Water Quality Report · Updated October 07, 2026
CITY OF DALY CITY
CITY OF DALY CITY delivers tap water graded C (69/100) by TapWaterSafety.org. The utility serves approximately 104,901 residents in DALY CITY, California using surface water (purchased). The most significant water quality concerns are: PFAS contamination; Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline; Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline; Chromium (hexavalent) significantly above health guideline. For questions, the utility can be reached at 650-991-8206.
Is DALY CITY tap water safe to drink?
CITY OF DALY CITY delivers tap water that earns a grade of C (69/100) from TapWaterSafety.org — an average rating, with several contaminants above health guidelines but generally compliant with US legal limits.
The utility serves 104,901 residents in DALY CITY, drawing from surface water (purchased).
Public testing data identifies 11 contaminants in this water above EWG's health-based guidelines, including: Haloacetic acids (HAA9), Haloacetic acids (HAA5), Chromium (hexavalent), Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Trichloroacetic acid, Dichloroacetic acid, Chloroform, Bromodichloromethane, Nitrate, Dibromochloromethane, Dibromoacetic acid. For most residents, a properly certified home filter at the kitchen tap is the most cost-effective way to reduce exposure to whatever's in your water. See our filter recommendations below, matched specifically to this utility's contaminant profile.
EPA compliance record
Official U.S. EPA records for CITY OF DALY CITY (system ID CA4110013) for the last 3 years. Checked 2026-10-07.
Source: U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO), from the Safe Drinking Water Information System. See EPA's full report.
Quick actions for DALY CITY residents
Top concerns in this water
Based on the most recent EPA and EWG data, these are the most significant water quality issues for CITY OF DALY CITY.
PFAS contamination
Severe concernPerfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) detected. PFAS are persistent chemicals linked to cancer and immune effects with no known safe exposure threshold.
Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA9) detected at 23.6 ppb, 394x above the EWG health guideline of 0.06 ppb.
Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA5) detected at 36.2 ppb, 362x above the EWG health guideline of 0.1 ppb.
Chromium (hexavalent) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernChromium (hexavalent) detected at 4.84 ppb, 242x above the EWG health guideline of 0.02 ppb.
Contact CITY OF DALY CITY
Reach the utility directly for service issues, water quality concerns, or to request your Consumer Confidence Report.
General Contact
Treatment Plant
Recommended water filters for DALY CITY
Filters matched to the specific contaminants in this water supply.
Filter certified for PFOA/PFOS (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58)
$180-$750Reverse osmosis and some carbon block filters reduce PFAS. Look for certification to NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 for PFOA/PFOS.
Carbon filter certified for VOCs (NSF/ANSI 53)
$180-$599Activated carbon is effective for disinfection byproducts. Look for NSF/ANSI 53 VOC reduction.
Disclosure: TapWaterSafety earns a commission from purchases made through these links. This does not influence our scoring methodology or filter selection.
Score breakdown
This utility's overall score of 69/100 breaks down across five weighted components. Read the full methodology →
Contaminants detected — international standards comparison
Every contaminant detected, compared side-by-side against US EPA legal limits, the EU Drinking Water Directive (2020/2184), WHO Guidelines, and California's Public Health Goal (the strictest US benchmark). Why we show multiple standards →
| Contaminant | Detected | EWG US health-based |
EPA US legal |
EU DWD Europe |
WHO global |
CA PHG strictest US |
Tested sample year |
Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
23.6 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 394× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
36.2 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 362× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
4.84 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 242× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
33.8 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 226× over |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
11.9 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 119× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
19.4 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 97× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
31.5 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 79× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
1.64 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 27× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
3.08 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 22× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
0.692 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 6.9× over |
| Dibromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.103 ppb | 0.03 | — | — | — | — | — | 3.4× over |
| Chlorate Disinfection byproduct |
113.2 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) PFAS |
0.046 ppt | 0.3 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 1 | — | Below guideline |
| Vanadium Other |
2.03 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
4.35 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Monochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.144 ppb | 53.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.0884 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Chromium (total) Heavy metal |
4.06 ppb | — | 100.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Lithium Other |
1.13 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
All values in the unit of the detected level. Red cells indicate the detected level exceeds that standard. Some contaminants have limits in some jurisdictions but not others (shown as —). The "Tested" column shows the year each contaminant sample was collected.
Sources: US EPA, EU Drinking Water Directive 2020/2184, WHO Guidelines (4th ed.), California OEHHA PHGs, EWG Tap Water Database.
CITY OF DALY CITY service area
This water system serves 1 community in San Mateo County, California. Click any city for its dedicated tap water quality page.
Find the right filter for DALY CITY water
Browse filter categories by water-quality concern. Each option below is NSF-certified for the matched contaminant type.