Tap Water Quality Report
Tap water quality in FULLERTON, California
Tap water in FULLERTON, California receives a grade of F (52/100) from TapWaterSafety.org. It's served by CITY OF FULLERTON. 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. Data sources: EPA SDWIS, EPA ECHO, EWG Tap Water Database.
What's in FULLERTON's tap water
Top water quality concerns identified by the EPA and Environmental Working Group across the utility serving FULLERTON.
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 3.38 ppt, 3382x above the EWG health guideline of 0.001 ppt.
Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA5) detected at 35.3 ppb, 353x above the EWG health guideline of 0.1 ppb.
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernTotal trihalomethanes (TTHMs) detected at 25.4 ppb, 169x above the EWG health guideline of 0.15 ppb.
Arsenic detected
Moderate concernArsenic detected at 0.16 ppb.
Recommended filters for FULLERTON
Filters matched to the specific contaminants in FULLERTON's 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.
All contaminants detected in FULLERTON'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) PFAS |
7.71 ppt | 0.3 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 1 | — | EPA violation |
| Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) PFAS |
3.38 ppt | 0.001 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | 3382× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
35.3 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 353× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
25.4 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 169× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
9.6 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 160× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
8.29 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 138× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
8.08 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 81× over |
| Dibromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
1.86 ppb | 0.03 | — | — | — | — | — | 62× over |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) PFAS |
3.88 ppt | 0.09 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | — | 43× over |
| Arsenic* Heavy metal |
0.16 ppb | 0.004 | 10.0 | 10 | 10 | 0.004 | — | 40× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
8.33 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 21× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
4.05 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 20× over |
| Nitrate and nitrite Inorganic |
2.81 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 20× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.384 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 19× over |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
1.91 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 19× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
2.38 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 17× over |
| Uranium Radiological |
3.87 pCi/L | 0.43 | 20.0 | 30 | 30 | 0.43 | — | 9.0× over |
| Bromoform Disinfection byproduct |
3.52 ppb | 0.5 | — | — | — | — | — | 7.0× over |
| Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene) Volatile organic compound |
0.348 ppb | 0.06 | 5.0 | — | — | — | — | 5.8× over |
| Radium, combined (-226 and -228)* Radiological |
0.07 pCi/L | 0.05 | 5.0 | — | — | — | — | 1.4× over |
| Perchlorate Disinfection byproduct |
0.551 ppb | 1.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Trichloroethylene Volatile organic compound |
0.185 ppb | 0.4 | 5.0 | 10 | 20 | 1.7 | — | Below guideline |
| Chlorate Disinfection byproduct |
66.0 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Vanadium Other |
3.58 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Aluminum* Heavy metal |
77.5 ppb | 600.0 | — | 200 | — | 600 | — | Below guideline |
| Molybdenum Other |
5.11 ppb | 40.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| 1,4-Dioxane Semi-volatile organic compound |
0.0239 ppb | 0.35 | — | — | 50 | 1 | — | Below guideline |
| Selenium Heavy metal |
2.01 ppb | 30.0 | 50.0 | 20 | 40 | 30 | — | Below guideline |
| Barium* Heavy metal |
36.7 ppb | 700.0 | 2000.0 | — | 1300 | 2000 | — | Below guideline |
| Monobromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.331 ppb | 25.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA) PFAS |
6.73 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Monochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.271 ppb | 53.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
0.466 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) PFAS |
3.44 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutanoic Acid (PFBA) PFAS |
3.38 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) PFAS |
1.92 ppt | 2000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA) PFAS |
0.88 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.757 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Bromide Other |
103.0 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Fluoride Inorganic |
0.501 ppm | — | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Germanium Other |
0.0509 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Lithium Other |
21.3 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 CITY OF FULLERTON.