We read 18 results from Pasadena Water and Power’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 5 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 164,344 people · Water system ID CA1910124 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross alpha (radioactivity)average · range 1.7 to 12 · Pasadena water system · 2025 report, page 6 | 6.4 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 15 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Perchlorateaverage · range ND to 3.7 · Pasadena water system · 2025 report, page 6 | 1.7 ppb | 1 ppb | 6 ppb | Above the health goal1.7x the health goal |
| Tetrachloroethylene (PCE)highest measured · range ND to 0.9 · Pasadena water system · 2025 report, page 6 | 0.9 ppb | 0.06 ppb | 5 ppb | Above the health goal15x the health goal |
| Total coliform bacteriahighest month · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 7 | 0.7 % positive | 0 % positive | 5 % positive | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Uraniumaverage · range 2.53 to 20.9 · printed as 8.0 pCi/L · Pasadena water system · 2025 report, page 6 | 11.9 ppb | 0.6 ppb | 30 ppb | Above the health goal20x the health goal |
| Chloraminehighest running annual average · range ND to 3.5 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 7 | 1.4 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| Chromium (total)average · range ND to 5.7 · Pasadena water system · 2025 report, page 6 | 2.9 ppb | None set | 100 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Copper90th percentile of 61 homes tested, 1 over the action level · sampled 2023 · Customer taps (61 sites) · 2025 report, page 7 | 0.26 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Below the health goal |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)highest running annual average · range ND to 25 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 7 | 21 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)highest running annual average · range 3.5 to 79.5 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 7 | 57 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Fluorideaverage · range 0.6 to 1.2 · Pasadena water system · 2025 report, page 6 | 0.8 ppm | 1 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Lead90th percentile of 61 homes tested, 0 over the action level · sampled 2023 · Customer taps (61 sites) · 2025 report, page 7 | Not detected | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Not detected |
| Nitrate (as N)average · range 1.1 to 6.4 · Pasadena water system · 2025 report, page 6 | 4.6 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Total dissolved solidsaverage · range 340 to 480 · Pasadena water system · 2025 report, page 6 | 410 ppm | — | 500 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Trichloroethylene (TCE)highest measured · range ND to 0.5 · Pasadena water system · 2025 report, page 6 | 0.5 ppb | 1.7 ppb | 5 ppb | Below the health goal |
| Hardnessaverage · range 11.8 to 15 · Pasadena water system · 2025 report, page 6 | 13 gpg (222 ppm) | — | — | Very hard |
| Lithiumaverage · range ND to 36 · sampled 2023 · Pasadena water system · 2025 report, page 7 | 16 ppb | None set | None | No health limit |
| Sodiumaverage · range 25 to 58 · Pasadena water system · 2025 report, page 6 | 38 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 Pasadena Water and Power’s water between Jul 2023 and Apr 2024. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- Lithium64.2 ppbFound in 10 of 14 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), Uranium
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
Industrial chemicals and pesticides
Found: Perchlorate, 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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