Central Basin Municipal Water District
EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the California State Water Resources Control Board, as well as information from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History database (ECHO). For the latest quarter assessed by the U.S. EPA (January 2021 - March 2021), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.
Utility Details
- Los Angeles County, California
- Data available: 2014-2019
- Source: Groundwater
Contaminants Detected
6
EXCEED
EWG HEALTH
GUIDELINES
13 Total Contaminants
- Legal does not necessarily equal safe. Getting a passing grade from the federal government does not mean the water meets the latest health guidelines.
- Legal limits for contaminants in tap water have not been updated in almost 20 years.
- The best way to ensure clean tap water is to keep pollution out of source water in the first place.
Looking for a countertop water filter?
Find out which filters earned EWG's recommendation
See the guideContaminants Detected
Nitrate
Potential Effect: cancer23x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINENitrate
more aboutthis contaminant
Nitrate, a fertilizer chemical, frequently contaminates drinking water due to agricultural and urban runoff, and discharges from municipal wastewater treatment plants and septic tanks. Excessive nitrate in water can cause oxygen deprivation in infants and increase the risk of cancer. Click here to read more about nitrate.
Nitrate was found at 23 times above EWG's Health Guideline.
EWG Health Guideline
This Utility
Legal Limit
National Average
State Average
ppm = parts per million
Health Risks
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.14 ppm for nitrate was defined by EWG . This health guideline protects against cancer and harm to fetal growth and development.
Pollution Sources
![agriculture icon](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2017/tap-water/img/pollution-source-agriculture.png)
Agriculture
![urban area icon](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2017/tap-water/img/pollution-source-runoff-sprawl.png)
Runoff & Sprawl
![naturally occuring icon](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2017/tap-water/img/pollution-source-naturally-occuring.png)
Naturally Occurring
Filtering Options
![reverse osmosis icon](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2017/tap-water/img/Osmosis-Icon.png)
Reverse Osmosis
![ion exchange icon](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2017/tap-water/img/IonExchange_Icon.png)
Ion Exchange
Nitrate and nitrite
Potential Effect: cancer28x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINENitrate and nitrite
more aboutthis contaminant
Nitrate and nitrite enter water from fertilizer runoff, septic tanks and urban runoff. These contaminants can cause oxygen deprivation for infants and increase the risk of cancer. Nitrite is significantly more toxic than nitrate. Click here to read more about nitrate.
Nitrate and nitrite was found at 28 times above EWG's Health Guideline.
EWG Health Guideline
This Utility
Legal Limit
National Average
State Average
ppm = parts per million
Health Risks
The health guideline of 0.14 parts per million, or ppm, for nitrate and nitrite is based on the equivalent health guideline for nitrate, as defined in a peer-reviewed scientific study by EWG. This guideline represents a one-in-one-million annual cancer risk level.Pollution Sources
![agriculture icon](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2017/tap-water/img/pollution-source-agriculture.png)
Agriculture
![urban area icon](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2017/tap-water/img/pollution-source-runoff-sprawl.png)
Runoff & Sprawl
![naturally occuring icon](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2017/tap-water/img/pollution-source-naturally-occuring.png)
Naturally Occurring
Filtering Options
![reverse osmosis icon](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2017/tap-water/img/Osmosis-Icon.png)
Reverse Osmosis
![ion exchange icon](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2017/tap-water/img/IonExchange_Icon.png)
Ion Exchange
Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS)
Potential Effect: 4.7x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINEPerfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS)
more aboutthis contaminant
Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. PFOS and other perfluorinated chemicals can cause serious health effects, including cancer, endocrine disruption, accelerated puberty, liver and immune system damage, and thyroid changes. These chemicals are persistent in the environment and they accumulate in people. Click here to read more about perfluorinated chemicals.
Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) was found at 4.7 times above EWG's Health Guideline.
EWG Health Guideline
This Utility
National Average
State Average
ppt = parts per trillion
Health Risks
The EWG Health Guideline of 1 ppt for perfluorobutane sulfonate was defined by EWG based on studies by Phillipe Grandjean of Harvard University and many other independent researchers who found reduced effectiveness of vaccines and adverse impacts on mammary gland development from exposure to PFOA and PFOS, the two PFAS most widely detected in drinking water. This health guideline applies to the entire class of PFAS detected in water.
Pollution Sources
![industry icon](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2017/tap-water/img/pollution-source-industry.png)
Industry
![urban area icon](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2017/tap-water/img/pollution-source-runoff-sprawl.png)
Runoff & Sprawl
Filtering Options
![carbon filter icon](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2017/tap-water/img/Carbon-Icon.png)
Activated Carbon
![reverse osmosis icon](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2017/tap-water/img/Osmosis-Icon.png)
Reverse Osmosis
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)
Potential Effect: 21x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINEPerfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)
more aboutthis contaminant
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. PFOS and other perfluorinated chemicals can cause serious health effects, including cancer, endocrine disruption, accelerated puberty, liver and immune system damage, and thyroid changes. These chemicals are persistent in the environment and they accumulate in people. Click here to read more about perfluorinated chemicals.
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was found at 21 times above EWG's Health Guideline.
EWG Health Guideline
This Utility
Legal Limit
National Average
State Average
ppt = parts per trillion
Health Risks
The EWG Health Guideline of 1 ppt for PFOS was defined by EWG based on studies by Phillipe Grandjean of Harvard University and many other independent researchers who found reduced effectiveness of vaccines and adverse impacts on mammary gland development from exposure to PFOA and PFOS, the two PFAS most widely detected in drinking water. This health guideline applies to the entire class of PFAS detected in water.
Pollution Sources
![industry icon](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2017/tap-water/img/pollution-source-industry.png)
Industry
![urban area icon](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2017/tap-water/img/pollution-source-runoff-sprawl.png)
Runoff & Sprawl
Filtering Options
![carbon filter icon](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2017/tap-water/img/Carbon-Icon.png)
Activated Carbon
![reverse osmosis icon](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2017/tap-water/img/Osmosis-Icon.png)
Reverse Osmosis
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
Potential Effect: cancer1,084x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINEPerfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
more aboutthis contaminant
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. PFOA and other perfluorinated chemicals can cause serious health effects, including cancer, endocrine disruption, accelerated puberty, liver and immune system damage, and thyroid changes. These chemicals are persistent in the environment and they accumulate in people. Click here to read more about perfluorinated chemicals.
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was found at 1,084 times above EWG's Health Guideline.
EWG Health Guideline
This Utility
Legal Limit
National Average
State Average
ppt = parts per trillion
Health Risks
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.007 ppt for PFOA was proposed by California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. This health guideline protects against cancer.Pollution Sources
![industry icon](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2017/tap-water/img/pollution-source-industry.png)
Industry
![urban area icon](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2017/tap-water/img/pollution-source-runoff-sprawl.png)
Runoff & Sprawl
Filtering Options
![carbon filter icon](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2017/tap-water/img/Carbon-Icon.png)
Activated Carbon
![reverse osmosis icon](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2017/tap-water/img/Osmosis-Icon.png)
Reverse Osmosis
Uranium
Potential Effect: cancer3.3x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINEUranium
more aboutthis contaminant
Uranium is a known human carcinogen. The federal legal limit for uranium is set at 30 micrograms per liter (corresponding to parts per billion), but utilities can also report uranium in picocuries per liter (pCi/L), which is a measure of radioactivity in water. EWG translated all uranium results to pCi/L using a conversion factor developed by the EPA. With this conversion approach, the limit of 30 ppb corresponds to 20 pCi/L. Drinking water with this much uranium would cause more than 4.6 cancer cases in a population of 100,000. California set a public health goal for uranium of 0.43 pCi/L.
Uranium was found at 3.3 times above EWG's Health Guideline.
EWG Health Guideline
This Utility
Legal Limit
National Average
State Average
pCi/L = picocuries per liter
Health Risks
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.43 pCi/L for uranium was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. Three most common uranium isotopes are U-234, U-235 and U-238. All isotopes of uranium are radioactive, and the total radioactivity depends on the ratio of isotopes. This health guideline protects against cancer.
Pollution Sources
![industry icon](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2017/tap-water/img/pollution-source-industry.png)
Industry
![naturally occuring icon](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2017/tap-water/img/pollution-source-naturally-occuring.png)
Naturally Occurring
Filtering Options
![reverse osmosis icon](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2017/tap-water/img/Osmosis-Icon.png)
Reverse Osmosis
![ion exchange icon](https://static.ewg.org/reports/2017/tap-water/img/IonExchange_Icon.png)
Ion Exchange
Includes chemicals detected in 2017-2019 for which annual utility averages exceeded an EWG-selected health guideline established by a federal or state public health authority; radiological contaminants detected between 2014 and 2019.
Other Contaminants Tested
✕Central Basin Municipal Water District compliance with legally mandated federal standards:
- From April 2019 to March 2021, Central Basin Municipal Water District complied with health-based drinking water standards.
Information in this section on Central Basin Municipal Water District comes from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History Online database (ECHO).
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS UTILITYWater Filters That Can Reduce Contaminant Levels
Contaminant | Activated Carbon | Reverse Osmosis | Ion Exchange |
CONTAMINANTS ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES | |||
Nitrate | ✔ | ✔ | |
Nitrate & nitrite | ✔ | ✔ | |
Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) | ✔ | ✔ | |
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) | ✔ | ✔ | |
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) | ✔ | ✔ | |
Uranium, combined (pCi/L) | ✔ | ✔ | |
OTHER CONTAMINANTS DETECTED | |||
Fluoride | ✔ | ||
N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) | ✔ | ||
Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA) | ✔ | ✔ | |
Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) | ✔ | ✔ | |
Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) | ✔ | ✔ | |
Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) | ✔ | ✔ | |
Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene) | ✔ | ✔ |
Take Action
Contact Your Local Official
One of the best ways to push for cleaner water is to hold accountable the elected officials who have a say in water quality – from city hall and the state legislature to Congress all the way to the Oval Office – by asking questions and demanding answers.
LEARN MOREFilter Out Contaminants
Check out our recommendations for filters to protect your water against the detected contaminants.
EWG’S WATER FILTER GUIDE