Kezia Snipe  |  Hydroviv Research Analyst

***Updated to include most current water quality data

For Hydroviv’s assessment of Sacramento drinking water, we analyzed the most recent water quality test data from the Sacramento Suburban Water District, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as samples that we collect and analyze. Our Water Nerds then research scientific and medical literature to help determine susceptibilities in your water. The water filters we build for people in Sacramento are optimized to remove the following contaminants.

Source Of Sacramento Drinking Water

Sacramento is split into four service areas: (1) Arden Park Vista, Northgate, and Southwest Tract, (2) Hood, East Walnut Grove, and Delta Estates (3) Laguna, Vineyard, Country Creek Estates, and Grantline (4) Mather, Sunrise, and Anatolia. All four of these sources draw water from local groundwater wells, as well as supplementary surface water treated by the San Juan Water District (SJWD) and the City of Sacramento. Click here if you'd like more information on where your water comes from.

Arsenic In Sacramento Drinking Water

Arsenic is a toxic metal that is known to cause cancer and other adverse health issues. Unlike lead, which distributes into water from plumbing, arsenic comes from the source water itself. The levels in Sacramento While the average arsenic concentrations are low in Sacramento, there were groundwater samples that reached 4 parts per billion. Arsenic levels in Sacramento range from 3.7 to 9.9 parts per billion. These levels are extremely close to the federal standard of 10 parts per billion, which takes into account the cost of removing arsenic from municipal systems. This means that the 10 part per billion threshold does not fully take into account public health . We highly recommend that anyone with more than 1 part per billion take steps to remove arsenic from their water, especially if they have children.

Extremely High Levels Of Chromium 6 In Sacramento Drinking Water

Sacramento's drinking and tap water has some of the highest levels of chromium 6 among major US cities. Chromium 6 is a highly toxic metal that is not currently regulated by the EPA. In recent years, Sacramento tap water has averaged around 4000 parts per trillion for Chromium 6 (in all four service areas), with concentrations reaching over 8000 parts per trillion. For the sake of perspective, the average levels are a staggering 200 times HIGHER than the concentration determined to have negligible impact on cancer risk. 

Lead Levels In Sacramento Tap Water

Lead enters into a Sacramento consumer’s drinking and tap water through old lead service pipes and lead-containing plumbing. When corrosion control measures fail (such as recently happened in Flint, Michigan), lead leaches into the drinking water and can reach toxic levels. Recent sampling for lead in Atlanta found that roughly 10% of samples were above 7.8 parts per billion. While the regulatory limit is 15 ppb, both the EPA and CDC recognize that there is no such thing as a safe level of lead.

Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs) Levels In Sacramento's Drinking Water

DBPs are a category of emerging contaminants that form when chlorine-based disinfectants react with naturally-occurring organic matter. Although these chemicals are not currently regulated very well, the EPA has admitted that they are associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer, as well as kidney, liver, and central nervous system problems.

Still Have Questions About Sacramento Tap Water?

Hydroviv is a water filtration company that uses water quality data to optimize water filters for each customer's water. The contaminants that we list above are what we consider to be major “points of emphasis” that we use to build water filters that are built specifically for Sacramento, but our filters provide broad protection against a wide range of contaminants.

If you’re interested in learning more about water filters that have been optimized for Sacramento tap water, or just have questions about water quality in general, feel free to visit www.hydroviv.com, reach out by email (hello@hydroviv.com) or through our live chat. We also frequently post water-related news on Twitter or Facebook. We pride ourselves in being a reputable source of information on water quality, and your questions will be answered by scientists and not salespeople (we don't have any salespeople).

Please Share This Sacramento Water Quality Article On Social Media With Anyone You Think Would Benefit From The Information!

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Analies Dyjak, M.A.  |  Hydroviv Research Analyst
**Updated May 17, 2021 to include current data

For Hydroviv’s assessment of Oakland, California drinking water, our Water Nerds aggregate data from various sources. In this report, we've assessed the most recent available data provided by the East Bay Municipal Utility District, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as from samples that we collect and analyze. Our team then cross reference these data with toxicity studies in scientific and medical literature. The water filters that we build and sell at Hydroviv are optimized to removed contaminants in Oakland tap water.

Source Of Oakland Drinking Water

The city of Oakland gets its water from the Mokelumne River Watershed, which is at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The remaining water is supplied by the East Bay Watershed.

Lead In Oakland Drinking Water

Lead enters tap water through older lead service pipes and lead-containing plumbing. When corrosion control measures put in place by the municipality fail (like what happened in Flint), lead drains into the drinking water, and can reach dangerous levels. Though Oakland's water quality is within compliance with federal regulations, the EPA, CDC, and The American Academy of Pediatrics all acknowledged that there is no safe level of lead, and federal regulations do not take into account levels measured at an individual tap.

Chromium 6 In Oakland Drinking Water

Chromium 6 is an extremely toxic metal that is not currently regulated by the EPA. In recent years, Oakland's tap water quality averaged 50 parts per trillion. For the sake of perspective, these levels are nearly 3 times higher than the concentration determined to have negligible impact on cancer risk.

Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs) In Oakland Drinking Water

DBPs are a category of emerging contaminants that form when chlorine-based disinfectants react with naturally-occurring organic matter. Although these chemicals are not currently regulated very well, the EPA has admitted that they are associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer, as well as kidney, liver, and central nervous system problems.

Still Have Questions About Oakland Drinking Water?

Hydroviv is a water filtration company that uses water quality data to optimize water filters for each customer's water. The contaminants that we list above are what we consider to be major “points of emphasis” that we use to build water filters that are built specifically for Oakland, but all of our our filters provide broad protection against a wide range of contaminants (including lead).

If you’re interested in learning more about water filters that have been optimized for Oakland tap water, or just have questions about water quality in general, feel free to visit www.hydroviv.com, reach out by email (hello@hydroviv.com) or through our live chat. We also frequently post water-related news on Twitter or Facebook. We pride ourselves in being a reputable source of information on water quality, and your questions will be answered by scientists, not salespeople (we don't have any salespeople).

Please Share This Oakland Water Quality Article On Social Media With Anyone You Think Would Benefit From The Information!

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How Do I Remove Chromium 6 Contamination From My Drinking Water? 
Disinfection Byproducts In Your Drinking Water

Analies Dyjak, M.A.  |  Hydroviv Research Analyst
**Updated May 3, 2021 to include current data

Our Water Nerds have updated our water quality assessment for San Francisco drinking water. We used the most recent 2020 test data from San Francisco Water, Power & Sewer, the city’s water provider and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as from samples that we collect and analyze. We cross reference these data with toxicity studies in the scientific and medical literature, and delve into upcoming regulatory changes. The custom water filters that we offer at Hydroviv are optimized with San Francisco's water quality in mind.

Source Of San Francisco Drinking Water

San Francisco source water originates from the Tuolmne River, and is stored in the Hetch Hecthy Reservoir. Water from the Hetch Hetchy is supplemented with water from local watersheds such as the Alameda, Peninsula, San Andreas, and Pilarcitos reservoirs. Emergency supplies include Lake Eleanor, Lake Cherry and tributaries of the Lower Cherry Aqueduct, Early Intake Reservoir and Tuolumne River.

Lead In San Francisco Drinking Water

Lead enters tap water through older lead service pipes and lead-containing plumbing. When corrosion control measures put in place by the municipality fail (like what recently happened in Flint, Michigan), lead leaches into the drinking water, and can reach dangerous levels. 10% of samples analyzed for lead are 6 parts per billion in San Francisco drinking water. Though in compliance with federal regulations, EPA, CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics all acknowledge that there is no safe level of lead for children. 

Chromium 6 In San Francisco Drinking Water

Chromium 6 is a highly toxic metal that is not regulated by the EPA. In recent years, San Francisco’s drinking and tap water has averaged 90 parts per trillion for Chromium 6. For a bit of perspective, Chromium 6 levels in San Francisco's tap water quality are 4.55 times higher than the concentration determined to have negligible impact on cancer risk.

Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs) In San Francisco Drinking Water

DBPs are a category of emerging contaminants that form when chlorine-based disinfectants react with naturally-occurring organic matter. EPA regulates two categories of DBPs: Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and Haloacetic Acids 5 (HAA5). Although these chemicals are not currently regulated very well, EPA discloses that high levels of disinfection byproducts are associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer, as well as kidney, liver, and central nervous system problems.

Chloramine Used To Disinfect San Francisco Drinking Water

While most municipalities use chlorine as the primary disinfectant, San Francisco’s water is disinfected with chloramine (produced by mixing chlorine and ammonia). Chloramine is primarily responsible for what many customers report as the “bad taste” of tap water, and unlike chlorine does not dissipate if a container of water is left in the refrigerator overnight. Most one-size-fits-all water filters use filtration media that doesn’t do a great job removing chloramine, but the filters that we design and build at Hydroviv for San Francisco uses special filtration media that is purposefully designed to remove chloramine as well.

Still Have Questions?

Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are being identified in a growing number of municipalities across the United States. San Francisco has not yet tested for PFAS, but several variations have been detected throughout the state of California. Not all water filters are designed to remove PFAS from drinking water.

Hydroviv is a water filtration company that uses water quality data to optimize water filters for each customer's water. The contaminants that we list above are what we consider to be major “points of emphasis” that we use to build water filters that are built specifically for San Francisco, but all of our filters provide broad protection against a wide range of contaminants.

If you’re interested in learning more about water filters that have been optimized for San Francisco tap water, have questions about our San Francisco water quality report, or questions about water quality in general, feel free to visit www.hydroviv.com, reach out by email (hello@hydroviv.com) or through our live chat. We also frequently post water-related news on Twitter or Facebook. We pride ourselves in being a reputable source of information on water quality, and your questions will be answered by scientists, not salespeople (we don't have any salespeople).

Please Share This San Francisco Tap Water Quality Article On Social Media With Anyone You Think Would Benefit From The Information!

Analies Dyjak, M.A.  |  Research Analyst
**Updated July 7, 2022 to include current available data

For Hydroviv’s assessment of Los Angeles tap water, we aggregated water quality test data from LADWP, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as from samples that we collect and analyze. We cross reference these data with toxicity studies in the scientific and medical literature, and look at upcoming regulatory changes. The custom water filters that we offer in Los Angeles are optimized with this research in mind.

Source Of Los Angeles Drinking Water

Los Angeles receives water from several sources. In 2021, the Los Angeles Aqueduct (LAA) supplied 12 percent of the water that was treated at the Los Angeles Aqueduct Filtration Plant. Purchased imported water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), sourced from the State Water Project and Colorado River Aqueduct amounted to 73 percent. The remaining water supply was sourced from local groundwater at 12 percent and recycled water at 3 percent.

High Levels Of Lead In Los Angeles Drinking Water

Lead enters Los Angeles' drinking and tap water through older lead service pipes and lead-containing plumbing. When corrosion control measures put in place by the municipality fail (like what recently happened in Flint, Michigan), lead leaches into the drinking water, and can reach dangerous levels. Currently,10% of LA water quality samples analyzed for lead are over 5 parts per billion. While in compliance with very loose federal regulations, EPA, CDC and American Academy Of Pediatrics all acknowledge that there is no safe level of lead for children.

High Levels Of Chromium 6 In Los Angeles Drinking Water

Chromium 6 is a highly toxic metal that is not regulated by the EPA. According to the most recent report, maximum Chromium 6 levels in Los Angeles drinking water were reported at 2.8 parts per billion. For the sake of perspective, Chromium 6 levels in LA's water quality are 140 times higher than the 0.02 parts per billion concentration determined to have negligible impact on cancer risk.

PFAS in Los Angeles Drinking Water

Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are a category of emerging contaminants commonly used in firefighting foam, Teflon, non-stick surfaces, stain-resistant surfaces, and food packaging. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has determined that PFAS exposure is associated with various adverse health effects, including an increased risk of cancer, lowered fertility rates, and developmental issues in infants and young children. 

PFAS were detected at locations in and around Los Angeles, including several municipal water companies, the Airport Industrial Park in Los Angeles, and the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos. Total PFAS levels ranged from  these locations ranged from 56 ppt to 933 ppt. Not all water filters are designed to remove PFAS from tap water. If you'd like to find water filters that remove PFAS from tap water, check out this Duke/NC State PFAS study. Hydroviv filters are NSF/ANSI Standard 53 certified for PFOA/PFOS removal.

Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs) In Los Angeles’ Drinking Water

DBPs are a category of emerging contaminants that form when chlorine-based disinfectants react with naturally-occurring organic matter. EPA regulates two categories of DBPs: Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and Haloacetic Acids (HAA5). The EPA has stated that DBPs have been associated with increased risk of bladder cancer as well as kidney, liver, and central nervous system problems. In 2021, Haloacetic Acid levels in Los Angeles were as high as 13 parts per billion, compared to the EPA Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 60 parts per billion, while Total Trihalomethane levels were as high as 48 parts per billion, compared to the EPA MCL of 80 parts per billion.

Arsenic In Los Angeles Drinking Water

Arsenic is a naturally occurring hazardous heavy metal that can cause cancer and other health problems. 2021 Arsenic levels were reported to be as high as 2 ppb. While Los Angeles' Arsenic levels were not in violation of EPA water quality standards, consumers should know that the U.S. EPA's standard balances toxicity against the costs of removing arsenic from drinking water. We strongly suggest that tap water with levels higher than 1 part per billion be treated to remove arsenic, especially in homes with children.

Still Have Questions About Los Angeles Tap Water?

Hydroviv is a water filtration company that uses water quality data to optimize water filters for each customer's water. The contaminants that we list above are what we consider to be major “points of emphasis” that we use to build water filters that are built specifically for Los Angeles, but our filters provide broad protection against a wide range of contaminants.

If you’re interested in learning more about water filters that have been optimized for LA tap water, or just have questions about water quality in general, feel free to visit www.hydroviv.com, reach out by email (hello@hydroviv.com) or through our live chat. We also frequently post water-related news on Twitter or Facebook.  We pride ourselves in being a reputable source of information on water quality, and your questions will be answered by scientists, not salespeople (we don't have any salespeople).

Please Share This Los Angeles Water Quality Article On Social Media With Anyone You Think Would Benefit From The Information!

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