Water System Report CA

Cal-water Service Company-chico

EPA ID: CA0410002 ยท 114,925 people served ยท 4 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for Cal-water Service Company-chico (CA0410002): PFAS sampling above the current EPA limit (UCMR5). From the earliest to the most recent cycle in the five-year EPA window, Cal-water Service Company-chico has logged zero violations - no MCL exceedances, no health advisories, and no enforcement activity across the entire period for the 114,925 people in its service area, a record that stands up well against both state and national benchmarks.

Data: EPA SDWIS

B ยท 80
Avg Safety Score
114,925
People Served
4
ZIP Codes Served
0
Violations (5yr)
Groundwater
Water Source
Zone 3
Radon Risk ยท Low
0
Contaminants Flagged
$477K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Cal-water Service Company-chico Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary - Grade B

Service Area Demographics

$65,350
Median Household Income
117,653
Service Area Population
41%
Disadvantaged Population
50th
Poverty Percentile
60th
Energy Burden Percentile
55%
Pre-1986 Housing

The Cal-water Service Company-chico serves a community with a median household income of $65,350 and an estimated 117,653 residents across its service area. Approximately 55% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

Environmental Justice Note: 41% of the population in this service area is classified as disadvantaged under EPA's EJScreen criteria. Communities with higher disadvantaged populations often face disproportionate environmental and health burdens, including aging water infrastructure and limited resources for remediation.

๐Ÿ’ง Where Does Your Water Come From?

Groundwater

Cal-water Service Company-chico's water is pumped from underground aquifers. Groundwater is naturally filtered through rock and soil, but it can be vulnerable to PFAS contamination, nitrates from agriculture, and industrial chemicals that seep into the water table.

Moderate Risk
Source Contamination Risk
40th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
40th
Superfund Site Proximity

Infrastructure Risk

46 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Copper
Pipe Material
24 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Moderate Wear
Decay Status
Installed 66% of expected lifespan used End of life

PFAS Detected in Service Area

PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 18 detections recorded. 9 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS). 6 exceed state limits.

State limits: PFOA: 0.0051 ppt, PFOS: 0.0065 ppt
Health concern: PFAS are linked to cancer, thyroid disease, immune suppression, and developmental effects. They do not break down naturally.
Recommended filter: Reverse osmosis (RO) or activated carbon filters certified for PFAS removal. Find the right filter โ†’

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in California

City of Antioch
115,074 people
0 violations
B 0 violations
Vallecitos Water District
113,500 people
A 1 violation
Ventura Water Department
113,500 people
C 0 violations
C 0 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Flood Insurance Water Filtration PFAS Treatment
Flood Insurance $1,050
Water Filtration $600
PFAS Treatment $450
Total Estimated Cost $2,100

Based on national averages for common remediation projects. Actual costs vary by property. Only issues flagged by EPA, FEMA, or state data for each ZIP code are included.

Cost of Inaction

If water quality issues in this service area are not addressed, the estimated financial impact per household is:

PFAS Exposure - Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$165
10 years
$330
20 years
$660

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $2,100 (one-time) vs. $330 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Estimates based on published EPA, CDC, and peer-reviewed research. Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These are conservative lower-bound estimates intended for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

Cal-water Service Company-chico (EPA ID: CA0410002) is a community water system in California that serves approximately 114,925 people from groundwater sources.

This system provides water to 4 ZIP codes across 1 community.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: B (80/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 3 of 4 service-area ZIP codes with all required score domains observed. It is not a grade for the water utility.

Model 4.0.0 uses SDWIS identity plus accepted ECHO SDWA lifecycle-based water compliance, the UCMR 5 PFAS MCL screen, EPA radon zone, and annual EPA AirData AQI across three equally weighted domains. Missing required evidence suppresses the score.

Violation History

No accepted violation records in the 2021-2026 window - The accepted EPA ECHO 2026Q2 snapshot contains zero violation records for this system whose record year falls from 2021 through 2026, inclusive. This is not a tap-water safety guarantee.

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:

Lead Level Exceeds Action Level Sample Date
0 mg/L No N/A

No copper action-level exceedance record appears for this PWSID in the accepted LCR snapshot. This does not establish a clean copper measurement.

Radon Risk in Service Area

Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 3 (Low Risk)

Need help with your water quality?

Typical cost: Water test: typically $20โ€“$50 (DIY kit) ยท Professional inspection: $150โ€“$400

Find the Right Water Filter

Free tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking โ€” this helps flush lead from your pipes.

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: Service area ZIP codes sourced from EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 (March 2026 release). These ZIPs reflect the actual deployment footprint recorded by CA or modeled from parcel and building-footprint data.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Cal-water Service Company-chico (CA0410002) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cal-water Service Company-chico water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot contains zero violation records for Cal-water Service Company-chico in the inclusive 2021-2026 record-year window. This is a compliance-record finding, not a guarantee about water at a specific tap.

How many people does Cal-water Service Company-chico serve?

Cal-water Service Company-chico serves approximately 114,925 people across 4 ZIP codes in California.

Where does Cal-water Service Company-chico get its water?

The primary water source is groundwater.

Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Above Current MCL

This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). One or more PFAS compounds were measured above the current state-enforceable MCL.

Samples collected
2146
Detections
46
Latest sample
7/16/2024
Highest analyte
PFOS: 22.5 ppt
Analyte Max detected Current MCL Status
PFOS 22.5 ppt 10 ppt Above current MCL
PFHxS 22.1 ppt 10 ppt Above current MCL
PFBS 9.6 ppt โ€” โ€”
PFOA 6.8 ppt 10 ppt Above 2029 federal MCL
PFHxA 6 ppt โ€” โ€”
PFPeA 5.3 ppt โ€” โ€”

Current MCL reflects the lowest state-enforceable limit (NYS 10 ppt for PFOA/PFOS, effective August 2020). The federal final MCL of 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS (EPA April 2024 rule) is not enforceable until April 2029. Detections above 4 ppt but below 10 ppt are below current MCL but above the future federal limit.

Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) โ€” per-system federal sampling, 2023โ€“2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program โ†’

Understand PFAS health context and filtration โ†’

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water from Cal-water Service Company-chico safe to drink?
Cal-water Service Company-chico earns a B safety grade with 0 violations in the past 5 years. Tap water meets EPA standards for most contaminants.
Should I use a water filter?
Cal-water Service Company-chico meets EPA standards, but a water filter can reduce trace contaminants below detectable levels for added peace of mind.
How many people does Cal-water Service Company-chico serve?
Cal-water Service Company-chico serves approximately 114,925 people with drinking water across 4 ZIP codes.
What is Cal-water Service Company-chico's water source?
Cal-water Service Company-chico draws water from groundwater sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
What is the demographic profile of Cal-water Service Company-chico's service area?
The Cal-water Service Company-chico service area has a median household income of $65,350. EPA EJScreen data classifies 41% of the population as disadvantaged, which may indicate greater vulnerability to environmental health risks.
Where does Cal-water Service Company-chico get its water?
Cal-water Service Company-chico's water is pumped from underground aquifers. Groundwater is naturally filtered through rock and soil, but it can be vulnerable to PFAS contamination, nitrates from agriculture, and industrial chemicals that seep into the water table. Based on available data, the source contamination risk is moderate.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Cal-water Service Company-chico, CA: Serves 115K People. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ca0410002/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-ca0410002,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Cal-water Service Company-chico, CA: Serves 115K People}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ca0410002/}
}
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