We read 33 results from City of Santa Ana’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 6 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 310,539 people · Water system ID CA3010038 · 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 12 · Imported water (MWD) · 2025 report, page 16 | 3 ppb | 0.1 ppb | 10 ppb | Above the health goal30x the health goal |
| Chromium-6average · range 0.29 to 2.3 · sampled 2024 · City groundwater · 2025 report, page 15 | 1.4 ppb | 0.02 ppb | 10 ppb | Above the health goal70x the health goal |
| PFOA (a PFAS)average · range ND to 8.9 · Entry points · 2025 report, page 14 | 2.7 ppt | 0.007 ppt | 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the health goal386x the health goal |
| PFOS (a PFAS)average · range ND to 14 · Entry points · 2025 report, page 14 | 4.2 ppt | 1 ppt | 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the federal limit that takes effect in 20291.1x 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. |
| Total dissolved solidsaverage · range 456 to 625 · Imported water (MWD), highest of 2 sources · 2025 report, page 16 | 545 ppm | — | 500 ppm guideline | Above the guideline1.1x the guideline (taste, odor or stains; not a health limit) |
| Uraniumaverage · range ND to 7.3 · printed as 2.6 pCi/L · sampled 2024 · City groundwater, highest of 2 sources · 2025 report, page 15 | 3.87 ppb | 0.6 ppb | 30 ppb | Above the health goal6.5x the health goal |
| Arsenicaverage · range ND to 2.6 · City groundwater · 2025 report, page 15 | Not detected | 0.004 ppb | 10 ppb | Not detected |
| Bariumaverage · range 0.13 to 0.13 · Imported water (MWD), highest of 2 sources · 2025 report, page 16 | 0.13 ppm | 2 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Chlorideaverage · range 20 to 71 · City groundwater · 2025 report, page 15 | 43 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Chlorineaverage · range ND to 2.9 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 14 | 1 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| Copper90th percentile of 66 homes tested, 0 over the action level · sampled 2024 · Customer taps (66 homes) · 2025 report, page 15 | 0.17 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Below the health goal |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)highest running annual average · range ND to 7.7 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 14 | 7 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)highest running annual average · range ND to 32 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 14 | 29 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Fluorideaverage · range 0.5 to 0.8 · Imported water (MWD), highest of 2 sources · 2025 report, page 16 | 0.7 ppm | 1 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Gross alpha (radioactivity)average · range ND to 5 · Imported water (MWD) · 2025 report, page 16 | Not detected | 0 pCi/L | 15 pCi/L | Not detected |
| Lead90th percentile of 66 homes tested, 0 over the action level · sampled 2024 · Customer taps (66 homes) · 2025 report, page 15 | Not detected | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Not detected |
| Nitrate (as N)average · range 0.46 to 4.8 · City groundwater · 2025 report, page 15 | 1.9 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Odoraverage · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 14 | 1 TON | — | 3 TON guideline | Within the guideline |
| Perchlorateaverage · range ND to 2.7 · City groundwater · 2025 report, page 15 | 1 ppb | 1 ppb | 6 ppb | Below the health goal |
| PFHxS (a PFAS)average · range ND to 8.5 · Entry points · 2025 report, page 14 | 2.9 ppt | None set | 10 ppt from 2029 | Below the legal limit |
| pHaverage · range 7.4 to 8.2 · City groundwater · 2025 report, page 15 | 7.9 | — | — | Normal range |
| Sulfateaverage · range 51 to 130 · City groundwater · 2025 report, page 15 | 82 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Turbidity (cloudiness)highest measured · Imported water (MWD), highest of 2 sources · 2025 report, page 16 | 0.06 NTU | None set | 1 NTU | Below the legal limit |
| Boronaverage · Imported water (MWD) · 2025 report, page 16 | 0.13 ppm | None set | None | No health limit |
| Calciumaverage · range 37 to 90 · City groundwater · 2025 report, page 15 | 68 ppm | None set | None | No health limit |
| Hardnessaverage · range 7.6 to 18 · City groundwater, highest of 2 sources · 2025 report, page 15 | 14 gpg (239 ppm) | — | — | Very hard |
| Lithiumaverage · range ND to 39 · Entry points · 2025 report, page 14 | 4.6 ppb | None set | None | No health limit |
| Magnesiumaverage · range 7.9 to 18 · City groundwater · 2025 report, page 15 | 14 ppm | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFBS (a PFAS)average · range ND to 2.5 · Entry points · 2025 report, page 14 | Not detected | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFHxA (a PFAS)average · range ND to 4.1 · Entry points · 2025 report, page 14 | Not detected | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFPeA (a PFAS)average · range ND to 5.9 · Entry points · 2025 report, page 14 | Not detected | None set | None | No health limit |
| Sodiumaverage · range 78 to 100 · Imported water (MWD), highest of 2 sources · 2025 report, page 16 | 89 ppm | None set | None | No health limit |
| Total organic carbonaverage · range 1.6 to 2.8 · Imported water (MWD) · 2025 report, page 16 | 2.5 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 Santa Ana’s water between Mar 2023 and Apr 2026. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- PFOA8.9 pptFound in 8 of 28 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFOS14.2 pptFound in 7 of 28 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFHxS8.4 pptFound in 9 of 28 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
- Lithium42.4 ppbFound in 9 of 27 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.
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
Found: PFOA (a PFAS), PFOS (a PFAS), PFOA (EPA testing), PFOS (EPA testing)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
Salty taste / high TDS
Found: Total dissolved solids
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
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