Current Health-Based Noncompliance CA 1 HEALTH VIOLATION

City of Porterville

EPA ID: CA5410010 ยท 63,487 people served ยท 3 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for City of Porterville (CA5410010): 2 unresolved EPA violations on record. Current EPA status: City of Porterville, 2 open violations, 63,487 people served.

Data: EPA SDWIS

D ยท 54
Avg Safety Score
63,487
People Served
3
ZIP Codes Served
2
Violations (5yr)
Groundwater
Water Source
Zone 2
Radon Risk ยท Moderate
1
Contaminants Flagged
$246K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

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

Service area boundary - Grade D

Service Area Demographics

$51,214
Median Household Income
86,460
Service Area Population
78%
Disadvantaged Population
70th
Poverty Percentile
60th
Energy Burden Percentile
59%
Pre-1986 Housing

The City of Porterville serves a community with a median household income of $51,214 and an estimated 86,460 residents across its service area. Approximately 59% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

Environmental Justice Note: 78% 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 Porterville'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.

Elevated Risk
Source Contamination Risk
30th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
40th
Superfund Site Proximity

Infrastructure Risk

41 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Copper
Pipe Material
28 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Moderate Wear
Decay Status
Installed 59% of expected lifespan used End of life

Detected Contaminants

How City of Porterville compares to EPA limits

What This Means For You

Stage 2 DBP Rule at 2 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. 8 detections recorded. 2 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS). 2 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

Gswc - Florence/graham
63,472 people
B 0 violations
City of La Habra
63,118 people
B 0 violations
0 violations
C 1 violation
City of Pittsburg
62,500 people
0 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Flood Insurance Water Filtration Radon Mitigation PFAS Treatment
Flood Insurance $800
Water Filtration $600
Radon Mitigation $400
PFAS Treatment $200
Total Estimated Cost $2,000

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:

Estimated Healthcare Costs $500

Annual per household (CDC est.)

PFAS Exposure - Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$2,665
10 years
$5,330
20 years
$10,660

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $2,000 (one-time) vs. $5,330 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 Porterville, (EPA ID: CA5410010) is a community water system in California that serves approximately 63,487 people from groundwater sources.

This system provides water to 3 ZIP codes across 2 communities.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: D (54/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 1 of 3 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

1 current health-based noncompliance record in the accepted 2026Q2 snapshot.

Status breakdown for accepted records with record years 2021-2026: 0 resolved, 0 archived, 0 addressed, and 2 unaddressed. Under this source contract, current noncompliance is the sum of addressed and unaddressed records. Archived and resolved records are excluded from current noncompliance.

Recent Violations

Date Contaminant Type Status
October 17, 2024 Stage 2 DBP Rule Health-based Unaddressed (current)
October 17, 2024 Stage 2 DBP Rule Non-health-based Unaddressed (current)

Contaminants Detected

The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:

Contaminant Category Violations Health-Based
Stage 2 DBP Rule Treatment Failure 2 Yes

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 $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 Porterville (CA5410010) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is City of Porterville water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot shows 1 current health-based noncompliance record for City of Porterville. Review the utility's current notices and EPA record. This system-level compliance history cannot determine conditions at a specific tap.

How many people does City of Porterville serve?

City of Porterville serves approximately 63,487 people across 3 ZIP codes in California.

Where does City of Porterville get its water?

The primary water source is groundwater.

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
1682
Detections
32
Latest sample
11/20/2023
Highest analyte
PFOS: 23 ppt
Analyte Max detected Current MCL Status
PFOS 23 ppt 10 ppt Above current MCL
PFOA 22 ppt 10 ppt Above current MCL
PFPeA 9.3 ppt โ€” โ€”
PFBS 9.1 ppt โ€” โ€”
PFHxA 8.5 ppt โ€” โ€”
PFHpA 6.5 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†’

How Water Systems Appear in Rankings

Water systems are evaluated by violation history, contaminant detections, and service population. Larger systems with more service connections appear in more rankings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water from City of Porterville safe to drink?
City of Porterville has a D safety grade based on 2 recorded violations. Some contaminants may exceed EPA limits - independent testing is recommended.
What contaminants are in City of Porterville's water?
Detected contaminants include Stage 2 DBP Rule. Each is compared against EPA maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in the detailed breakdown above.
Should I use a water filter?
Given 1 contaminant above EPA limits, a certified water filter can provide an extra layer of protection. The best type depends on specific contaminants in your water.
How many people does City of Porterville serve?
City of Porterville serves approximately 63,487 people with drinking water across 3 ZIP codes.
What is City of Porterville's water source?
City of Porterville draws water from groundwater sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
What is the demographic profile of City of Porterville's service area?
The City of Porterville service area has a median household income of $51,214. EPA EJScreen data classifies 78% of the population as disadvantaged, which may indicate greater vulnerability to environmental health risks.
Where does City of Porterville get its water?
City of Porterville'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 the exported violation history and environmental factors, the source contamination risk is classified as elevated.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). City of Porterville (CA): 1 Health Violation. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ca5410010/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-ca5410010,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{City of Porterville (CA): 1 Health Violation}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ca5410010/}
}

What You Can Do

1

Test your water

Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter โ†’

2

Check your specific ZIP code

Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report โ†’

3

Contact your utility

City of Porterville (EPA ID: CA5410010) - request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

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