Los Angeles, CA: 95 Health Violations — 77/100 (2026)
95 ZIP codes · 21 water systems · Updated 2026-06-03
How does Los Angeles tap water hold up under EPA scrutiny? Above average for CA — documented violations are uncommon and the safety grade reflects a clean overall record.
How Los Angeles Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
Water Quality Map: Los Angeles, CA
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Score Distribution
Safety grade breakdown for Los Angeles's 95 ZIP codes.
Key Facts for Los Angeles Residents
- Your city's water systems recorded 190 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0039 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 80% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,508 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 10.71.
Los Angeles's Water Providers
Water delivery in Los Angeles, CA is handled by 3 utilities rather than a single system — drawn from 21 providers in federal records, each filing its own compliance reports and setting its own rates.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 95 ZIP codes in Los Angeles, California (population ~2,384,216), covering 21 community water systems serving approximately 5,299,220 people region-wide.
95 of 95 ZIP codes (100%) have recorded EPA violations. 95 health-based violations documented.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Los Angeles: B (77/100)
The score combines three factors:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| Lead Levels | 90th percentile lead concentration vs EPA action level |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
Water Sources
Los Angeles water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0039 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 ZIP codes exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 95 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 0 ZIP codes
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 192 | 95 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90001 | B | 2 | 1 | Los Angeles-city, Department of Water & Power |
| 90002 | B | 2 | 1 | Los Angeles-city, Department of Water & Power |
| 90003 | B | 2 | 1 | Los Angeles-city, Department of Water & Power |
| 90004 | B | 2 | 1 | Los Angeles-city, Department of Water & Power |
| 90005 | B | 2 | 1 | Los Angeles-city, Department of Water & Power |
| 90006 | B | 2 | 1 | Los Angeles-city, Department of Water & Power |
| 90007 | B | 2 | 1 | Los Angeles-city, Department of Water & Power |
| 90008 | B | 2 | 1 | Los Angeles-city, Department of Water & Power |
| 90009 | B | 2 | 1 | Los Angeles-city, Department of Water & Power |
| 90010 | B | 2 | 1 | Los Angeles-city, Department of Water & Power |
All ZIP Codes in Los Angeles
- 90001 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90002 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90003 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90004 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90005 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90006 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90007 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90008 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90009 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90010 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90011 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90012 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90013 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90014 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90015 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90016 [C] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90017 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90018 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90019 [C] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90020 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90021 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90022 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90023 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90024 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90025 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90026 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90027 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90028 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90029 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90030 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90031 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90032 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90033 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90034 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90035 [C] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90036 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90037 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90038 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90039 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90040 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90041 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90042 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90043 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90044 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90045 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90046 [C] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90047 [C] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90048 [C] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90049 [C] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90050 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90051 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90052 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90053 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90054 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90055 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90056 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90057 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90058 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90059 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90060 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90061 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90062 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90063 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90064 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90065 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90066 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90067 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90068 [C] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90070 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90071 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90072 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90073 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90074 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90075 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90076 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90077 [C] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90078 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90079 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90080 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90081 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90082 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90083 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90084 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90086 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90087 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90088 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90089 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90091 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90093 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90095 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90096 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90099 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90101 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90103 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
- 90189 [B] — 2 violations ⚠
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Lead/copper: EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data
- Radon: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Updated daily.
Los Angeles Community Health Snapshot
Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). Water contamination can correlate with respiratory and chronic health conditions.
Compared to National Average
Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national
What's in Los Angeles's Water?
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Los Angeles Infrastructure Age
With 80% of homes built before 1986, lead solder in plumbing is a potential concern. The EPA banned lead solder in 1986, but many older homes retain original plumbing.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
When a city's housing median build year is 1956, as in Los Angeles, the implication for water quality research is straightforward: municipal-level data captures what leaves the treatment plant, but household plumbing from before 1986 determines what actually arrives at the tap. In cities where older housing predominates, that gap between system-level and household-level data is widest.
Over half of homes in Los Angeles were built before 1986, when lead solder was banned. Older plumbing may leach lead into drinking water, especially with corrosive water chemistry.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
How Remediation Costs Compare in Los Angeles
While no remediation project is entirely without cost, the relationship between estimated remediation and property values in Los Angeles is notably favorable — the equity share is small enough that the household financial perspective is one of proportionality rather than pressure, and most homeowners can treat it as routine planning rather than a significant financial event.
Remediation costs in Los Angeles are relatively low compared to home values. The $689–$2,591 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 27% above the California average.
Los Angeles: Lead Risk & Vulnerable Populations
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states there is no safe level of lead exposure for children. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
Older stock in Los Angeles represents 80% of the inventory, and citywide monitoring runs at or above the federal action level — making an in-home read a standard household-level step.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Los Angeles: Flood History & Water Damage Risk
What does a high NFIP claim count mean for water quality in Los Angeles? The 2072 documented claims reflect a flood history frequent enough that those infrastructure degradation pathways — treatment overload, well infiltration, backflow — have almost certainly been periodically activated. That record makes flood timing a relevant factor in local water quality assessment, particularly in the 54% of ZIP codes FEMA has designated as flood zones.
Los Angeles has a significant flood history with 2,072 FEMA flood insurance claims on record, averaging $4,834 per claim. With 54% of ZIP codes in FEMA-designated flood zones, flood risk is a major concern for homeowners and water quality.
How flooding affects water quality: Flood events can introduce sewage, agricultural runoff, and industrial chemicals into water supplies. Even after floodwaters recede, contamination can persist in wells and aging infrastructure. Flood damage can add significantly to the estimated <strong>$1,508</strong> remediation cost per household.
Residents in flood-prone areas should consider flood insurance even outside FEMA zones — over 25% of flood claims come from low-to-moderate risk areas. After any flood event, test your water before drinking.
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data, FEMA flood zone designations.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Los Angeles, CA