We read 26 results from Suburban Water Systems-Whittier’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 8 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 66,045 people · Water system ID CA1910174 · 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 2.4 · Groundwater sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 1.8 ppb | 0.004 ppb | 10 ppb | Above the health goal450x the health goal |
| Chromium-6average · range 1.3 to 2.7 · Groundwater sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 1.5 ppb | 0.02 ppb | 10 ppb | Above the health goal75x the health goal |
| Gross alpha (radioactivity)average · range ND to 3.3 · Groundwater sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 0.6 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 15 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| PFOA (a PFAS)average · range ND to 8.8 · Groundwater sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 6.2 ppt | 0.007 ppt | 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the federal limit that takes effect in 20291.6x 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. |
| PFOS (a PFAS)average · range ND to 19 · Groundwater sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 12.7 ppt | 1 ppt | 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the federal limit that takes effect in 20293.2x 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. |
| Radium-228average · range ND to 1 · Groundwater sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 0.2 pCi/L | 0.02 pCi/L | 5 pCi/L | Above the health goal11x the health goal |
| Tetrachloroethylene (PCE)average · range 0.4 to 3.4 · Groundwater sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 0.9 ppb | 0.06 ppb | 5 ppb | Above the health goal15x the health goal |
| Uraniumaverage · range 2.83 to 4.77 · printed as 2.1 pCi/L · Groundwater sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 3.13 ppb | 0.6 ppb | 30 ppb | Above the health goal5.2x the health goal |
| Bariumaverage · range 0.1 to 0.1 · Groundwater sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 0.1 ppm | 2 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Chlorineaverage · range 0.7 to 1.8 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 6 | 1.1 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| Copper90th percentile of 31 homes tested, 0 over the action level · Customer taps · 2025 report, page 6 | 0.13 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Below the health goal |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)highest running annual average · range ND to 3.4 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 6 | 2 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)highest running annual average · range ND to 17 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 6 | 9 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Fluorideaverage · range 0.2 to 0.4 · Groundwater sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 0.3 ppm | 1 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Lead90th percentile of 31 homes tested, 0 over the action level · Customer taps · 2025 report, page 6 | Not detected | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Not detected |
| Nitrate (as N)average · range 2.2 to 4.4 · Groundwater sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 2.7 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Perchlorateaverage · range ND to 5.7 · Groundwater sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 0.7 ppb | 1 ppb | 6 ppb | Below the health goal |
| PFHxS (a PFAS)average · range ND to 3.8 · Groundwater sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 2.6 ppt | None set | 10 ppt from 2029 | Below the legal limit |
| PFNA (a PFAS)average · range ND to 1.8 · Groundwater sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 1.5 ppt | None set | 10 ppt from 2029 | Below the legal limit |
| Trichloroethylene (TCE)average · range 0.2 to 4 · Groundwater sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 0.9 ppb | 1.7 ppb | 5 ppb | Below the health goal |
| PFBA (a PFAS)average · range ND to 12 · Groundwater sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 7.7 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFBS (a PFAS)average · range ND to 5.4 · Groundwater sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 3.9 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFHpA (a PFAS)average · range ND to 1.8 · Groundwater sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 1.5 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFHxA (a PFAS)average · range ND to 4 · Groundwater sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 2.3 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFPeA (a PFAS)average · range ND to 5.1 · Groundwater sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 2.9 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| Sodiumaverage · range 16 to 56.5 · Groundwater sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 51.3 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 Suburban Water Systems-Whittier’s water between Nov 2023 and Apr 2024. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- PFOA6.3 pptFound in 2 of 2 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFOS13 pptFound in 2 of 2 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFBS3.9 pptFound in 2 of 2 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), Radium-228, Uranium
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.
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