Desert Water Agency
EPA ID: CA3310005 · 74,807 people served · 10 ZIP codes
ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for Desert Water Agency (CA3310005): no EPA violations recorded in the last five years. Federal monitoring spanning five full years has produced zero violations at Desert Water Agency - a clean record across every reporting cycle for a utility serving approximately 74,807 residents.
Data: EPA SDWIS
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Desert Water Agency Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary - Grade B
Service Area Demographics
The Desert Water Agency serves a community with a median household income of $68,151 and an estimated 174,583 residents across its service area. Approximately 60% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
Environmental Justice Note: 44% 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?
Desert Water Agency'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.
Infrastructure Risk
Comparable Water Systems
Similar-sized systems in California
Estimated Remediation Costs
Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system
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.
System Overview
Desert Water Agency (EPA ID: CA3310005) is a community water system in California that serves approximately 74,807 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 10 ZIP codes across 8 communities.
ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: B (75/100)
This is the average Home Safety Score for 4 of 10 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
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 $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400
Find the Right Water FilterFree tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — 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.
- 92234 - Cathedral City
- 92240 - Desert Hot Springs
- 92241 - Desert Hot Springs
- 92258 - North Palm Springs
- 92262 - Palm Springs
- 92264 - Palm Springs
- 92270 - Rancho Mirage
- 92282 - Whitewater
- 92539 - Anza
- 92549 - Idyllwild
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Desert Water Agency (CA3310005) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Desert Water Agency water safe to drink?
The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot contains zero violation records for Desert Water Agency 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 Desert Water Agency serve?
Desert Water Agency serves approximately 74,807 people across 10 ZIP codes in California.
Where does Desert Water Agency 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.
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 →
Frequently Asked Questions
How to cite this page
ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Desert Water Agency, CA: Serves 75K People. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ca3310005/
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title = {{Desert Water Agency, CA: Serves 75K People}},
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url = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ca3310005/}
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