We read 25 results from City of Fresno’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 7 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 545,716 people · Water system ID CA1010007 · 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 5.1 · City-wide · 2025 report, page 10 | 3.15 ppb | 0.004 ppb | 10 ppb | Above the health goal788x the health goal |
| Chromium-6average · range 0.1 to 9.6 · City-wide · 2025 report, page 10 | 2.5 ppb | 0.02 ppb | 10 ppb | Above the health goal125x the health goal |
| Gross alpha (radioactivity)average · range 2.65 to 4.65 · City-wide · 2025 report, page 10 | 3.73 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 15 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| PFOA (a PFAS)average · Wells (city-wide average) · 2025 report, page 10 | 1.33 ppt | 0.007 ppt | 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the health goal190x the health goal |
| PFOS (a PFAS)average · Wells (city-wide average) · 2025 report, page 10 | 1.58 ppt | 1 ppt | 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the health goal1.6x the health goal |
| Tetrachloroethylene (PCE)average · range ND to 1.9 · City-wide · 2025 report, page 10 | 0.07 ppb | 0.06 ppb | 5 ppb | Above the health goal1.2x the health goal |
| Total coliform bacteriahighest month · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 11 | 0.82 % positive | 0 % positive | 5 % positive | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Bariumaverage · range ND to 0.08 · City-wide · 2025 report, page 10 | 0.04 ppm | 2 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Chlorideaverage · range 2.6 to 16 · City-wide · 2025 report, page 11 | 10 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Chlorineaverage · range 0.02 to 1.85 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 10 | 1.45 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| Copper90th percentile of 53 homes tested, 0 over the action level · Customer taps (53 homes) · 2025 report, page 11 | 0.18 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Below the health goal |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)average · range ND to 9.7 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 10 | 4.3 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)average · range ND to 4.3 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 10 | 0.18 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Fluorideaverage · range 0.1 to 0.13 · City-wide · 2025 report, page 10 | 0.12 ppm | 1 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Ironaverage · range ND to 0.41 · printed as 14.0 ug/L · City-wide · 2025 report, page 11 | 0.01 ppm | — | 0.3 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Lead90th percentile of 53 homes tested, 0 over the action level · Customer taps (53 homes) · 2025 report, page 11 | Not detected | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Not detected |
| Manganeseaverage · range ND to 0.01 · printed as 0.5 ug/L · City-wide · 2025 report, page 11 | 0.0005 ppm | — | 0.05 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Nitrate (as N)average · range ND to 12 · City-wide · 2025 report, page 10 | 4.8 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| PFHxS (a PFAS)average · Wells (city-wide average) · 2025 report, page 10 | 0.91 ppt | None set | 10 ppt from 2029 | Below the legal limit |
| Sulfateaverage · range 1.5 to 9.6 · sampled 2024 · City-wide · 2025 report, page 11 | 5.8 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Total dissolved solidsaverage · range 87 to 260 · City-wide · 2025 report, page 11 | 187 ppm | — | 500 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Trichloroethylene (TCE)average · range ND to 2.3 · City-wide · 2025 report, page 10 | 0.32 ppb | 1.7 ppb | 5 ppb | Below the health goal |
| Turbidity (cloudiness)highest measured · T-3 surface water plant, highest of 3 sources · 2025 report, page 12 | 0.16 NTU | None set | 1 NTU | Below the legal limit |
| Hardnessaverage · range 5.09 to 8.77 · City-wide · 2025 report, page 11 | 7.54 gpg (129 ppm) | — | — | Hard |
| Sodiumaverage · range 26 to 29 · City-wide · 2025 report, page 11 | 27 ppm | 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.
EPA testing for PFAS and lithium
EPA’s own nationwide testing (UCMR 5) found these in City of Fresno’s water between Mar 2023 and Dec 2025. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- PFOA16 pptFound in 36 of 339 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFOS30 pptFound in 43 of 339 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFHxS30 pptFound in 22 of 339 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
- PFNA8 pptFound in 6 of 339 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
- PFBS8.6 pptFound in 16 of 339 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
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.
Industrial chemicals and pesticides
Found: Tetrachloroethylene (PCE)
What removes it: Carbon block or RO.
Bacteria and viruses
Found: Total coliform bacteria
What removes it: UV purification (and tell your utility).
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