Water Quality: East Palo Alto, CA
2 water systems • 32,419 people served
Some ConcernsWater Quality Summary
East Palo Alto is served by 2 public water systems with a combined service population of 32,419 people, and has 3 EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record. Critically, 2 of those are health-based violations, meaning one or more contaminants were detected above EPA-established safe levels — a serious public health concern. East Palo Alto's violation count is 94% below the national average for California. Contaminants associated with violations include Fecal Coliform, Gross Alpha.
Contaminants Found
Indicates direct fecal contamination; associated with diarrhea, cramps, nausea, and potential severe illness.
Common source: Human and animal fecal waste
EPA limit: Zero tolerance (any positive triggers violations)
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 East Palo Alto
| System Name | PWSID | Source | Population | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CITY OF EAST PALO ALTO | CA4110024 | Surface Water | 29,519 | 1 |
| PALO ALTO PARK MUTUAL WATER COMPANY | CA4110020 | Groundwater | 2,900 | 2 |
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.