Health Violations Found CA 1 HEALTH VIOLATION

City of Madera

EPA ID: CA2010002 · 66,560 people served · 4 ZIP codes

Not yet resolved: 2 EPA violations at City of Madera, affecting about 66,560 residents.

Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02

B · 77
Avg Safety Score
66,560
People Served
4
ZIP Codes Served
2
Violations (5yr)
Groundwater
Water Source
0.003 mg/L
Max Lead Level
Zone 2
Radon Risk · Moderate
1
Contaminants Flagged
$369K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

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

Service area boundary — Grade B

Service Area Demographics

$74,621
Median Household Income
108,557
Service Area Population
52%
Disadvantaged Population
70th
Poverty Percentile
70th
Energy Burden Percentile
46%
Pre-1986 Housing

The City of Madera serves a community with a median household income of $74,621 and an estimated 108,557 residents across its service area. Approximately 46% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

Environmental Justice Note: 52% 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.

💧 Where Does Your Water Come From?

Groundwater

City of Madera'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.

Elevated Risk
Source Contamination Risk
0th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
30th
Superfund Site Proximity

About 1% of homes in Madera County, California rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.

Infrastructure Risk

41 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Copper
Pipe Material
28 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Moderate Wear
Decay Status
Installed 59% of expected lifespan used End of life

Detected Contaminants

How City of Madera compares to EPA limits

What This Means For You

Stage 2 DBP Rule at 2 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in California

City of Tustin
66,600 people
A 1 violation
B 2 violations
B 0 violations
B 0 violations
B 0 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Flood Insurance Radon Mitigation Water Filtration
Flood Insurance $900
Radon Mitigation $400
Water Filtration $300
Total Estimated Cost $1,600

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:

Estimated Healthcare Costs $500

Annual per household (CDC est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$2,500
10 years
$5,000
20 years
$10,000

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $1,600 (one-time) vs. $5,000 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 Madera (EPA ID: CA2010002) is a community water system in California that serves approximately 66,560 people from groundwater sources.

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

Average Home Safety Score: B (77/100)

Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.

Violation History

1 health-based violation recorded in the past 5 years. 2 remain unresolved.

Recent Violations

Date Contaminant Type Status
October 17, 2024 Stage 2 DBP Rule Health-based Unresolved
October 17, 2024 Stage 2 DBP Rule Monitoring Unresolved

Contaminants Detected

The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:

Contaminant Category Violations Health-Based
Stage 2 DBP Rule Treatment Failure 2 Yes

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:

ZIP Code Lead Level Exceeds Limit Sample Date
93637 0.003 mg/L No N/A
93638 0.003 mg/L No N/A
93639 0.003 mg/L No N/A

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 $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400

Find the Right Water Filter

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

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: 2 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 2 additional ZIPs inferred from SDWIS registry data. The EPA-confirmed set is the most reliable; SDWIS-inferred entries may be narrower than the real deployment area.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for City of Madera (CA2010002) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is City of Madera water safe to drink?

City of Madera has recorded 1 health-based violation in the past 5 years. While the system is required to treat water to meet federal standards, you may want to consider additional precautions such as a certified water filter.

How many people does City of Madera serve?

City of Madera serves approximately 66,560 people across 4 ZIP codes in California.

Where does City of Madera get its water?

The primary water source is groundwater.

Contact Your Water Utility

Public-record contact information for the water utility serving this system. Use these channels to request water quality reports, ask about service, or report issues directly.

Phone
(559) 661-5405
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility, does not act as its agent, and does not provide customer support for it. Contact details shown are public-record information from CCR filings. For service issues, contact the utility directly using the information above.
Address
City of Madera, Public Works Department 1030 South Gateway Drive Madera, CA 93637

Contact information from City of Madera Consumer Confidence Report.

ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility, does not act as its agent, and does not provide customer support for it. Contact details shown are public-record information from CCR filings. For service issues, contact the utility directly using the information above.

Water Source & Treatment

Where this water originates and how it's treated before reaching your tap.

Source
Groundwater
Drawn from underground aquifers via wells.
Disinfectant used
Chlorine
Treatment chemicals reported
chlorine

Source: City of Madera Consumer Confidence Report.

ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.

Source water assessment from City of Madera Consumer Confidence Report:
A source water assessment was conducted for the City of Madera water system in 2003 and is ongoing as water wells are being developed.

Treatment regime

How this utility classifies its treatment process and what each reported treatment chemical does.

Treatment classification
Standard
Disinfection plus one or more treatment additives — typically corrosion control, pH adjustment, or fluoridation. Standard regime for utilities serving treated municipal water.

Treatment chemicals and what each one does

Chemical names are reported verbatim by the utility. Purpose categories are ZipCheckup annotations based on standard drinking-water treatment practice.

Disinfectant
Inactivates bacteria, viruses, and parasites in the treated water.
chlorine

Watershed exposure sources reported

Land-use and natural conditions identified in the utility's source-water assessment as potential contamination sources upstream of treatment.

AirportsAutomobile body shopsGas stationsRepair shopsBoat servicesChemical/petroleum processingDry cleanersFertilizer/pesticide/herbicide applicationGrazingHistoric waste dumpsHousingMetal platingMilitary installationsTransportation corridorsWaste transfer/recycling

Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from City of Madera Consumer Confidence Report.

Treatment intensity is a ZipCheckup-derived classification based on the chemicals and processes the utility reports. Chemicals and contamination sources are taken verbatim from the utility's CCR filing. Routine federal monitoring and contaminant testing shown elsewhere on this page determine whether the water meets safety standards, not the treatment classification.

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
522

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) — per-system federal sampling, 2023–2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program →

Understand PFAS health context and filtration →

Lead Service Line Inventory

Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:

0
Confirmed Lead
0
Galvanized — Replacement Required
0
Unknown Material
15,930
Confirmed Non-Lead

This system reports zero confirmed lead service lines in its inventory. Unknown-material counts may still warrant verification.

Federal LCRI rule (effective October 2024) requires every public water system to inventory its service lines and complete lead-line replacement within 10 years.

Federal Regulatory Status · 2026Q1
LCRR inventory submission: Reported all required service line types
Latest tap sample on 2023-01-01 did not exceed the federal lead action level.
Population served: 66,560
Reported to California

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Service Line Inventory (Phase 2) · Submitted 2026

ZipCheckup is not affiliated with the utility or state agency. Inventory figures render verbatim from the public LCRI submission cited above; ZipCheckup does not perform inspections or replacements.

Learn about lead in drinking water →

Aesthetic water quality

These measurements describe the look, taste, and feel of the water this utility delivers. They are not contaminant violations — they sit alongside federal Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels (SMCLs) which the EPA publishes as non-enforceable guidance.

pH
7.7
How acidic or basic the water is on a 0-14 scale. Drinking water is typically near neutral.
EPA secondary range: 6.5 – 8.5
Fluoride
0.1 ppm
Measured fluoride concentration in parts per million.
EPA secondary MCL: 2.0 ppm
Alkalinity
96.2 ppm CaCO₃
Capacity of the water to neutralize acids, expressed as calcium carbonate equivalent.
Total dissolved solids
235 ppm
Mineral content remaining after evaporation, including calcium, magnesium, sodium, and other dissolved substances.
EPA secondary MCL: 500 ppm

Aesthetic measurements from City of Madera Consumer Confidence Report.

Aesthetic measurements are reported by the utility from its annual sampling. EPA Secondary MCLs are advisory thresholds — values outside them indicate aesthetic concerns such as taste or appearance, not health violations. Federal contaminant testing is shown in the sections above.

Notable events and violations

This section summarizes events the utility chose to disclose in its most recent Consumer Confidence Report, plus any federal compliance violations the utility recorded against itself. Both lists are utility-authored — ZipCheckup does not audit, judge, or reorder them.

Notable events from the utility's CCR

These bullet entries are the utility's own narration of operational, regulatory, or infrastructure events during the reporting period.

Notable events from City of Madera Consumer Confidence Report:
  • Lead sampling in Schools: We conducted Lead sampling in accordance with SWRCB requirements at 18 MUSD Schools.

ZipCheckup note: items above reflect what the utility published in its most recent CCR. Federal violation records are also tracked separately by the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) — the SDWIS record is the authoritative federal source for any specific regulatory action.

How Water Systems Appear in Rankings

Water systems are evaluated by violation history, contaminant detections, and service population. Larger systems with more service connections appear in more rankings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water from City of Madera safe to drink?
City of Madera earns a B safety grade with 2 violations in the past 5 years. Tap water meets EPA standards for most contaminants.
What contaminants are in City of Madera's water?
Detected contaminants include Stage 2 DBP Rule. Each is compared against EPA maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in the detailed breakdown above.
Should I use a water filter?
Given 1 contaminant above EPA limits, a certified water filter can provide an extra layer of protection. The best type depends on specific contaminants in your water.
How many people does City of Madera serve?
City of Madera serves approximately 66,560 people with drinking water across 4 ZIP codes.
What is City of Madera's water source?
City of Madera draws water from groundwater sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in City of Madera's water?
The maximum detected lead level is 0.003 mg/L. This is within EPA action level guidelines.
What is the demographic profile of City of Madera's service area?
The City of Madera service area has a median household income of $74,621. EPA EJScreen data classifies 52% of the population as disadvantaged, which may indicate greater vulnerability to environmental health risks.
Where does City of Madera get its water?
City of Madera'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 violation history and environmental factors, the source contamination risk is currently elevated.

What You Can Do

1

Test your water

Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter →

2

Check your specific ZIP code

Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →

3

Contact your utility

City of Madera (EPA ID: CA2010002) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

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