Palmdale, CA Water Quality Report

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

Quick Answers

Is Palmdale tap water safe to drink? Palmdale 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 Palmdale water? Top PFAS compounds detected in Palmdale water: lithium (100 ppt), PFHxA (0.05 ppt), PFBS (0.02 ppt). See the full table for all monitored contaminants and comparison to EPA limits.

What filter should I use in Palmdale? 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.

Palmdale Water Quality Summary

EPA testing has detected PFAS "forever chemicals" in Palmdale drinking water. Recent monitoring found a peak level of 100 ppt across 5 water systems, representing an average of 28.64 ppt across 9 detected compounds.

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)
  • PFHxA: 0.05 ppt
  • PFBS: 0.02 ppt
  • PFPeA: 0.02 ppt
  • PFPeS: 0.01 ppt

Lead in Palmdale Water

EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing has recorded 38 lead samples for Palmdale water systems, with a 90th-percentile high of 0.0052 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 Palmdale

Palmdale public water systems have 8 health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record, including Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Surface Water Treatment Rule, Chromium, Selenium, Total Organic Carbon. 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 Palmdale: approximately 169,450.

ZIP Codes Served

93550, 93551, 93552, 93553, 93591

What Palmdale 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