Santa Clara, CA Water Quality Report
Is Santa Clara tap water safe? See PFAS and lead contamination levels for Santa Clara, California. Compare to EPA limits and get filter recommendations.
Quick Answers
Is Santa Clara, CA tap water safe to drink? Santa Clara, CA tap water meets most federal EPA limits, but PFAS compounds have been detected at an average of 0 ppt across 2 compounds. A certified pitcher filter or reverse osmosis system is recommended for sensitive populations.
What contaminants are in Santa Clara, CA water? Top PFAS compounds detected in Santa Clara water: PFHxS (0.01 ppt), PFOS (0.01 ppt). See the full table for all monitored contaminants and comparison to EPA limits.
What filter should I use in Santa Clara, CA? For Santa Clara, CA households, 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.
Santa Clara, CA Water Quality Summary
EPA testing has detected PFAS "forever chemicals" in Santa Clara, CA drinking water. Recent monitoring found a peak level of 0.01 ppt across 2 water systems, representing an average of 0 ppt across 2 detected compounds.
Contamination Level: LOW – Low contamination – PFAS detected but at lower levels; monitoring continues.
Top Detected Compounds
- PFHxS: 0.01 ppt
- PFOS: 0.01 ppt
Lead in Santa Clara, CA Water
EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing has recorded 18 lead samples for Santa Clara water systems, with a 90th-percentile high of 0.0182 mg/L (above 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 Santa Clara, CA
Santa Clara public water systems have 2 health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record, including Gross Alpha (excl. radon & uranium), Arsenic. Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded its federal limit or required treatment was not applied.
About the Data
Source: EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5), the 2023-2025 national testing program spanning 66,000+ public water systems – the broadest drinking water survey ever run in the US. Santa Clara, CA serves a population of roughly 127,647.
ZIP Codes Served
What Santa Clara, California Residents Should Do
- Enter your exact ZIP code at knowyourexposure.com for address-level data
- Request the latest Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) from your California utility – it is free and updated annually
- Choose a filter certified for PFAS: NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis (94-99% removal) or an NSF-53 pitcher
- High-exposure households (pregnancy, infants, immunocompromised) should also consider a PFAS home test kit