Lancaster, CA Water Quality Report

Is Lancaster tap water safe? See PFAS and lead contamination levels for Lancaster, California. Compare to EPA limits and get filter recommendations.

Quick Answers

Is Lancaster tap water safe to drink? Lancaster water has high PFAS contamination. EPA UCMR5 testing detected a peak level of 100 ppt, significantly above the EPA's 4 ppt enforceable limit. A reverse osmosis or certified PFAS filter is strongly recommended.

What contaminants are in Lancaster water? Top PFAS compounds detected in Lancaster water: lithium (100 ppt). See the full table for all monitored contaminants and comparison to EPA limits.

What filter should I use in Lancaster? Reverse osmosis removes 90%+ of PFAS, lead, and arsenic. NSF-53 certified pitcher and faucet filters (ZeroWater, Clearly Filtered, LifeStraw) work for smaller households. Skip standard Brita filters for PFAS removal.

Lancaster Water Quality Summary

EPA testing has detected PFAS "forever chemicals" in Lancaster drinking water. Recent monitoring found a peak level of 100 ppt across 5 water systems, representing an average of 41.92 ppt across 1 detected compound.

Contamination Level: HIGH – High contamination – multiple PFAS compounds detected at levels significantly above EPA safety thresholds.

Top Detected Compounds

  • lithium: 100 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)

Lead in Lancaster Water

EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing has recorded 92 lead samples for Lancaster water systems, with a 90th-percentile high of 0.013 mg/L (within the EPA 0.015 mg/L action level). There is no safe level of lead for children; if your home was built before 1986, a certified NSF/ANSI 53 lead-removal filter is recommended.

EPA Violations in Lancaster

Lancaster public water systems have 92 health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record, including Total Coliform, Nitrite, Surface Water Treatment Rule, Gross Alpha (excl. radon & uranium), Chromium. Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded its federal limit or required treatment was not applied.

About the Data

These figures come from the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5 (UCMR5) testing program, 2023-2025. UCMR5 is the most comprehensive national drinking water survey in US history, covering 66,000+ public water systems. Population of Lancaster: approximately 173,516.

ZIP Codes Served

93534, 93535, 93536, 93539

What Lancaster Residents Should Do

  1. Enter your exact ZIP code at knowyourexposure.com for address-level data
  2. Install an NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis filter (removes 94-99% of PFAS)
  3. If you're in a high-exposure group (pregnant, young children), consider a PFAS home test kit
  4. Review your utility's Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) annually