We read 16 results from El Monte-City, Water Dept.’s 2024 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 4 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 22,968 people · Water system ID CA1910038 · Read the district’s 2024 report (opens in a new tab)
Open this district in the water lookupCompare with your own test results, see the district map and get matched filters.
Results from the 2024 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chromium-6average · range 3.5 to 5.6 · Groundwater wells · 2024 report, page 7 | 4.51 ppb | 0.02 ppb | 10 ppb | Above the health goal225x the health goal |
| Copper90th percentile of homes tested · Residential taps, highest of 2 sources · 2024 report, page 8 | 0.65 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Above the health goal2.2x the health goal |
| Tetrachloroethylene (PCE)average · range ND to 1.6 · Groundwater wells · 2024 report, page 7 | 0.14 ppb | 0.06 ppb | 5 ppb | Above the health goal2.4x the health goal |
| Uraniumaverage · range 3.28 to 11.9 · printed as 4.3 pCi/L · sampled 2023 · Groundwater wells · 2024 report, page 7 | 6.41 ppb | 0.6 ppb | 30 ppb | Above the health goal11x the health goal |
| Chlorideaverage · range 12 to 24 · Groundwater wells · 2024 report, page 7 | 16 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Chlorinehighest running annual average · range 0.36 to 1.28 · Distribution system · 2024 report, page 8 | 0.86 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)highest running annual average · range ND to 6.1 · Distribution system · 2024 report, page 8 | 4.02 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Fluorideaverage · range 0.32 to 0.86 · Groundwater wells · 2024 report, page 7 | 0.58 ppm | 1 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Nitrate (as N)average · range 2.4 to 7.1 · Groundwater wells · 2024 report, page 7 | 5.6 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| PFHxS (a PFAS)average · range ND to 4.6 · Groundwater wells · 2024 report, page 8 | 2.5 ppt | None set | 10 ppt from 2029 | Below the legal limit |
| Sulfateaverage · range 21 to 66 · Groundwater wells · 2024 report, page 7 | 42 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Total dissolved solidsaverage · range 270 to 500 · Groundwater wells · 2024 report, page 7 | 361 ppm | — | 500 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Trichloroethylene (TCE)average · range ND to 5.5 · Groundwater wells · 2024 report, page 7 | 0.37 ppb | 1.7 ppb | 5 ppb | Below the health goal |
| Conductivityaverage · range 460 to 800 · Groundwater wells · 2024 report, page 7 | 598 µS/cm | None set | None | No health limit |
| Hardnessaverage · range 11.7 to 22.2 · Groundwater wells · 2024 report, page 8 | 15.6 gpg (266 ppm) | — | — | Very hard |
| Sodiumaverage · range 14 to 25 · Groundwater wells · 2024 report, page 8 | 21 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. 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 El Monte-City, Water Dept.’s water between Sep 2023 and Aug 2024. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- PFOS4.4 pptFound in 1 of 8 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFHxS3.2 pptFound in 1 of 8 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.
Copper
Found: Copper
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
Industrial chemicals and pesticides
Found: Tetrachloroethylene (PCE)
What removes it: Carbon block or RO.
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
Found: PFOS (EPA testing)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
More districts: California water quality · All states · Something look wrong? Tell us