Water Quality Report · Updated October 07, 2026

Los Angeles Water Utilities

Serving 3,979,000 residents in Los Angeles, California .

National rank 28th percentile

California rank 43th percentile

Data confidence High

63/100

Below Average

ⓘ How did we get this rating?

Quick answer

Los Angeles Water Utilities delivers tap water graded D (63/100) by TapWaterSafety.org. The utility serves approximately 3,979,000 residents in Los Angeles, California using surface water blended with groundwater from the Eastern Sierra/Colorado River. The most significant water quality concerns are: Lead detected in source water; Arsenic significantly above health guideline; Chromium-6 detected; Radium-228 detected. For questions, the utility can be reached at (213) 549-2496.

Data sources for this grade: utilities.csv ⓘ How did we get this rating?

⚠ Sample data notice: Some or all data on this page is illustrative sample data, not live measurements from this utility. See our disclaimer. For authoritative info, refer to the utility's published Consumer Confidence Report.

3,979,000

People served

City served

Contaminants detected

Above health guidelines

EPA violations (5 yr)

2024

Most recent test

Is Los Angeles tap water safe to drink?

Los Angeles Water Utilities delivers tap water that earns a grade of D (63/100) from TapWaterSafety.org — a below-average rating, with multiple concerns including lead detected in source water.

The utility serves 3,979,000 residents in Los Angeles, drawing from surface water blended with groundwater (Eastern Sierra/Colorado River) and disinfecting with chloramine.

Public testing data identifies 21 contaminants in this water above EWG's health-based guidelines, including: Arsenic, Arsenic, Arsenic, Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Chromium-6 (Hexavalent), Chromium-6 (Hexavalent), Chromium-6 (Hexavalent), Nitrate, Nitrate, Nitrate, Radium-228, Radium-228, Radium-228, Lead, Lead, Lead. 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 Los Angeles residents

💧 Visit the utility website los-angeles-ca.gov/water 📄 Read the official CCR Annual water quality report 📞 Call the utility (213) 549-2496 🧪 Get your water tested EPA-certified labs

Top concerns in this water

Based on the most recent EPA and EWG data, these are the most significant water quality issues for Los Angeles Water Utilities.

Lead detected in source water

Severe concern

Lead detected at 1.1 ppb. EWG considers no level of lead safe; EPA's action level is 15 ppb.

Arsenic significantly above health guideline

Moderate concern

Arsenic detected at 3.37 ppb, 842x above the EWG health guideline of 0.004 ppb.

Chromium-6 detected

Moderate concern

Chromium-6 detected at 0.39 ppb.

Radium-228 detected

Moderate concern

Radium-228 detected at 0.12 pCi/L.

Contact Los Angeles Water Utilities

Reach the utility directly for service issues, water quality concerns, or to request your Consumer Confidence Report.

General Contact

Address4220 Main Street, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Main phone(213) 549-2496

Emergency / 24-hr(213) 888-1909

Emailwater@los-angeles-ca.gov

Websitelos-angeles-ca.gov/water

HoursMon-Fri 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Water Quality Contact

For questions about contaminants, test results, or your Consumer Confidence Report.

OfficeLos Angeles Water Quality Division

DepartmentWater Quality Compliance

Direct line(213) 910-7820

Emailwaterquality@los-angeles-ca.gov

Treatment Plant

FacilityLos Angeles Water Treatment Plant →

Location4220 Treatment Plant Road, Los Angeles, CA

Operator certificationClass A (State certified)

Treatment capacity795 million gallons/day

Recommended water filters for Los Angeles

Filters matched to the specific contaminants in this water supply.

Filter certified for lead (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58)

$180-$750

When lead is a concern, use a filter certified for lead reduction under NSF/ANSI 53 or 58.

Aquasana AQ-5300 Under-Sink Filter

$180-$240 NSF 42, 53, 401, 372

Editorial pick · affiliate link coming soon

AquaTru Countertop Reverse Osmosis

$449-$599 NSF 42, 53, 58, 401, 372

Editorial pick · affiliate link coming soon

Aquasana OptimH2O Reverse Osmosis + Claryum

$429-$549 NSF 42, 53, 58, 401

Editorial pick · affiliate link coming soon

Waterdrop G3P800 Tankless RO

$600-$750 NSF 42, 53, 58, 372

View on retailer →

Reverse osmosis certified for arsenic (NSF/ANSI 58)

$429-$599

Reverse osmosis certified under NSF/ANSI 58 for arsenic is the most reliable home option.

AquaTru Countertop Reverse Osmosis

$449-$599 NSF 42, 53, 58, 401, 372

Editorial pick · affiliate link coming soon

Aquasana OptimH2O Reverse Osmosis + Claryum

$429-$549 NSF 42, 53, 58, 401

Editorial pick · affiliate link coming soon

Reverse osmosis certified for chromium (NSF/ANSI 58)

$429-$599

Chromium-6 needs reverse osmosis for reliable reduction. Standard carbon filters do not address it.

AquaTru Countertop Reverse Osmosis

$449-$599 NSF 42, 53, 58, 401, 372

Editorial pick · affiliate link coming soon

Aquasana OptimH2O Reverse Osmosis + Claryum

$429-$549 NSF 42, 53, 58, 401

Editorial pick · affiliate link coming soon

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 63/100 breaks down across five weighted components. Read the full methodology →

Health Guideline Performance

25 / 40

Legal Compliance

20 / 20

High-Risk Contaminants

0 / 20

Compliance History

10 / 10

Source Water Vulnerability

8 / 10

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
Arsenic Heavy metal	3.37 ppb	0.004	10	10	10	0.004	2023	842× over
Arsenic Heavy metal	2.65 ppb	0.004	10	10	10	0.004	2022	662× over
Arsenic Heavy metal	2.6 ppb	0.004	10	10	10	0.004	2024	650× over
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct	31.0 ppb	0.1	60	60	—	—	2023	310× over
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct	26.4 ppb	0.1	60	60	—	—	2024	264× over
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct	25.2 ppb	0.1	60	60	—	—	2022	252× over
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct	30.6 ppb	0.6	80	100	—	—	2022	51× over
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct	28.4 ppb	0.6	80	100	—	—	2024	47× over
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct	21.7 ppb	0.6	80	100	—	—	2023	36× over
Chromium-6 (Hexavalent) Heavy metal	0.442 ppb	0.02	—	—	—	0.02	2022	22× over
Chromium-6 (Hexavalent) Heavy metal	0.39 ppb	0.02	—	—	—	0.02	2024	20× over
Chromium-6 (Hexavalent) Heavy metal	0.276 ppb	0.02	—	—	—	0.02	2023	14× over
Nitrate Inorganic	1.77 mg/L	0.14	10	11.3	11.3	10	2023	13× over
Nitrate Inorganic	1.64 mg/L	0.14	10	11.3	11.3	10	2022	12× over
Nitrate Inorganic	1.6 mg/L	0.14	10	11.3	11.3	10	2024	11× over
Radium-228 Radiological	0.154 pCi/L	0.019	5	—	0.1	0.019	2023	8.1× over
Radium-228 Radiological	0.146 pCi/L	0.019	5	—	0.1	0.019	2022	7.7× over
Radium-228 Radiological	0.12 pCi/L	0.019	5	—	0.1	0.019	2024	6.3× over
Lead Heavy metal	1.1 ppb	0	15	5	10	0.2	2024	—
Lead Heavy metal	0.81 ppb	0	15	5	10	0.2	2023	—
Lead Heavy metal	1.02 ppb	0	15	5	10	0.2	2022	—

Contaminant	Detected (2024)	EWG	EPA	EU DWD	WHO	CA PHG	Status
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct	28.4 ppb	0.6	80	100	—	—	47× over
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct	26.4 ppb	0.1	60	60	—	—	264× over
Lead Heavy metal	1.1 ppb	0	15	5	10	0.2	—
Arsenic Heavy metal	2.6 ppb	0.004	10	10	10	0.004	650× over
Radium-228 Radiological	0.12 pCi/L	0.019	5	—	0.1	0.019	6.3× over
Chromium-6 (Hexavalent) Heavy metal	0.39 ppb	0.02	—	—	—	0.02	20× over
Nitrate Inorganic	1.6 mg/L	0.14	10	11.3	11.3	10	11× over

Contaminant	Detected (2023)	EWG	EPA	EU DWD	WHO	CA PHG	Status
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct	21.7 ppb	0.6	80	100	—	—	36× over
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct	31.0 ppb	0.1	60	60	—	—	310× over
Lead Heavy metal	0.81 ppb	0	15	5	10	0.2	—
Arsenic Heavy metal	3.37 ppb	0.004	10	10	10	0.004	842× over
Radium-228 Radiological	0.154 pCi/L	0.019	5	—	0.1	0.019	8.1× over
Chromium-6 (Hexavalent) Heavy metal	0.276 ppb	0.02	—	—	—	0.02	14× over
Nitrate Inorganic	1.77 mg/L	0.14	10	11.3	11.3	10	13× over

Contaminant	Detected (2022)	EWG	EPA	EU DWD	WHO	CA PHG	Status
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct	30.6 ppb	0.6	80	100	—	—	51× over
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct	25.2 ppb	0.1	60	60	—	—	252× over
Lead Heavy metal	1.02 ppb	0	15	5	10	0.2	—
Arsenic Heavy metal	2.65 ppb	0.004	10	10	10	0.004	662× over
Radium-228 Radiological	0.146 pCi/L	0.019	5	—	0.1	0.019	7.7× over
Chromium-6 (Hexavalent) Heavy metal	0.442 ppb	0.02	—	—	—	0.02	22× over
Nitrate Inorganic	1.64 mg/L	0.14	10	11.3	11.3	10	12× 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 (4th ed.), California OEHHA PHGs, EWG Tap Water Database, and Los Angeles Water Utilities's Consumer Confidence Report.