Water Quality: Downey, CA
9 water systems • 311,053 people served
Multiple Health ViolationsWater Quality Summary
Downey is served by 9 public water systems with a combined service population of 311,053 people, and has 129 EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record. Critically, 28 of those are health-based violations, meaning one or more contaminants were detected above EPA-established safe levels — a serious public health concern. Downey's violation count is 169% above the national average for California. Contaminants associated with violations include E. coli, Gross Alpha.
Contaminants Found
Causes gastrointestinal illness; certain strains (e.g., O157:H7) can cause severe kidney failure and death.
Common source: Fecal contamination from humans or animals entering the water supply
EPA limit: Zero (no E. coli permitted in drinking water)
Alpha-emitting radioactive particles increase cancer risk, particularly from bone and other internal cancers.
Common source: Natural uranium and radium in geological formations
EPA limit: 15 pCi/L (excluding radon and uranium)
Water Systems Serving Downey
| System Name | PWSID | Source | Population | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DOWNEY - CITY, WATER DEPT. | CA1910034 | Groundwater | 108,816 | 5 |
| LIBERTY UTILITIES - BELLFLOWER-NORWALK | CA1910211 | Surface Water | 72,624 | 0 |
| LIBERTY UTILITIES (AV RANCHOS) CORP. | CA3610003 | Groundwater | 64,469 | 4 |
| LIBERTY UTILITIES - COMPTON | CA1910021 | Surface Water | 26,371 | 7 |
| LIBERTY UTILITIES - LYNWOOD | CA1910161 | Surface Water | 24,701 | 0 |
| CITY OF BELL GARDENS | CA1910108 | Surface Water | 11,437 | 3 |
| LIBERTY UTILITIES - MESA CREST | CA1910241 | Surface Water | 1,619 | 0 |
| LIBERTY -YERMO | CA3610118 | Groundwater | 861 | 110 |
| LIBERTY-BELLVIEW HEIGHTS | CA3600010 | Groundwater | 155 | 0 |
Concerned About Your Water?
A home water filter can remove common contaminants. NSF-certified filters are tested against EPA standards.
Consider a reverse osmosis system for comprehensive filtration or a carbon filter for basic improvement.
Other Cities in California
Data Sources
Drinking water violation data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). Data includes all recorded violations for active community water systems.