Tap Water Quality Report
Tap water quality in DOWNEY, California
Tap water in DOWNEY, California receives a grade of F (53/100) from TapWaterSafety.org. It's served by 3 public water systems, primarily LIBERTY UTILITIES (AV RANCHOS) CORP.. The most significant water quality concerns are: Arsenic significantly above health guideline; Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline; Chromium (hexavalent) significantly above health guideline; PFAS contamination; Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) significantly above health guideline. Data sources: EPA SDWIS, EPA ECHO, EWG Tap Water Database.
What's in DOWNEY's tap water
Top water quality concerns identified by the EPA and Environmental Working Group across the utilities serving DOWNEY.
Arsenic significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernArsenic detected at 1.01 ppb, 251x above the EWG health guideline of 0.004 ppb.
Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA5) detected at 24.4 ppb, 244x above the EWG health guideline of 0.1 ppb.
Chromium (hexavalent) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernChromium (hexavalent) detected at 2.46 ppb, 123x above the EWG health guideline of 0.02 ppb.
PFAS contamination
Severe concernPerfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), Perfluorooctane 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 5.87 ppt, 5873x above the EWG health guideline of 0.001 ppt.
Water systems serving DOWNEY
DOWNEY is served by 3 public water systems. Click any utility to see its complete grade card and treatment plant contact info.
LIBERTY UTILITIES (AV RANCHOS) CORP.
- Arsenic significantly above health guideline
- Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline
- Chromium (hexavalent) significantly above health guideline
DOWNEY - CITY, WATER DEPT.
- PFAS contamination
- Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) significantly above health guideline
- Arsenic significantly above health guideline
LIBERTY UTILITIES - BELLFLOWER-NORWALK
- PFAS contamination
- Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) significantly above health guideline
- Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline
Recommended filters for DOWNEY
Filters matched to the specific contaminants in DOWNEY's water supply.
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.
All contaminants detected in DOWNEY's tap water
Every contaminant identified, compared side-by-side against US EPA legal limits, the EU Drinking Water Directive (2020/2184), WHO Guidelines, and California's Public Health Goal. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) PFAS |
12.1 ppt | 0.09 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | — | EPA violation |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) PFAS |
39.7 ppt | 0.3 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 1 | — | EPA violation |
| Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) PFAS |
7.52 ppt | 0.001 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | 7518× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
36.2 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 362× over |
| Arsenic Heavy metal |
1.43 ppb | 0.004 | 10.0 | 10 | 10 | 0.004 | — | 357× over |
| Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) PFAS |
2.07 ppt | 0.006 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | 345× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
28.8 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 192× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
8.61 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 143× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
2.46 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 123× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
8.38 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 84× over |
| Dibromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
1.73 ppb | 0.03 | — | — | — | — | — | 58× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
3.46 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 58× over |
| Arsenic* Heavy metal |
0.16 ppb | 0.004 | 10.0 | 10 | 10 | 0.004 | — | 40× over |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
3.36 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 34× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
9.49 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 24× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
4.79 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 24× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
3.16 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 23× over |
| Nitrate and nitrite Inorganic |
3.18 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 23× over |
| Radium, combined (-226 and -228) Radiological |
0.62 pCi/L | 0.05 | 5.0 | — | — | — | — | 12× over |
| Bromoform Disinfection byproduct |
5.43 ppb | 0.5 | — | — | — | — | — | 11× over |
| Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene) Volatile organic compound |
0.541 ppb | 0.06 | 5.0 | — | — | — | — | 9.0× over |
| 1,4-Dioxane Semi-volatile organic compound |
2.0 ppb | 0.35 | — | — | 50 | 1 | — | 5.7× over |
| Uranium Radiological |
2.08 pCi/L | 0.43 | 20.0 | 30 | 30 | 0.43 | — | 4.8× over |
| Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) PFAS |
0.025 ppt | 0.006 | — | — | — | — | — | 4.2× over |
| Vanadium Other |
13.9 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Trichloroethylene Volatile organic compound |
0.177 ppb | 0.4 | 5.0 | 10 | 20 | 1.7 | — | Below guideline |
| Chlorate Disinfection byproduct |
56.3 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Aluminum* Heavy metal |
77.5 ppb | 600.0 | — | 200 | — | 600 | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
12.9 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Barium Heavy metal |
65.4 ppb | 700.0 | 2000.0 | — | 1300 | 2000 | — | Below guideline |
| Molybdenum Other |
3.48 ppb | 40.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Aluminum Heavy metal |
13.6 ppb | 600.0 | — | 200 | — | 600 | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA) PFAS |
9.66 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) PFAS |
8.07 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutanoic Acid (PFBA) PFAS |
6.27 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) PFAS |
6.03 ppt | 2000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA) PFAS |
2.58 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| 1,1-Dichloroethane Volatile organic compound |
0.00349 ppb | 3.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Cobalt Other |
0.0542 ppb | 70.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.703 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Chlorodifluoromethane Other |
0.0425 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Fluoride Inorganic |
0.442 ppm | — | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | — | Below guideline |
| cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene Volatile organic compound |
0.276 ppb | — | 70.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Lithium Other |
35.5 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Germanium Other |
0.0326 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, California OEHHA PHGs, EWG Tap Water Database.
Treatment plant contact info
For service issues, water quality concerns, or to request a Consumer Confidence Report from LIBERTY UTILITIES (AV RANCHOS) CORP..