Water Quality Report · Updated October 07, 2026
COACHELLA VWD: COVE COMMUNITY
COACHELLA VWD: COVE COMMUNITY delivers tap water graded C (67/100) by TapWaterSafety.org. The utility serves approximately 270,000 residents in PALM DESERT, California using groundwater. The most significant water quality concerns are: Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline; Chromium (hexavalent) significantly above health guideline; Arsenic significantly above health guideline. For questions, the utility can be reached at 760-398-2651.
Is PALM DESERT tap water safe to drink?
COACHELLA VWD: COVE COMMUNITY delivers tap water that earns a grade of C (67/100) from TapWaterSafety.org — an average rating, with several contaminants above health guidelines but generally compliant with US legal limits.
The utility serves 270,000 residents in PALM DESERT, drawing from groundwater.
Public testing data identifies 14 contaminants in this water above EWG's health-based guidelines, including: Haloacetic acids (HAA5), Chromium (hexavalent), Arsenic, Haloacetic acids (HAA9), Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Nitrate, Dibromochloromethane, Bromodichloromethane, Uranium, Nitrate and nitrite, Bromoform, Dibromoacetic acid, 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP), Radium, combined (-226 and -228). 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.
EPA compliance record
Official U.S. EPA records for COACHELLA VWD: COVE COMMUNITY (system ID CA3310001) for the last 3 years. Checked 2026-10-07.
Source: U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO), from the Safe Drinking Water Information System. See EPA's full report.
Quick actions for PALM DESERT residents
Top concerns in this water
Based on the most recent EPA and EWG data, these are the most significant water quality issues for COACHELLA VWD: COVE COMMUNITY.
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.
Chromium (hexavalent) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernChromium (hexavalent) detected at 6.69 ppb, 334x above the EWG health guideline of 0.02 ppb.
Arsenic significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernArsenic detected at 1.14 ppb, 286x above the EWG health guideline of 0.004 ppb.
Contact COACHELLA VWD: COVE COMMUNITY
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 PALM DESERT
Filters matched to the specific contaminants in this water supply.
Carbon filter certified for VOCs (NSF/ANSI 53)
$180-$599Activated carbon is effective for disinfection byproducts. Look for NSF/ANSI 53 VOC reduction.
Reverse osmosis certified for arsenic (NSF/ANSI 58)
$429-$599Reverse osmosis certified under NSF/ANSI 58 for arsenic is the most reliable home option.
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 67/100 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
36.2 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 362× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
6.69 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 334× over |
| Arsenic Heavy metal |
1.14 ppb | 0.004 | 10.0 | 10 | 10 | 0.004 | — | 286× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
2.93 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 49× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
4.55 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 30× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
2.36 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 17× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
1.56 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 16× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
0.788 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 13× over |
| Uranium Radiological |
4.5 pCi/L | 0.43 | 20.0 | 30 | 30 | 0.43 | — | 10× over |
| Nitrate and nitrite Inorganic |
1.37 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 9.8× over |
| Bromoform Disinfection byproduct |
1.72 ppb | 0.5 | — | — | — | — | — | 3.4× over |
| Dibromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.0957 ppb | 0.03 | — | — | — | — | — | 3.2× over |
| 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) Other |
0.00533 ppb | 0.0017 | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | 3.1× over |
| Radium, combined (-226 and -228) Radiological |
0.06 pCi/L | 0.05 | 5.0 | — | — | — | — | 1.2× over |
| Vanadium Other |
16.8 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
0.234 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perchlorate Disinfection byproduct |
0.364 ppb | 1.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Molybdenum Other |
8.69 ppb | 40.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Chlorate Disinfection byproduct |
7.32 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Barium Heavy metal |
12.2 ppb | 700.0 | 2000.0 | — | 1300 | 2000 | — | Below guideline |
| 1,4-Dioxane Semi-volatile organic compound |
0.00533 ppb | 0.35 | — | — | 50 | 1 | — | Below guideline |
| Aluminum Heavy metal |
0.772 ppb | 600.0 | — | 200 | — | 600 | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
0.0486 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.424 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Chlorodifluoromethane Other |
0.00833 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Chromium (total) Heavy metal |
5.23 ppb | — | 100.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Fluoride Inorganic |
0.54 ppm | — | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Germanium Other |
0.00833 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.
COACHELLA VWD: COVE COMMUNITY service area
This water system serves 1 community in Riverside County, California. Click any city for its dedicated tap water quality page.
Find the right filter for PALM DESERT water
Browse filter categories by water-quality concern. Each option below is NSF-certified for the matched contaminant type.