We read 18 results from California Water Service Co. - Ela’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 10 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 152,474 people · Water system ID CA1910036 · Read the district’s 2025 report (opens in a new tab)
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Results from the 2025 report
Each number is copied from the district’s report and links to the page it’s printed on. Where the report lists several plants, wells or purchased water, the highest is shown.
| Contaminant | Result | Health goal | Legal limit | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenichighest measured · range ND to 4.9 · Groundwater wells · 2025 report, page 13 | 4.9 ppb | 0.004 ppb | 10 ppb | Above the health goal1,225x the health goal |
| Chromium-6average · range ND to 10 · Groundwater wells · 2025 report, page 13 | 1.6 ppb | 0.02 ppb | 10 ppb | Above the health goal80x the health goal |
| Copper90th percentile of 53 homes tested, 0 over the action level · sampled 2023 · Customer taps (53 sites) · 2025 report, page 13 | 0.33 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Above the health goal1.1x the health goal |
| Gross alpha (radioactivity)highest measured · range ND to 3.2 · Groundwater wells · 2025 report, page 13 | 3.2 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 15 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| PFOA (a PFAS)highest measured · range ND to 10 · Groundwater wells · 2025 report, page 16 | 10 ppt | 0.007 ppt | 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the federal limit that takes effect in 20292.5x the 4 ppt federal limit that takes effect in 2029Not a violation yet: EPA's 4 ppt limit is final, but water systems don't have to meet it until 2029. |
| PFOS (a PFAS)average · range ND to 54 · Groundwater wells · 2025 report, page 16 | 11 ppt | 1 ppt | 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the federal limit that takes effect in 20292.8x the 4 ppt federal limit that takes effect in 2029Not a violation yet: EPA's 4 ppt limit is final, but water systems don't have to meet it until 2029. |
| Tetrachloroethylene (PCE)highest measured · range ND to 1.4 · Groundwater wells · 2025 report, page 14 | 1.4 ppb | 0.06 ppb | 5 ppb | Above the health goal23x the health goal |
| Total dissolved solidsaverage · range 250 to 700 · Groundwater wells · 2025 report, page 15 | 509 ppm | — | 500 ppm guideline | Above the guideline1x the guideline (taste, odor or stains; not a health limit) |
| Trichloroethylene (TCE)highest measured · range ND to 2 · Groundwater wells · 2025 report, page 14 | 2 ppb | 1.7 ppb | 5 ppb | Above the health goal1.2x the health goal |
| Uraniumaverage · range ND to 4.17 · printed as 1.6 pCi/L · Groundwater wells · 2025 report, page 13 | 2.38 ppb | 0.6 ppb | 30 ppb | Above the health goal4x the health goal |
| Chloramineaverage · range 0.31 to 3 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 14 | 2.2 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)highest running annual average · range ND to 14 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 14 | 5 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)highest running annual average · range ND to 49 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 14 | 22 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Fluorideaverage · range 0.21 to 0.71 · Groundwater wells · 2025 report, page 13 | 0.38 ppm | 1 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Lead90th percentile of 53 homes tested, 0 over the action level · sampled 2023 · Customer taps (53 sites) · 2025 report, page 13 | Not detected | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Not detected |
| Nitrate (as N)average · range ND to 6 · Groundwater wells · 2025 report, page 13 | 3.2 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| 1,4-Dioxaneaverage · range ND to 5.7 · Groundwater wells · 2025 report, page 16 | 3.1 ppb | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFBS (a PFAS)average · range ND to 7 · Groundwater wells · 2025 report, page 16 | 0.53 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
Utility results describe the whole system, measured where water enters the pipes, not your tap. Your home’s plumbing can add lead or copper. 1 number we weren’t sure about is held back until a person checks.
EPA testing for PFAS and lithium
EPA’s own nationwide testing (UCMR 5) found these in California Water Service Co. - Ela’s water between Jan 2025 and Oct 2025. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- PFOS8.6 pptFound in 2 of 22 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFBS4.9 pptFound in 3 of 22 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
- Lithium47.1 ppbFound in 6 of 22 samples · highest resultAbove EPA’s health reference level of 10 ppb (a guide, not a legal limit)
Source: EPA UCMR 5 occurrence data. The highest single result is shown; one high sample doesn’t mean every glass is that high.
What you can do
Nothing here is an emergency notice: if the district has a violation, it must tell customers directly. If you’d like to lower these at your tap, these are the treatments that remove them, and the catalog shows the models certified for each. Ranking is by certified removal; commissions never change the order.
Copper
Found: Copper
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
Radium and uranium
Found: Gross alpha (radioactivity), Uranium
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
Found: PFOA (a PFAS), PFOS (a PFAS), PFOS (EPA testing)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
Industrial chemicals and pesticides
Found: Tetrachloroethylene (PCE), Trichloroethylene (TCE)
What removes it: Carbon block or RO.
Salty taste / high TDS
Found: Total dissolved solids
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
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