We read 28 results from City of San Diego’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 9 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 1,385,379 people · Water system ID CA3710020 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bromateaverage · range ND to 13 · Purchased treated water, highest of 3 sources · 2025 report, page 9 | 3.4 ppb | 0.1 ppb | 10 ppb | Above the health goal34x the health goal |
| Chloriteaverage · range 0.03 to 0.68 · Otay plant, highest of 2 sources · 2025 report, page 9 | 0.33 ppm | 0.05 ppm | 1 ppm | Above the health goal6.6x the health goal |
| Chromium-6average · range ND to 0.4 · Purchased treated water, highest of 4 sources · 2025 report, page 8 | 0.1 ppb | 0.02 ppb | 10 ppb | Above the health goal5x the health goal |
| Copper90th percentile of 56 homes tested, 1 over the action level · sampled 2023 · Customer taps (56 homes) · 2025 report, page 9 | 0.6 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Above the health goal2x the health goal |
| Gross alpha (radioactivity)single sample · Alvarado plant, highest of 4 sources · 2025 report, page 8 | 4.4 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 15 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Gross beta (radioactivity)single sample · Alvarado plant, highest of 4 sources · 2025 report, page 8 | 5.1 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 50 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Total coliform bacteriahighest month · range ND to 0.56 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 8 | 0.56 % positive | 0 % positive | 5 % positive | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Total dissolved solidsaverage · range 508 to 634 · Otay plant, highest of 4 sources · 2025 report, page 10 | 585 ppm | — | 500 ppm guideline | Above the guideline1.2x the guideline (taste, odor or stains; not a health limit) |
| Uraniumsingle sample · printed as 2.2 pCi/L · sampled 2024 · Miramar plant, highest of 4 sources · 2025 report, page 8 | 3.28 ppb | 0.6 ppb | 30 ppb | Above the health goal5.5x the health goal |
| Aluminumaverage · range ND to 0.1 · Purchased treated water · 2025 report, page 8 | 0.02 ppm | — | 0.2 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Bariumaverage · range ND to 0.1 · Miramar plant, highest of 2 sources · 2025 report, page 8 | 0.1 ppm | 2 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Chloraminesystem-wide average · range ND to 3.8 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 9 | 1.75 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| Chlorideaverage · range 121 to 204 · Otay plant, highest of 4 sources · 2025 report, page 10 | 156 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)highest running annual average · range 1.3 to 21.2 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 9 | 15 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)highest running annual average · range 8.6 to 87 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 9 | 55 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| E. colias reported · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 8 | Not detected | 0 positive samples | 0 positive samples | Not detected |
| Fluorideaverage · range 0.6 to 0.9 · Alvarado plant, highest of 4 sources · 2025 report, page 8 | 0.8 ppm | 1 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Lead90th percentile of 56 homes tested, 0 over the action level · sampled 2023 · Customer taps (56 homes) · 2025 report, page 9 | Not detected | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Not detected |
| Nitrate (as N)average · range ND to 0.5 · Purchased treated water, highest of 4 sources · 2025 report, page 8 | Not detected | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Not detected |
| pHaverage · range 7.4 to 9 · Purchased treated water, highest of 4 sources · 2025 report, page 10 | 8.4 | — | — | Normal range |
| Sulfateaverage · range 124 to 215 · Miramar plant, highest of 4 sources · 2025 report, page 10 | 162 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Turbidity (cloudiness)highest measured · Otay plant, highest of 4 sources · 2025 report, page 8 | 0.14 NTU | None set | 1 NTU | Below the legal limit |
| Boronaverage · range 0.1 to 0.9 · Purchased treated water, highest of 4 sources · 2025 report, page 10 | 0.4 ppm | None set | None | No health limit |
| Chlorateaverage · range 81.7 to 981 · Otay plant, highest of 2 sources · 2025 report, page 9 | 206 ppb | None set | None | No health limit |
| Hardnessaverage · range 11.8 to 15.9 · Otay plant, highest of 4 sources · 2025 report, page 10 | 14.2 gpg (243 ppm) | — | — | Very hard |
| Lithiumaverage · range 33 to 65 · sampled 2023 · Miramar plant, highest of 3 sources · 2025 report, page 10 | 49.5 ppb | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFBA (a PFAS)average · range ND to 7 · Alvarado plant · 2025 report, page 10 | 5.4 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| Sodiumaverage · range 92.5 to 136 · Otay plant, highest of 4 sources · 2025 report, page 10 | 111 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 San Diego’s water between Jan 2023 and Oct 2023. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- Lithium65 ppbFound in 15 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.
Disinfection byproducts
Found: Bromate, Chlorite
What removes it: Carbon block.
Copper
Found: Copper
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
Radium and uranium
Found: Gross alpha (radioactivity), Gross beta (radioactivity), Uranium
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
Bacteria and viruses
Found: Total coliform bacteria
What removes it: UV purification (and tell your utility).
Salty taste / high TDS
Found: Total dissolved solids
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
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