Water Quality Report · Updated May 12, 2026
CITY OF ORANGE
CITY OF ORANGE delivers tap water graded F (52/100) by TapWaterSafety.org. The utility serves approximately 120,770 residents in ORANGE, California using surface water (purchased). The most significant water quality concerns are: PFAS contamination; Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) significantly above health guideline; Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline; Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline; Arsenic detected. For questions, the utility can be reached at 714-288-2475.
Is ORANGE tap water safe to drink?
CITY OF ORANGE delivers tap water that earns a grade of F (52/100) from TapWaterSafety.org — a poor rating, with significant contamination concerns and/or recent violations.
The utility serves 120,770 residents in ORANGE, drawing from surface water (purchased).
Public testing data identifies 18 contaminants in this water above EWG's health-based guidelines, including: Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS), Haloacetic acids (HAA5), Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Haloacetic acids (HAA9), Bromodichloromethane, Arsenic, Dibromoacetic acid, Dibromochloromethane, Trichloroacetic acid, Dichloroacetic acid, Chloroform, Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), Nitrate, Nitrate and nitrite, Chromium (hexavalent), Uranium, Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), Bromoform. 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 ORANGE 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 ORANGE.
PFAS contamination
Severe concernPerfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) 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 1.7 ppt, 1699x above the EWG health guideline of 0.001 ppt.
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.
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernTotal trihalomethanes (TTHMs) detected at 23.6 ppb, 157x above the EWG health guideline of 0.15 ppb.
Arsenic detected
Moderate concernArsenic detected at 0.414 ppb.
Contact CITY OF ORANGE
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 ORANGE
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.
Carbon block (NSF/ANSI 42 + 53)
$40-$750Activated carbon is highly effective for disinfection byproducts like TTHM and HAA5.
Reverse Osmosis
$249-$750Arsenic is most effectively removed by reverse osmosis. Some specialized adsorptive filters also work.
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 52/100 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 |
1.7 ppt | 0.001 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | 1699× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
36.2 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 362× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
23.6 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 157× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
8.71 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 145× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
6.42 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 107× over |
| Arsenic Heavy metal |
0.414 ppb | 0.004 | 10.0 | 10 | 10 | 0.004 | — | 104× over |
| Dibromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
2.05 ppb | 0.03 | — | — | — | — | — | 68× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
6.75 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 68× over |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
2.59 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 26× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
3.62 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 18× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
6.9 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 17× over |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) PFAS |
1.53 ppt | 0.09 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | — | 17× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
2.27 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 16× over |
| Nitrate and nitrite Inorganic |
2.17 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 15× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.277 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 14× over |
| Uranium Radiological |
4.55 pCi/L | 0.43 | 20.0 | 30 | 30 | 0.43 | — | 11× over |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) PFAS |
2.59 ppt | 0.3 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 1 | — | 8.6× over |
| Bromoform Disinfection byproduct |
3.54 ppb | 0.5 | — | — | — | — | — | 7.1× over |
| Chlorate Disinfection byproduct |
113.7 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| 1,4-Dioxane Semi-volatile organic compound |
0.107 ppb | 0.35 | — | — | 50 | 1 | — | Below guideline |
| Barium Heavy metal |
94.8 ppb | 700.0 | 2000.0 | — | 1300 | 2000 | — | Below guideline |
| Molybdenum Other |
4.26 ppb | 40.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Vanadium Other |
2.03 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA) PFAS |
7.44 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutanoic Acid (PFBA) PFAS |
6.22 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
0.498 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) PFAS |
1.16 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Monochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.0463 ppb | 53.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.778 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) PFAS |
0.295 ppt | 2000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Aluminum Heavy metal |
0.0786 ppb | 600.0 | — | 200 | — | 600 | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA) PFAS |
0.063 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Bromide Other |
125.0 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Fluoride Inorganic |
0.302 ppm | — | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Germanium Other |
0.0432 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Lithium Other |
20.1 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 ORANGE 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 ORANGE water
Browse filter categories by water-quality concern. Each option below is NSF-certified for the matched contaminant type.