Is Lincoln, CA tap water safe?
Supplied by City of Lincoln · serves 56,268 people (23,122 connections) · Purchased surface water · EPA ID CA3110004
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Buys water from Placer CWA – Foothill. Treated water bought from another system can carry that system's contaminants.
Summary
No federal limits exceeded in EPA data.
- PFAS
- Detected, below limit2 of 29 PFAS found at least once. All averages below the federal limits.
- Lead
- Below action level0 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 2025 – 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.
- 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.
- Want to reduce what was found? Filters for these results.
- Tested your own tap? Compare your result with these numbers. Moving? Compare this system with another.
- Read City of Lincoln'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 (916) 434-2450. EPA: how to find it.
PFAS (“forever chemicals”)
EPA UCMR 5: 3 entry points tested Jul 2024 to Apr 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.
| Contaminant | Highest average |
|---|---|
| PFOA Not detected Limit 4 ppt | – |
| PFOS One sample above limit Limit 4 ppt | 2.15 ppt 54% of the limit |
| PFHxS Detected, below limit Limit 10 ppt | 8.45 ppt 84% of the limit |
| PFNA Not detected Limit 10 ppt | – |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) Not detected Limit 10 ppt | – |
| Hazard Index (a combined score for PFHxS, PFNA, GenX and PFBS, where above 1 is over the limit) Detected, below limit Limit 1 | 0.84 |
| PFBS Not detected Guideline 2,000 ppt | – |
| PFBA Not detected Guideline 6,000 ppt | – |
| PFHxA Not detected Guideline 3,000 ppt | – |
29 PFAS tested, 2 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
Not detected in 8 samples (reporting limit 9 ppb). About lithium.
Lead and copper
Latest 90th percentile: 0 ppb lead (Jan 2025 – now (in progress)). Below action level
| Monitoring period | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|
| Jan 2025 – now (in progress) | 0 ppb |
| Jan 2023 – Dec 2025 | 0 ppb |
| Jan 2020 – Dec 2022 | 0 ppb |
Earlier results (9)
| Jan 2017 – Dec 2019 | 0 ppb |
| Jan 2014 – Dec 2016 | 0 ppb |
| Jan 2011 – Dec 2013 | 1 ppb |
| Jan 2008 – Dec 2010 | 0.77 ppb |
| Jan 2005 – Dec 2007 | 2.5 ppb |
| Jan 2006 – Dec 2006 | 3 ppb |
| Jan 2004 – Dec 2004 | 2.5 ppb |
| Jan 2002 – Dec 2004 | 2.5 ppb |
| Jan 2001 – Dec 2003 | 2 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)
| Contaminant | Highest | Guideline |
|---|---|---|
| Manganese | 8.4 ppb | 300 ppb |
| Chromium-6 | 3.2 ppb | – |
| Strontium | 0.21 ppm | 1.5 ppm |
| Chlorate | 280 ppb | 210 ppb |
| Vanadium | 21 ppb | 21 ppb |
Where it serves
Lincoln
ZIP codes the system reported serving: 95648
Nearby utilities
- City of Roseville Roseville · 7 mi
- Placer CWA – Foothill Granite Bay · 10 mi
- City of Wheatland Wheatland · 12 mi · PFAS above limit
- Citrus Heights Water District Citrus Heights · 12 mi
- City of Folsom – Main Folsom · 16 mi
- El Dorado Irrigation District – Main El Dorado Hills · 19 mi
Questions
Is Lincoln tap water safe to drink?
Most of Lincoln gets its water from City of Lincoln. City of Lincoln has no health-based violations since 2016. EPA testing found no PFAS above the federal limits. 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 Lincoln water have PFAS?
Yes. EPA's 2023–2025 testing of City of Lincoln found 2 PFAS at least once. None of the averages were above the federal limits.
What is the lead level in Lincoln water?
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result for City of Lincoln is 0 ppb, for the monitoring period that began Jan 2025 (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:
- EPA's own report for CA3110004: violations, enforcement and inspections, straight from EPA.
- EPA UCMR 5 data: the PFAS and lithium results (search the file for PWSID CA3110004).
- EPA SDWIS download: the lead results, population and violation records we use.
- The utility's annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report): ask City of Lincoln at (916) 434-2450, or see EPA's guide to finding 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.