Water System Report CA

City of Red Bluff

EPA ID: CA5210004 ยท 14,710 people served ยท 1 ZIP code

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for City of Red Bluff (CA5210004): no EPA violations recorded in the last five years. Over five tracked years, City of Red Bluff has stayed completely violation-free for its 14,710 residents.

Data: EPA SDWIS

B ยท 75
Avg Safety Score
14,710
People Served
1
ZIP Code Served
0
Violations (5yr)
Groundwater
Water Source
Zone 3
Radon Risk ยท Low
0
Contaminants Flagged
$315K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

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

Service area boundary - Grade B

Service Area Demographics

$63,365
Median Household Income
31,149
Service Area Population
100%
Disadvantaged Population
70th
Poverty Percentile
80th
Energy Burden Percentile
60%
Pre-1986 Housing

The City of Red Bluff serves a community with a median household income of $63,365 and an estimated 31,149 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: 100% 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.

๐Ÿ’ง Where Does Your Water Come From?

Groundwater

City of Red Bluff'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
40th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
10th
Superfund Site Proximity

Infrastructure Risk

56 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Copper
Pipe Material
14 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Moderate Wear
Decay Status
Installed 80% 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. 4 detections recorded. 1 exceeds federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS). 1 exceeds 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 Parlier
14,576 people
B 2 violations
City of Modesto - Salida
14,537 people
0 violations
City of Livingston
14,894 people
A 3 violations
0 violations
C 0 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Flood Insurance PFAS Treatment Water Filtration
Flood Insurance $1,200
PFAS Treatment $600
Water Filtration $300
Total Estimated Cost $2,100

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 $2,100 (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 Red Bluff (EPA ID: CA5210004) is a community water system in California that serves approximately 14,710 people from groundwater sources.

This system serves ZIP code 96080 in Red Bluff.

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

This is the average Home Safety Score for 1 of 1 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 Red Bluff (CA5210004) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is City of Red Bluff water safe to drink?

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

City of Red Bluff serves approximately 14,710 people across 1 ZIP code in California.

Where does City of Red Bluff get its water?

The primary water source is groundwater.

Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Detected

This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). PFAS compounds were detected below the current state-enforceable MCL.

Samples collected
613
Detections
4
Latest sample
1/11/2024
Highest analyte
PFOA: 7.4 ppt
Analyte Max detected Current MCL Status
PFOA 7.4 ppt 10 ppt Above 2029 federal MCL
PFPeA 6.7 ppt โ€” โ€”
PFHxA 6 ppt โ€” โ€”
PFHpA 5.5 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 Red Bluff safe to drink?
City of Red Bluff 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 Red Bluff 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 Red Bluff serve?
City of Red Bluff serves approximately 14,710 people with drinking water across 1 ZIP code.
What is City of Red Bluff's water source?
City of Red Bluff draws water from groundwater sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
What is the demographic profile of City of Red Bluff's service area?
The City of Red Bluff service area has a median household income of $63,365. EPA EJScreen data classifies 100% of the population as disadvantaged, which may indicate greater vulnerability to environmental health risks.
Where does City of Red Bluff get its water?
City of Red Bluff'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.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). City of Red Bluff, CA: Serves 15K People. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ca5210004/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-ca5210004,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{City of Red Bluff, CA: Serves 15K People}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ca5210004/}
}
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