We read 7 results from City of Ceres’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 4 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 54,513 people · Water system ID CA5010028 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenicaverage · range ND to 7.64 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report, page 12 | 4.4 ppb | 0.004 ppb | 10 ppb | Above the health goal1,100x the health goal |
| Gross alpha (radioactivity)average · range 4.3 to 14.2 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report, page 12 | 8.26 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 15 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| PFOA (a PFAS)average · range 6 to 11 · Wells · 2025 report, page 13 | 7.65 ppt | 0.007 ppt | 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the federal limit that takes effect in 20291.9x 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 16 to 26 · Wells · 2025 report, page 13 | 20.8 ppt | 1 ppt | 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the federal limit that takes effect in 20295.2x 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. |
| Chlorineaverage · range ND to 2 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 12 | 1 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)average · range ND to 12 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2024 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 12 | 5.7 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)average · range ND to 45 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 12 | 25.8 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal 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. 5 numbers we weren’t sure about are held back until a person checks.
EPA testing for PFAS and lithium
EPA’s own nationwide testing (UCMR 5) found these in City of Ceres’s water between Oct 2024 and Apr 2025. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- PFOA12 pptFound in 2 of 16 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFOS24 pptFound in 2 of 16 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFHxS5.7 pptFound in 5 of 16 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
- PFBS6.6 pptFound in 2 of 16 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
- Lithium15.7 ppbFound in 6 of 16 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.
Radium and uranium
Found: Gross alpha (radioactivity)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
Found: PFOA (a PFAS), PFOS (a PFAS), PFOA (EPA testing), PFOS (EPA testing)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
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