Water System Report CA

City of Alhambra

EPA ID: CA1910001 ยท 79,776 people served ยท 4 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for City of Alhambra (CA1910001): no EPA violations recorded in the last five years. Unlike many utilities its size, City of Alhambra carries a violation-free five-year record - no EPA notices, no MCL exceedances, serving 79,776 people.

Data: EPA SDWIS

B ยท 73
Avg Safety Score
79,776
People Served
4
ZIP Codes Served
0
Violations (5yr)
Surface Water
Water Source
Zone 2
Radon Risk ยท Moderate
0
Contaminants Flagged
$807K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

Coverage area for City of Alhambra Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary - Grade B

Service Area Demographics

$82,232
Median Household Income
145,715
Service Area Population
49%
Disadvantaged Population
50th
Poverty Percentile
20th
Energy Burden Percentile
82%
Pre-1986 Housing

The City of Alhambra serves a community with a median household income of $82,232 and an estimated 145,715 residents across its service area. Approximately 82% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

Environmental Justice Note: 49% 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.

๐ŸŒŠ Where Does Your Water Come From?

Surface Water

City of Alhambra's water is drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Surface water sources are more exposed to agricultural runoff, stormwater, and upstream discharges, but they typically receive more intensive treatment before reaching your tap.

Moderate Risk
Source Contamination Risk
50th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
70th
Superfund Site Proximity

Superfund Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 70th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites.

Infrastructure Risk

64 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Galvanized Steel or Copper
Pipe Material
3 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Moderate Wear
Decay Status
Installed 96% 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. 8 detections recorded. 2 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS). 2 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

C 1 violation
Folsom, City of - Main
80,969 people
A 0 violations
City of Upland
78,376 people
C 0 violations
City of Mountain View
81,501 people
0 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Flood Insurance Radon Mitigation PFAS Treatment Water Filtration
Flood Insurance $1,200
Radon Mitigation $400
PFAS Treatment $400
Water Filtration $75
Total Estimated Cost $2,075

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 $2,075 (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

City of Alhambra (EPA ID: CA1910001) is a community water system in California that serves approximately 79,776 people from surface water sources.

This system provides water to 4 ZIP codes across 3 communities.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: B (73/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 2 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 2 (Moderate Risk)

The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.

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 City of Alhambra (CA1910001) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is City of Alhambra water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot contains zero violation records for City of Alhambra 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 City of Alhambra serve?

City of Alhambra serves approximately 79,776 people across 4 ZIP codes in California.

Where does City of Alhambra get its water?

The primary water source is surface water.

Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Tested Clean

This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). No PFAS compounds were detected.

Samples collected
203

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 City of Alhambra safe to drink?
City of Alhambra 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?
City of Alhambra meets EPA standards, but a water filter can reduce trace contaminants below detectable levels for added peace of mind.
How many people does City of Alhambra serve?
City of Alhambra serves approximately 79,776 people with drinking water across 4 ZIP codes.
What is City of Alhambra's water source?
City of Alhambra draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
What is the demographic profile of City of Alhambra's service area?
The City of Alhambra service area has a median household income of $82,232. EPA EJScreen data classifies 49% of the population as disadvantaged, which may indicate greater vulnerability to environmental health risks.
Where does City of Alhambra get its water?
City of Alhambra's water is drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Surface water sources are more exposed to agricultural runoff, stormwater, and upstream discharges, but they typically receive more intensive treatment before reaching your tap. Based on available data, the source contamination risk is moderate.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). City of Alhambra, CA: Serves 80K People. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ca1910001/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-ca1910001,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{City of Alhambra, CA: Serves 80K People}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ca1910001/}
}
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