PlainWater

Community Water System · PWS CA3710020

San Diego, City Of

San Diego, California 92123 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 1,385,379 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

1,385,379
People served
33
EPA violations
2
Health-based
No PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 33 drinking-water violations at San Diego, City Of, 6% of them health-based - above the California per-system average.

33
Total EPA violations on record
6%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
1,385,379
People served by this system
0
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: San Diego, City Of

San Diego, City Of is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 1,385,379 residents in San Diego, California (San Diego County) through 282,783 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 33 total violations for this system , of which 2 (6%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 24 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2020.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Revised Total Coliform Rule, recorded in 10 violations (MON). This system was sampled under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program and no PFAS compounds were detected above the minimum reporting level.

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. Statewide, 447 of 694 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (64.4%).

San Diego, City Of's 33 violations sit above the California average.

All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.

Population Served
1,385,379
Total Violations
33
Health-Based Violations
2
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
282,783
County
San Diego
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
2
Monitoring Violations
24
Treatment Tech Violations
0

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Revised Total Coliform Rule MON 10 2020
Nitrate MR 8 2017
Nitrite MR 4 2014
Coliform (TCR) MCL 2 2004
Coliform (TCR) MR 2 2001

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 0 of 464 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFOS 7/20/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 7/20/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 7/20/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 7/20/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 7/20/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 7/20/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 7/20/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 7/20/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 7/20/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 7/20/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 7/20/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 7/20/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 7/20/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 7/20/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 7/20/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 7/20/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 7/20/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 7/20/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 7/20/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 7/20/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 7/20/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 7/20/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 7/20/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 7/20/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 7/20/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 7/20/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 7/20/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 7/20/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 7/20/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 7/20/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt 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 San Diego, City Of.

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 CA3710020 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 San Diego, City Of 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
2020 Revised Total Coliform Rule MON 10 SDWIS / CA3710020 / 8000
2017 Nitrate MR 8 SDWIS / CA3710020 / 1040
2014 Nitrite MR 4 SDWIS / CA3710020 / 1041
2004 Coliform (TCR) MCL 2 SDWIS / CA3710020 / 3100
2001 Coliform (TCR) MR 2 SDWIS / CA3710020 / 3100

How San Diego, City Of Compares

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

Metric San Diego, City Of California avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 33 21.1 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 2 8.8 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection None 64.4% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 1,385,379 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 (EPA proposed extending to 2031, not yet final as of May 2026)
Nitrate (as N) 10 mg/L Acute health risk for infants

Frequently Asked Questions

Is San Diego, City Of water safe to drink?
San Diego, City Of (PWS ID: CA3710020) has 33 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing. This system serves 1,385,379 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does San Diego, City Of serve?
San Diego, City Of serves 1,385,379 people in San Diego, California. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 282,783 service connections.
What type of violations does San Diego, City Of have?
San Diego, City Of has 33 total violations: 2 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 24 monitoring/reporting violations, and 0 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in San Diego, City Of water?
No. San Diego, City Of was tested for PFAS under the EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program and no PFAS contamination was detected.
What water source does San Diego, City Of use?
San Diego, City Of 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.
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.
Data sourced from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 PFAS monitoring data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainWater Editorial

Every figure on PlainWater is rendered directly from EPA SDWIS drinking-water data, no number is typed in by an editor. This system's figures are rendered directly from EPA SDWIS data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.