Palmdale, CA Water Quality Report

Is Palmdale tap water safe? See PFAS and lead contamination levels for Palmdale, California. Compare to EPA limits and get filter recommendations.

Quick Answers

Is Palmdale, CA tap water safe to drink? Palmdale, CA tap water meets most federal EPA limits, but PFAS compounds have been detected at an average of 10.9 ppt across 8 compounds. A certified pitcher filter or reverse osmosis system is recommended for sensitive populations.

What contaminants are in Palmdale, CA water? Top PFAS compounds detected in Palmdale water: PFHxA (53 ppt), PFBS (22.5 ppt), PFPeA (18.2 ppt). See the full table for all monitored contaminants and comparison to EPA limits.

What filter should I use in Palmdale, CA? An NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis system is the strongest option, removing 90%+ of PFAS along with lead and arsenic. For renters or smaller households in Palmdale, a pitcher certified to NSF-53 for PFAS (ZeroWater, PUR PLUS) is a practical alternative. Ordinary Brita cartridges are not certified for PFAS.

Palmdale, CA Water Quality Summary

EPA testing has detected PFAS "forever chemicals" in Palmdale, CA drinking water. Recent monitoring found a peak level of 53 ppt across 2 water systems, representing an average of 10.9 ppt across 8 detected compounds. These levels come from individual EPA UCMR 5 water samples (2023-2025). The EPA's 4 ppt limit for PFOA and PFOS is enforced on a running annual average, so a sample above it shows real exposure but is not by itself a violation.

Contamination Level: MODERATE – Moderate contamination – PFAS detected at meaningful levels; filtration recommended.

Top Detected Compounds

  • PFHxA: 53 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
  • PFBS: 22.5 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
  • PFPeA: 18.2 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
  • PFBA: 10.5 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
  • PFPeS: 7.2 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)

Lead in Palmdale, CA Water

EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing has recorded 38 lead samples for Palmdale water systems, with a 90th-percentile high of 0.0052 mg/L (within the EPA 0.015 mg/L action level). There is no safe level of lead for children; if your home was built before 1986, a certified NSF/ANSI 53 lead-removal filter is recommended.

EPA Violations in Palmdale, CA

Palmdale public water systems have 8 health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record, including Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM), Lead and Copper Rule Revisions, Ground Water Rule, Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule, Lead and Copper Rule. Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded its federal limit or required treatment was not applied.

About the Data

The numbers on this page are drawn from EPA UCMR5 monitoring (2023-2025), which covers about 10,000 public water systems nationwide, including those serving Palmdale, CA's approximately 169,450 residents.

ZIP Codes Served

93550, 93551, 93552, 93553, 93591

What Palmdale, California Residents Should Do

  1. Enter your exact ZIP code at knowyourexposure.com for address-level data
  2. Install an NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis filter (removes 94-99% of PFAS)
  3. If you're in a high-exposure group (pregnant, young children), consider a PFAS home test kit
  4. Review the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) your California utility publishes annually