Tap Water Quality Report
Tap water quality in Long Beach, California
Tap water in Long Beach, California receives a grade of D (67/100) from TapWaterSafety.org. It's served by Long Beach Water Authority. The most significant water quality concerns are: PFAS contamination; Chromium-6 detected. Data sources: EPA SDWIS, EPA ECHO, EWG Tap Water Database, and Long Beach's published Consumer Confidence Report.
What's in Long Beach's tap water
Top water quality concerns identified by the EPA and Environmental Working Group across the utility serving Long Beach.
PFAS contamination
Severe concernPFOA, PFOA detected. PFAS are persistent chemicals linked to cancer and immune effects with no known safe exposure threshold.
Chromium-6 detected
Moderate concernChromium-6 detected at 0.16 ppb.
Recommended filters for Long Beach
Filters matched to the specific contaminants in Long Beach'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.
Reverse Osmosis
$249-$750Chromium-6 requires reverse osmosis for reliable removal. Standard carbon filters do not address it.
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 Long Beach'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFOA Organic |
2.65 ppt | 0.004 | 4 | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | 2022 | 662× over |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
37.4 ppb | 0.1 | 60 | 60 | — | — | 2022 | 374× over |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
27.2 ppb | 0.6 | 80 | 100 | — | — | 2023 | 45× over |
| Chromium-6 (Hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.168 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | 0.02 | 2022 | 8.4× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
1.017 mg/L | 0.14 | 10 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | 2022 | 7.3× over |
| Contaminant | Detected (2023) | EWG | EPA | EU DWD | WHO | CA PHG | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
27.2 ppb | 0.6 | 80 | 100 | — | — | 45× over |
| Contaminant | Detected (2022) | EWG | EPA | EU DWD | WHO | CA PHG | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFOA Organic |
2.65 ppt | 0.004 | 4 | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | 662× over |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
37.4 ppb | 0.1 | 60 | 60 | — | — | 374× over |
| Chromium-6 (Hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.168 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | 0.02 | 8.4× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
1.017 mg/L | 0.14 | 10 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | 7.3× over |
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 Long Beach Water Authority.
General Contact
Water Quality Contact
For questions about contaminants or test results.