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UNION PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT

PWS ID: CA0510001 · MURPHYS, California 95247

UNION PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT serves 4,774 people in MURPHYS, California using Surface Water water sources. It has 37 recorded EPA violations, including 16 health-based violations. PFAS "forever chemicals" were detected in UCMR5 testing (1 compound found).

Water Quality Snapshot: UNION PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT

UNION PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 4,774 residents in MURPHYS, California (Calaveras County) through 1,735 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 37 total violations for this system , of which 16 (43%) are health-based — meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 4 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2021.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is TTHM, recorded in 10 violations (MCL, health-based). Under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, 1 PFAS compound was detected in samples collected from this system, with a maximum reported concentration of 50 ppt. PFAS are persistent synthetic chemicals linked to health effects at very low exposure levels.

Across California, EPA tracks 7,249 public water systems serving 42,404,883 people, with 153,308 cumulative violations and 63,983 health-based violations on record. About 89% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 21.1 violations. UNION PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT's 37 violations sit above the California average. Statewide, 447 of 694 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (64.4%). All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.

PFAS Detected

1 PFAS "forever chemicals" detected in testing under EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program.

Population Served
4,774
Total Violations
37
Health-Based Violations
16
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
1,735
County
Calaveras
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
16
Monitoring Violations
4
Treatment Tech Violations
0

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
TTHM MCL 10 2021
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MCL 6 2006
Consumer Confidence Rule Other 3 2001
Fluoride MR 1 1987
Arsenic MR 1 1987
Nitrate MR 1 1987
Selenium MR 1 1987

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 1 of 120 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
NFDHA 8/6/2024 <0.02 µg/L 0.02 µg/L Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 8/6/2024 <0.006 µg/L 0.006 µg/L Not Detected
PFNA 8/6/2024 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFHxS 8/6/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFHpA 8/6/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFBS 8/6/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 8/6/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFTrDA 8/6/2024 <0.007 µg/L 0.007 µg/L Not Detected
PFTA 8/6/2024 <0.008 µg/L 0.008 µg/L Not Detected
lithium 8/6/2024 <9 µg/L 9 µg/L Not Detected
PFOS 8/6/2024 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFPeS 8/6/2024 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
ADONA 8/6/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFHpS 8/6/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFBA 8/6/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFEESA 8/6/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFMBA 8/6/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFPeA 8/6/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFMPA 8/6/2024 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
8:2 FTS 8/6/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 8/6/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
6:2 FTS 8/6/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFOA 8/6/2024 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
HFPO-DA 8/6/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 8/6/2024 <0.002 µg/L 0.002 µg/L Not Detected
PFUnA 8/6/2024 <0.002 µg/L 0.002 µg/L Not Detected
PFHxA 8/6/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFDoA 8/6/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFDA 8/6/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
4:2 FTS 8/6/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFBA 5/6/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 5/6/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFPeA 5/6/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
6:2 FTS 5/6/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
4:2 FTS 5/6/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
8:2 FTS 5/6/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFMPA 5/6/2024 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFMBA 5/6/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFEESA 5/6/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
NFDHA 5/6/2024 <0.02 µg/L 0.02 µg/L Not Detected
PFPeS 5/6/2024 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFHpS 5/6/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFTA 5/6/2024 <0.008 µg/L 0.008 µg/L Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 5/6/2024 <0.006 µg/L 0.006 µg/L Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 5/6/2024 <0.002 µg/L 0.002 µg/L Not Detected
PFTrDA 5/6/2024 <0.007 µg/L 0.007 µg/L Not Detected
PFHxS 5/6/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
ADONA 5/6/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
HFPO-DA 5/6/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
lithium 5/6/2024 <9 µg/L 9 µg/L Not Detected

Verify This Water System

The figures above are aggregated from EPA's public databases. To verify the underlying records — or to file a complaint, request a Consumer Confidence Report, or check current monitoring status — go directly to the federal and state regulators that enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act for UNION PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT.

Federal Source of Truth

EPA SDWIS — Federal Reports

EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) holds the federal compliance record for every regulated public water system. Open the system-level report by PWS ID:

View PWS ID CA0510001 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

California Drinking Water Authority

California State Water Resources Control Board — Division of Drinking Water is the primacy agency that licenses and inspects UNION PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT under EPA-delegated authority.

Open CA regulator portal

Source: California State Water Resources Control Board — Division of Drinking Water

Violation Timeline

Each row links to the EPA SDWIS public record for verification. Cross-reference the contaminant code on EPA's federal report to see violation dates, return-to-compliance status, and enforcement actions.

Year (latest) Contaminant Category Count EPA Record
2021 TTHM MCL 10 SDWIS / CA0510001 / 2950
2006 Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MCL 6 SDWIS / CA0510001 / 2456
2001 Consumer Confidence Rule Other 3 SDWIS / CA0510001 / 7000
1987 Fluoride MR 1 SDWIS / CA0510001 / 1025
1987 Arsenic MR 1 SDWIS / CA0510001 / 1005
1987 Nitrate MR 1 SDWIS / CA0510001 / 1040
1987 Selenium MR 1 SDWIS / CA0510001 / 1045

How UNION PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT Compares

Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.

Metric UNION PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT California avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 37 21.1 SDWA compliance — any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 16 8.8 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection 1 compound 64.4% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 4,774 5,850 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 7,249 regulated public water systems in California.

Federal MCL reference — Safe Drinking Water Act thresholds ▼
Contaminant Federal MCL / Action Level Note
Lead 0 mg/L (Action Level: 0.015 mg/L) Lead and Copper Rule treatment technique
Arsenic 0.010 mg/L (10 ppb) Health-based MCL since 2006
Total Coliform Treatment technique (RTCR) Indicator organism, monitoring trigger
PFOA / PFOS (PFAS) 4.0 ppt each (final 2024 rule) Compliance deadline 2029
Nitrate (as N) 10 mg/L Acute health risk for infants

Frequently Asked Questions

Is UNION PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT water safe to drink? ▼
UNION PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT (PWS ID: CA0510001) has 37 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. PFAS contamination has been detected in UCMR5 testing, with 1 PFAS compound found. This system serves 4,774 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does UNION PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT serve? ▼
UNION PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT serves 4,774 people in MURPHYS, California. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 1,735 service connections.
What type of violations does UNION PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT have? ▼
UNION PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT has 37 total violations: 16 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 4 monitoring/reporting violations, and 0 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in UNION PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT water? ▼
Yes. UCMR5 testing detected 1 PFAS compound in UNION PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT's water supply: lithium. PFAS are persistent "forever chemicals" that do not break down in the environment.
What water source does UNION PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT use? ▼
UNION PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT uses Surface Water as its primary water source. It is classified as a Community Water System (CWS), serving residential populations year-round.
Where does this data come from? ▼
All data comes from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and the UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program. SDWIS tracks compliance for all public water systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

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Data Sources: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), Q4 2025. PFAS data from EPA UCMR5 monitoring program (2023-2025). This data is provided for informational purposes only.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

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Data sourced from $official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by Kiznis Studio Editorial