Water System Report CA

City of Ripon

EPA ID: CA3910007 · 15,741 people served · 4 ZIP codes

Water monitoring history at City of Ripon shows a clean slate — EPA tracking over the past five years turned up no violations, and 15,741 residents continue to receive fully compliant service.

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

A · 88
Avg Safety Score
15,741
People Served
4
ZIP Codes Served
0
Violations (5yr)
Groundwater
Water Source
Zone 3
Radon Risk · Low
0
Contaminants Flagged
$567K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Compliance Trajectory

Worsening · Risk tier: High · 95% chance of violation in next 12 months

Violations went from 2 (2023) to 2 (2024). The pattern suggests growing compliance challenges.

Service Area Map

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

Service area boundary — Grade A

Service Area Demographics

$95,782
Median Household Income
127,465
Service Area Population
55%
Disadvantaged Population
50th
Poverty Percentile
50th
Energy Burden Percentile
43%
Pre-1986 Housing

The City of Ripon serves a community with a median household income of $95,782 and an estimated 127,465 residents across its service area. Approximately 43% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

Environmental Justice Note: 55% 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 Ripon'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.

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

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

Superfund Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 70th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites. Groundwater sources near contaminated sites may face elevated risk from industrial chemicals.

Infrastructure Risk

32 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Copper
Pipe Material
37 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Stable
Decay Status
Installed 46% 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. 11 detections recorded. 6 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS). 4 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 →

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in California

Us Army Fort Irwin
15,701 people
B 0 violations
City of La Palma
15,948 people
0 violations
C 0 violations
B 5 violations
Northstar C.s.d.
15,452 people
0 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Flood Insurance PFAS Treatment Water Filtration
Flood Insurance $1,050
PFAS Treatment $450
Water Filtration $150
Total Estimated Cost $1,650

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 $1,650 (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 Ripon, (EPA ID: CA3910007) is a community water system in California that serves approximately 15,741 people from groundwater sources.

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

Average Home Safety Score: A (88/100)

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

Violation History

No violations recorded — This water system has no recorded EPA violations in the past 5 years.

Lead & Copper

No Lead and Copper Rule sampling data available for this water system.

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 $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: 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 Ripon (CA3910007) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is City of Ripon water safe to drink?

Based on EPA records, City of Ripon has no recorded violations in the past 5 years — a positive indicator of water quality management.

How many people does City of Ripon serve?

City of Ripon serves approximately 15,741 people across 4 ZIP codes in California.

Where does City of Ripon 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
(209) 599-2151
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
259 N. Wilma Avenue, Ripon, CA 95366

Contact information from CITY OF RIPON - PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT 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 RIPON - PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT 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 RIPON - PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT Consumer Confidence Report:
All wells are subject to possible contamination from sewer collection systems, high-density septic systems, wastewater treatment facilities, parks, high-density housing, apartments, condominiums, schools, body shops, gas stations, repair shops, chemical storage, dry cleaners, truck/bus terminals, machine shops, printing shops, research labs, paper processing facilities, parking lots, cemeteries, hardware/part stores, office complexes, RV/mini storages, wells for agriculture irrigation, farming activities, historic gas stations, freeways, railroad, storm detention basins, and medical/dental offices.

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.

SewageAgricultureIndustrial activityUrban storm waterFarmingGas stationsSeptic systemsWastewater treatmentChemical storageMedical/dental officesConstruction

Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from CITY OF RIPON - PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT 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: 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
290
Detections
6
Latest sample
1/14/2025
Highest analyte
PFOS: 12 ppt
Analyte Max detected Current MCL Status
PFOS 12 ppt 10 ppt Above current MCL
PFOA 5.2 ppt 10 ppt Above 2029 federal MCL
PFHxS 3.5 ppt 10 ppt Below current 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) — 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
5,135
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 2021-01-01 did not exceed the federal lead action level.
Population served: 15,741
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
7.34
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
Not reported
Utility does not add fluoride
Measured fluoride concentration in parts per million.
Total dissolved solids
396 ppm
Mineral content remaining after evaporation, including calcium, magnesium, sodium, and other dissolved substances.
EPA secondary MCL: 500 ppm

Aesthetic measurements from CITY OF RIPON - PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT 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.

Hard water detected in CITY OF RIPON - PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT

Your utility reported water hardness of 159.58 ppm CaCO₃ (9.3 grains per gallon) in its most recent Consumer Confidence Report. This is in the moderately hard range and may cause scale buildup, reduced appliance lifespan, and dry skin or hair.

Solutions for hard water

There are three common approaches to treating hard water: salt-based ion-exchange softeners (most effective, require salt refills), salt-free conditioners (lower maintenance, scale prevention only), and reverse osmosis at the kitchen sink (cooking and drinking water only). Aquasana, EcoWater, Pelican, and SpringWell are among the major US brands.

Recommended Aquasana system for your hardness level

Paid Partner. ZipCheckup earns commission on Aquasana purchases. We do not test water or verify product effectiveness for specific hardness levels — manufacturer claims are theirs alone. Consult a certified water-quality professional for personalized advice.

Hardness data parsed from this utility's most recent Consumer Confidence Report. Severity bands per USGS hard water classification.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water from City of Ripon safe to drink?
City of Ripon earns a A 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 Ripon 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 Ripon serve?
City of Ripon serves approximately 15,741 people with drinking water across 4 ZIP codes.
What is City of Ripon's water source?
City of Ripon draws water from groundwater sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
What is the demographic profile of City of Ripon's service area?
The City of Ripon service area has a median household income of $95,782. EPA EJScreen data classifies 55% of the population as disadvantaged, which may indicate greater vulnerability to environmental health risks.
Where does City of Ripon get its water?
City of Ripon'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 available data, the source contamination risk is moderate.
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