit
PFHxS
Not detected
Limit 10 ppt
––10 pptNot detected
PFNA
Not detected
Limit 10 ppt
––10 pptNot detected
HFPO-DA (GenX)
Not detected
Limit 10 ppt
––10 pptNot detected
Hazard Index (a combined score for PFHxS, PFNA, GenX and PFBS, where above 1 is over the limit)
Not detected
Limit 1
––1Not detected
PFBS
Not detected
Guideline 2,000 ppt
––2,000 ppt guidelineNot detected
PFBA
Not detected
Guideline 6,000 ppt
––6,000 ppt guidelineNot detected
PFHxA
Not detected
Guideline 3,000 ppt
––3,000 ppt guidelineNot detected

For context: the PFOS average is higher than at 83% of the California systems EPA tested.

29 PFAS tested, 1 detected at least once. "Not detected" means below EPA's reporting limit (about 2 to 20 ppt depending on the chemical), not proven zero. PFAS not listed were not detected. The limits for PFHxS, PFNA, GenX and the Hazard Index were proposed for rescission in May 2026. That proposal is not final. Systems have until 2029 to meet the limits.

Lithium

Detected in 8 of 22 samples. Highest result 18.9 ppb. EPA's non-enforceable screening level is 10 ppb. Above screening level The screening level is how EPA decides what to study further, not a health limit. There is no federal limit for lithium and no filter is certified to remove it. About lithium.

Lead and copper

Latest 90th percentile: 4.2 ppb lead (Jan 2024 – now (in progress)). Below action level

Monitoring periodLead (90th pct.)
Jan 2024 – now (in progress)4.2 ppb
Jan 2022 – Dec 20243.2 ppb
Jan 2019 – Dec 20210 ppb
Earlier results (9)
Jan 2016 – Dec 20180 ppb
Jan 2013 – Dec 20150 ppb
Jan 2011 – Dec 20130 ppb
Jan 2008 – Dec 20100 ppb
Jan 2005 – Dec 20077.5 ppb
Jan 2006 – Dec 20065 ppb
Jan 2004 – Dec 20060 ppb
Jan 2005 – Dec 20057.5 ppb
Jan 2003 – Dec 20050 ppb

Lead comes from pipes and fixtures, not the source water, so it varies home to home. The 90th percentile means 9 in 10 sampled homes were at or below it. More on lead.

Violations

No violations on record in EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System.

Earlier EPA testing (2013–2020)

ContaminantHighestGuidelineDetectedTested
Manganese6.7 ppb300 ppb8 of 22UCMR 4 (2020)
1,2,3-Trichloropropane (TCP)0.12 ppb0.0004 ppb7 of 18UCMR 3 (2015)
Molybdenum8.3 ppb40 ppb16 of 26UCMR 3 (2015)
Chromium-60.46 ppb–19 of 26UCMR 3 (2015)
1,4-Dioxane0.68 ppb0.35 ppb8 of 18UCMR 3 (2015)
Chlorate550 ppb210 ppb19 of 26UCMR 3 (2015)
Strontium0.71 ppm1.5 ppm26 of 26UCMR 3 (2015)
Vanadium6.1 ppb21 ppb25 of 26UCMR 3 (2015)

Where it serves

Rosedale

ZIP codes the system reported serving: 93308, 93312, 93314

Nearby utilities

Questions

Is California Water Service – North Garden water safe to drink?

California Water Service – North Garden has no health-based violations since 2016. EPA testing found PFAS above the 2024 federal limits, which systems must meet by 2029. Federal data can't tell you about your own pipes: lead comes from service lines and plumbing, so test your tap if your home was built before 1986. For the official word, read the utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report.

Does California Water Service – North Garden water have PFAS?

Yes. EPA's 2023–2025 testing of California Water Service – North Garden found 1 PFAS at least once. The highest entry-point averages were above the federal limit for PFOS: PFOS 4.55 ppt (limit 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS, 10 ppt for the others).

What is the lead level in California Water Service – North Garden water?

The most recent 90th-percentile lead result for California Water Service – North Garden is 4.2 ppb, for the monitoring period that began Jan 2024 (still in progress). The federal action level is 15 ppb, falling to 10 ppb in November 2027. The 90th percentile means 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below this number. Individual homes can be higher.

Check these numbers yourself

Every figure on this page comes from public EPA records. You don't have to take our word for it:

Found something that doesn't match? Tell us and we'll check it against EPA's records. How we check our data.

Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.