Forest Lakes Mwc
EPA ID: CA4410016 · 1,067 people served · 4 ZIP codes
Five-year compliance data for Forest Lakes Mwc includes 3 violations the EPA has not yet marked resolved — those open findings are part of the utility's current enforcement profile, covering a service population of approximately 1,067 residents across the area it supplies.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Compliance Trajectory
Worsening · Risk tier: High · 95% chance of violation in next 12 months
Violations went from 2 (2021) to 6 (2025). The pattern suggests growing compliance challenges.
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Forest Lakes Mwc Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade C
Service Area Demographics
The Forest Lakes Mwc serves a community with a median household income of $133,036 and an estimated 68,616 residents across its service area. Approximately 78% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?
Forest Lakes Mwc'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.
About 1% of homes in Santa Cruz 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 60th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites.
Infrastructure Risk
Detected Contaminants
How Forest Lakes Mwc compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.06 mg/L. Cancer risk; reproductive & developmental effects. Consider granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration.
Fecal Coliform at 3 presence exceeds the EPA maximum of presence.
Stage 2 DBP Rule at 2 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
E. coli at 2 Zero tolerance (any positive sample triggers immediate action) exceeds the EPA maximum of Zero tolerance (any positive sample triggers immediate action). Severe GI illness; potentially fatal kidney failure in children. Consider UV disinfection (99.99%) filtration.
Consumer Confidence Report Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
PFAS Detected in Service Area
PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 4 detections recorded.
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) was detected in this water system. granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration can reduce exposure.
Find a certified water filter →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
Forest Lakes Mwc (EPA ID: CA4410016) is a community water system in California that serves approximately 1,067 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 4 ZIP codes across 4 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: C (55/100)
Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.
Violation History
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 |
| August 1, 2024 | E. coli | Health-based | Resolved |
| February 1, 2024 | Contaminant 0800 | Health-based | Unresolved |
| March 1, 2023 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | Fecal Coliform | Health-based | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | E. coli | Health-based | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Monitoring | Resolved |
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fecal Coliform | Microbiological | 3 | Yes |
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 2 | Yes |
| E. coli | Microbiological | 2 | Yes |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 1 | No |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting Failure | 1 | No |
| Contaminant 0800 | Other Violation | 1 | Yes |
Health Risk Details
E. coli (EPA limit: Zero tolerance (any positive sample triggers immediate action))
Severe GI illness; potentially fatal kidney failure in children At-risk groups: children under 5, elderly, immunocompromised individuals, pregnant women.
Removal methods: UV disinfection (99.99%), chlorination, reverse osmosis. Find the right filter →
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:
| ZIP Code | Lead Level | Exceeds Limit | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 95018 | 0.0035 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 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.
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Forest Lakes Mwc (CA4410016) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Forest Lakes Mwc water safe to drink?
Forest Lakes Mwc has recorded 7 health-based violations 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 Forest Lakes Mwc serve?
Forest Lakes Mwc serves approximately 1,067 people across 4 ZIP codes in California.
Where does Forest Lakes Mwc get its water?
The primary water source is surface water.
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.
Contact information from Forest Lakes Mutual Water Company 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: Forest Lakes Mutual Water Company Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.
Drinking Water Source Assessment information on file with California Department of Public Health (831) 655-6939.
Treatment regime
How this utility classifies its treatment process and what each reported treatment chemical does.
Watershed exposure sources reported
Land-use and natural conditions identified in the utility's source-water assessment as potential contamination sources upstream of treatment.
Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from Forest Lakes Mutual Water Company 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.
Lead Service Line Inventory
Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:
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.
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.
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.
Aesthetic measurements from Forest Lakes Mutual Water Company 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.
Federal compliance violations on record
These entries are taken verbatim from the utility's CCR violations section. EPA defines four broad violation categories: Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL), Treatment Technique (TT), Monitoring & Reporting (M&R), and Public Notification (PN).
-
MCL · Total Coliform2012
Total coliform was positive in Well 1D during one month in 2012, exceeding samples allowed in a month.
-
MCL · Arsenic2012
Water from Well 8C had natural levels of arsenic up to 21 ppb in 2012, exceeding the 10 ppb MCL. An Arsenic Blending Plan is in effect to mitigate.
-
MCL · Iron2012
Iron levels exceed the secondary MCL of 300 ppb in Wells 3A, 3B, and 10D.
Violations record from Forest Lakes Mutual Water Company Consumer Confidence Report.
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.
- Iron in wells 3A, 3B, 10D above secondary MCL; Well 3A filtering planned.
- Manganese in wells 3A, 3B, 10D above secondary MCL; filtration at Well 10D reduced levels.
- Single household lead sample of 43 ppb above 15 ppb action level; tap flushed to minimize exposure.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What You Can Do
Test your water
Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter →
Check your specific ZIP code
Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →
Contact your utility
Forest Lakes Mwc (EPA ID: CA4410016) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.