Water System Report CA

City of Orange

EPA ID: CA3010027 ยท 120,770 people served ยท 12 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for City of Orange (CA3010027): PFAS sampling above the current EPA limit (UCMR5). Zero violations in five consecutive years of EPA monitoring - City of Orange has held a clean track record across every reporting cycle in that span, with no enforcement activity of any kind on file for the full service population of 120,770 residents.

Data: EPA SDWIS

B ยท 74
Avg Safety Score
120,770
People Served
12
ZIP Codes Served
0
Violations (5yr)
Surface Water
Water Source
0.00233 mg/L
Max Lead Level
Zone 3
Radon Risk ยท Low
0
Contaminants Flagged
$867K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

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

Service area boundary - Grade B

Service Area Demographics

$111,177
Median Household Income
411,368
Service Area Population
24%
Disadvantaged Population
30th
Poverty Percentile
10th
Energy Burden Percentile
79%
Pre-1986 Housing

The City of Orange serves a community with a median household income of $111,177 and an estimated 411,368 residents across its service area. Approximately 79% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

๐ŸŒŠ Where Does Your Water Come From?

Surface Water

City of Orange'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
40th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
60th
Superfund Site Proximity

Superfund Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 60th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites.

Infrastructure Risk

59 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Galvanized Steel or Copper
Pipe Material
9 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Stable
Decay Status
Installed 87% 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. 81 detections recorded. 34 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS). 24 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 Fairfield
120,377 people
A 2 violations
City of Vallejo
121,420 people
A 0 violations
Cwsc Salinas
123,679 people
B 0 violations
City of Antioch
115,074 people
0 violations
B 0 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Flood Insurance PFAS Treatment Radon Mitigation
Flood Insurance $1,100
PFAS Treatment $600
Radon Mitigation $100
Total Estimated Cost $1,800

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 $1,800 (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 Orange (EPA ID: CA3010027) is a community water system in California that serves approximately 120,770 people from surface water sources.

This system provides water to 12 ZIP codes across 5 communities.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: B (74/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 5 of 12 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
0.00233 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 City of Orange (CA3010027) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is City of Orange water safe to drink?

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

City of Orange serves approximately 120,770 people across 12 ZIP codes in California.

Where does City of Orange get its water?

The primary water source is surface water.

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
808
Detections
54
Latest sample
3/10/2025
Highest analyte
PFPeA: 17.7 ppt
Analyte Max detected Current MCL Status
PFOS 17 ppt 10 ppt Above current MCL
PFHxS 10.2 ppt 10 ppt Above current MCL
PFPeA 17.7 ppt โ€” โ€”
PFBA 12.6 ppt โ€” โ€”
PFHxA 10.1 ppt โ€” โ€”
PFOA 9.3 ppt 10 ppt Above 2029 federal MCL

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 Orange safe to drink?
City of Orange 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 Orange 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 Orange serve?
City of Orange serves approximately 120,770 people with drinking water across 12 ZIP codes.
What is City of Orange's water source?
City of Orange draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in City of Orange's water?
The maximum detected lead level is 0.00233 mg/L. This is within EPA action level guidelines.
What is the demographic profile of City of Orange's service area?
The City of Orange service area has a median household income of $111,177. Demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and EPA EJScreen.
Where does City of Orange get its water?
City of Orange'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 Orange, CA: Serves 121K People. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ca3010027/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-ca3010027,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{City of Orange, CA: Serves 121K People}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ca3010027/}
}
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