Water System Report CA

City of Garden Grove

EPA ID: CA3010062 ยท 174,226 people served ยท 15 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for City of Garden Grove (CA3010062): PFAS sampling above the current EPA limit (UCMR5). In every reporting cycle over the past five years, City of Garden Grove has come through without a single EPA violation - a consistent performance across the full service population of approximately 174,226 residents that reflects both well-maintained infrastructure and reliable operational oversight.

Data: EPA SDWIS

B ยท 75
Avg Safety Score
174,226
People Served
15
ZIP Codes Served
0
Violations (5yr)
Surface Water
Water Source
Zone 3
Radon Risk ยท Low
0
Contaminants Flagged
$730K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

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

Service area boundary - Grade B

Service Area Demographics

$83,621
Median Household Income
735,102
Service Area Population
24%
Disadvantaged Population
30th
Poverty Percentile
10th
Energy Burden Percentile
83%
Pre-1986 Housing

The City of Garden Grove serves a community with a median household income of $83,621 and an estimated 735,102 residents across its service area. Approximately 83% 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 Garden Grove'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
10 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Stable
Decay Status
Installed 86% 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. 83 detections recorded. 32 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS). 28 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 Santa Rosa
175,396 people
A 0 violations
B 0 violations
City of Oceanside
171,483 people
A 0 violations
A 0 violations
Elsinore Valley Mwd
169,455 people
C 0 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Flood Insurance PFAS Treatment Radon Mitigation
Flood Insurance $1,200
PFAS Treatment $600
Radon Mitigation $53
Total Estimated Cost $1,853

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 $1,853 (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 Garden Grove (EPA ID: CA3010062) is a community water system in California that serves approximately 174,226 people from surface water sources.

This system provides water to 15 ZIP codes across 8 communities.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: B (75/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 5 of 15 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 City of Garden Grove (CA3010062) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is City of Garden Grove water safe to drink?

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

City of Garden Grove serves approximately 174,226 people across 15 ZIP codes in California.

Where does City of Garden Grove 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
692
Detections
34
Latest sample
4/24/2025
Highest analyte
PFOS: 19 ppt
Analyte Max detected Current MCL Status
PFOS 19 ppt 10 ppt Above current MCL
PFBA 14.6 ppt โ€” โ€”
PFHxS 9.6 ppt 10 ppt Below current MCL
PFPeA 8.6 ppt โ€” โ€”
PFOA 8.1 ppt 10 ppt Above 2029 federal MCL
PFHxA 5.4 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 City of Garden Grove safe to drink?
City of Garden Grove 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 Garden Grove 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 Garden Grove serve?
City of Garden Grove serves approximately 174,226 people with drinking water across 15 ZIP codes.
What is City of Garden Grove's water source?
City of Garden Grove 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 Garden Grove's service area?
The City of Garden Grove service area has a median household income of $83,621. Demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and EPA EJScreen.
Where does City of Garden Grove get its water?
City of Garden Grove'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 Garden Grove, CA: Serves 174K People. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ca3010062/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-ca3010062,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{City of Garden Grove, CA: Serves 174K People}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ca3010062/}
}
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