Water Quality Report · Updated May 12, 2026
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH delivers tap water graded F (53/100) by TapWaterSafety.org. The utility serves approximately 68,572 residents in NEWPORT BEACH, California using surface water (purchased). The most significant water quality concerns are: PFAS contamination; Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) significantly above health guideline; Arsenic significantly above health guideline; Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline. For questions, the utility can be reached at 949-718-3402.
Is NEWPORT BEACH tap water safe to drink?
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH delivers tap water that earns a grade of F (53/100) from TapWaterSafety.org — a poor rating, with significant contamination concerns and/or recent violations.
The utility serves 68,572 residents in NEWPORT BEACH, drawing from surface water (purchased).
Public testing data identifies 19 contaminants in this water above EWG's health-based guidelines, including: Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS), Arsenic, Haloacetic acids (HAA5), Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Bromodichloromethane, Haloacetic acids (HAA9), Dibromochloromethane, Dibromoacetic acid, Trichloroacetic acid, Chloroform, Dichloroacetic acid, Nitrate, Nitrate and nitrite, Bromoform, Uranium, Chromium (hexavalent), 1,4-Dioxane, Radium, combined (-226 and -228)*, Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). 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.
Quick actions for NEWPORT BEACH 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 NEWPORT BEACH.
PFAS contamination
Severe concernPerfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) detected. PFAS are persistent chemicals linked to cancer and immune effects with no known safe exposure threshold.
Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernPerfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) detected at 0.975 ppt, 975x above the EWG health guideline of 0.001 ppt.
Arsenic significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernArsenic detected at 2.46 ppb, 614x above the EWG health guideline of 0.004 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.
Contact CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
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 NEWPORT BEACH
Filters matched to the specific contaminants in this water supply.
Reverse Osmosis or NSF P473 certified carbon
$80-$750Activated carbon and RO are the only technologies proven to remove PFAS at certified levels.
Reverse Osmosis
$249-$750Arsenic is most effectively removed by reverse osmosis. Some specialized adsorptive filters also work.
Carbon block (NSF/ANSI 42 + 53)
$40-$750Activated carbon is highly effective for disinfection byproducts like TTHM and HAA5.
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 53/100 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) PFAS |
0.975 ppt | 0.001 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | 975× over |
| Arsenic Heavy metal |
2.46 ppb | 0.004 | 10.0 | 10 | 10 | 0.004 | — | 614× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
36.2 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 362× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
23.2 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 155× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
6.45 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 108× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
4.43 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 74× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
6.58 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 66× over |
| Dibromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.988 ppb | 0.03 | — | — | — | — | — | 33× over |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
2.22 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 22× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
6.75 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 17× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
3.06 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 15× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
1.47 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 11× over |
| Nitrate and nitrite Inorganic |
1.49 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 11× over |
| Bromoform Disinfection byproduct |
3.46 ppb | 0.5 | — | — | — | — | — | 6.9× over |
| Uranium Radiological |
2.49 pCi/L | 0.43 | 20.0 | 30 | 30 | 0.43 | — | 5.8× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.109 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 5.5× over |
| 1,4-Dioxane Semi-volatile organic compound |
0.638 ppb | 0.35 | — | — | 50 | 1 | — | 1.8× over |
| Radium, combined (-226 and -228)* Radiological |
0.07 pCi/L | 0.05 | 5.0 | — | — | — | — | 1.4× over |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) PFAS |
0.387 ppt | 0.3 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 1 | — | 1.3× over |
| Chlorate Disinfection byproduct |
124.6 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Vanadium Other |
3.78 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Molybdenum Other |
4.85 ppb | 40.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Barium Heavy metal |
47.4 ppb | 700.0 | 2000.0 | — | 1300 | 2000 | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
1.03 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Monobromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.0313 ppb | 25.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Aluminum Heavy metal |
0.426 ppb | 600.0 | — | 200 | — | 600 | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.729 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Bromide Other |
112.4 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Fluoride Inorganic |
0.416 ppm | — | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Germanium Other |
0.06 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Lithium Other |
14.6 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 NEWPORT BEACH service area
This water system serves 1 community in Orange County, California. Click any city for its dedicated tap water quality page.
Find the right filter for NEWPORT BEACH water
Browse filter categories by water-quality concern. Each option below is NSF-certified for the matched contaminant type.