Short answer: In the 2021–2024 records we hold for Sacramento, three PFAS, PFHxS, PFOA and PFOS, each had a sample above a 2024 EPA limit (not a violation: the limits are judged on a yearly average, due 2029). Also worth knowing: lithium sits above a screening level, and the water is hard. 12 substances were detected and 22 were tested and not detected. The water is from City of Sacramento, serving 527,979 residents.
EPA lists this system for the city. Your water bill or annual water quality report names your actual supplier. Source: EPA SDWIS 2026Q2.
Surface water
Treated and disinfected with chlorine.
Mains, then your building’s service line.
Plumbing inside the building is outside this record.
Three PFAS, PFHxS, PFOA and PFOS, each had a sample above a 2024 EPA limit (not a violation: the limits are judged on a yearly average, due 2029); lithium sits above a screening level, and the water is hard.
41.4 ng/L, sampled 2023-08-23 to 2024-05-15. EPA UCMR 5.
4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024): a legal limit. That limit is judged on a yearly average, and water systems have until 2029 to meet it, so a single sample is not a violation. EPA health goal (MCLG): 0.
One EPA sample measured 41.4 ng/L, above the 4 ng/L limit EPA set in 2024. That limit is judged on a yearly average, and water systems have until 2029 to meet it, so a single sample is not a violation.
Comes with the source water; home plumbing does not add it.
Test your own tap first. To reduce it: Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 (PFOA/PFOS)).
17.3 ng/L, sampled 2023-08-23 to 2024-05-15. EPA UCMR 5.
4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024): a legal limit. That limit is judged on a yearly average, and water systems have until 2029 to meet it, so a single sample is not a violation. EPA health goal (MCLG): 0.
One EPA sample measured 17.3 ng/L, above the 4 ng/L limit EPA set in 2024. That limit is judged on a yearly average, and water systems have until 2029 to meet it, so a single sample is not a violation.
Comes with the source water; home plumbing does not add it.
Test your own tap first. To reduce it: Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 (PFOA/PFOS)).
25.4 µg/L, sampled 2023-08-21 to 2024-05-15. EPA UCMR 5.
10 µg/L EPA health reference level (screening, not a legal limit).
Detected at up to 25.4 µg/L (above the 10 µg/L EPA health reference level; a screening level, not a legal limit).
Where it enters is not in this record.
Test your own tap first. To reduce it: Depends on the contaminant (The certifier's listing for each named contaminant).
19.1 ng/L, sampled 2023-08-23 to 2024-05-15. EPA UCMR 5.
10 ng/L federal MCL (2024): a legal limit. That limit is judged on a yearly average, and water systems have until 2029 to meet it, so a single sample is not a violation.
One EPA sample measured 19.1 ng/L, above the 10 ng/L limit EPA set in 2024. That limit is judged on a yearly average, and water systems have until 2029 to meet it, so a single sample is not a violation.
Comes with the source water; home plumbing does not add it.
Test your own tap first. To reduce it: Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58, with PFHxS named on the listing).
63 ppb, sampled 2024. Utility CCR.
80 ppb federal MCL: a legal limit.
63 ppb (below the 80 ppb federal limit).
Forms in the pipes as the disinfectant reacts with natural organic matter.
Test your own tap first. Technologies that can reduce it: Activated carbon, Reverse osmosis.
38 ppb, sampled 2024. Utility CCR.
60 ppb federal MCL: a legal limit.
38 ppb (below the 60 ppb federal limit).
Forms in the pipes as the disinfectant reacts with natural organic matter.
Test your own tap first. Technologies that can reduce it: Activated carbon, Reverse osmosis.
6.2 ng/L, sampled 2023-08-23 to 2024-05-15. EPA UCMR 5.
2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory (screening, not a legal limit).
Detected at up to 6.2 ng/L (below the 2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory; a screening level, not a legal limit).
Comes with the source water; home plumbing does not add it.
Test your own tap first. To reduce it: Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58, with PFBS named on the listing).
6.3 ng/L, sampled 2023-08-23 to 2024-05-15. EPA UCMR 5.
400,000 ng/L Michigan EGLE state MCL (strictest US state): a state limit.
Detected at up to 6.3 ng/L (below the 400,000 ng/L historical comparison reference).
Comes with the source water; home plumbing does not add it.
Test your own tap first. To reduce it: Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58, with PFHxA named on the listing).
8.1 gpg, sampled 2024. Utility CCR.
Aesthetic, no federal health limit.
138 mg/L as CaCO3 (8.1 grains/gal), hard. Aesthetic (scale/appliances), not a health finding.
Shows up as scale in kettles, water heaters and fixtures.
Test your own tap first. To reduce it: Ion-exchange water softener (NSF/ANSI 44 (softeners)).
7.4 ng/L, sampled 2023-08-23 to 2024-05-15. EPA UCMR 5.
No federal limit is on record for it.
Detected at up to 7.4 ng/L. No federal or state limit exists for this substance; shown for transparency, not graded.
Comes with the source water; home plumbing does not add it.
Test your own tap first. To reduce it: Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58, with PFBA named on the listing).
4.4 ng/L, sampled 2023-08-23 to 2024-05-15. EPA UCMR 5.
No federal limit is on record for it.
Detected at up to 4.4 ng/L. No federal or state limit exists for this substance; shown for transparency, not graded.
Comes with the source water; home plumbing does not add it.
Test your own tap first. To reduce it: Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58, with PFHpA named on the listing).
6.5 ng/L, sampled 2023-08-23 to 2024-05-15. EPA UCMR 5.
No federal limit is on record for it.
Detected at up to 6.5 ng/L. No federal or state limit exists for this substance; shown for transparency, not graded.
Comes with the source water; home plumbing does not add it.
Test your own tap first. To reduce it: Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58, with PFPeA named on the listing).
CITY OF SACRAMENTO MAIN (EPA PWSID CA3410020) delivers surface water to 527,979 residents. This report reflects 29 individual PFAS result(s) from the source UCMR5 observations and the latest Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile result. The utility's 2024 CCR reports hard water and chlorine disinfection.
0health-based violations in the last 10 years
From EPA SDWIS. A clean violation history means no enforcement action was recorded; it does not cover contaminants without a limit.
The record describes water leaving treatment and samples across the system. Pipes, solder and fixtures inside a building can add lead the record can’t see, especially in older buildings with lead service lines.
Test your waterMeasured in this report
Sampled across the system
Not in this record
Only a tap test measures it
Know what comes from your tap, starting with a first-draw lead sample.
Compare each result with its named reference in our test reader.
Choose a technology certified for what your test found.
Screening tells you if something is worth a closer look; a lab result is the number you can act on.
As an Amazon Associate, PurityMap earns from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.
Lab-certified results
ETR Laboratories
50+ substances, including lead, copper, arsenic, nitrate, hardness and coliform bacteria
What it can't tell you: It does not test PFAS, and not every result on the panel falls under the lab's accredited scope.
Screening: quick check, not lab-grade
Silver Lake Research
Lead, bacteria, nitrate, copper, iron, chlorine, hardness and pH
What it can't tell you: Each test gives a yes/no or a rough range, not a lab number, and it cannot detect PFAS or arsenic.
When your results arrive, read them here → · Compare every kit we list
| Finding | Reference type | Technology | Certification to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)41.4 ng/L | Federal MCL | Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS | NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 (PFOA/PFOS) |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)17.3 ng/L | Federal MCL | Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS | NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 (PFOA/PFOS) |
| Lithium25.4 µg/L | Screening level | Depends on the contaminant | The certifier's listing for each named contaminant |
| Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS)19.1 ng/L | Federal MCL | Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS | NSF/ANSI 53 or 58, with PFHxS named on the listing |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)63 ppb | Federal MCL | Activated carbon, Reverse osmosis | Check the certifier’s listing |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5)38 ppb | Federal MCL | Activated carbon, Reverse osmosis | Check the certifier’s listing |
| Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)6.2 ng/L | Screening level | Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS | NSF/ANSI 53 or 58, with PFBS named on the listing |
| Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)6.3 ng/L | State limit | Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS | NSF/ANSI 53 or 58, with PFHxA named on the listing |
★ Best choice: Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage Under-Sink Filter (AQ-5200), certified for PFOA and PFOS.
| Pick | Product | Details and price | Certification | Why it’s listed | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★ Best choice | Under-sinkAquasana Claryum 2-Stage Under-Sink Filter (AQ-5200) | TreatsPFOA and PFOSPrice$$ | Certified for PFOA and PFOS (NSF/ANSI 53, WQA) | Why it’s listed: its current certification names PFOA and PFOS, found in Sacramento’s record.See the evidence | Check price on Amazon |
| Also good | Under-sinkAquasana Claryum 3-Stage Max Flow Under-Sink Filter (AQ-6300M) | TreatsPFOA and PFOSPrice$$ | Certified for PFOA and PFOS (NSF/ANSI 53, WQA) | Why it’s listed: its current certification names PFOA and PFOS, found in Sacramento’s record.See the evidence | Check price at Aquasana |
| Also good | CountertopAquasana Clean Water Machine Countertop Filter (AQ-CWM2) | TreatsPFOA and PFOSPrice$$ | Certified for PFOA and PFOS (NSF/ANSI 53, WQA) | Why it’s listed: its current certification names PFOA and PFOS, found in Sacramento’s record.See the evidence | Check price at Aquasana |
| Pick | Product | Details and price | Certification | Why it’s listed | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Also good | Reverse osmosisSmartFlow® Reverse Osmosis | TreatsPFOA and PFOSTechnologyReverse osmosisPrice$$$ | Certified for PFOA and PFOS (NSF/ANSI 53 (includes P473), WQA) | Why it’s listed: its current certification names PFOA and PFOS, found in Sacramento’s record.See the evidence | Check price at Aquasana |
| Also good | Under-sinkWaterdrop G3P600 Tankless Reverse-Osmosis System | TreatsPFOA and PFOSPrice$$$ | Certified for PFOA and PFOS (NSF/ANSI 53, IAPMO) | Why it’s listed: its current certification names PFOA and PFOS, found in Sacramento’s record.See the evidence | Check price at Waterdrop |
| Also good | Under-sinkWaterdrop G3P800 Tankless Reverse-Osmosis System | TreatsPFOA and PFOSPrice$$$ | Certified for PFOA and PFOS (NSF/ANSI 53, IAPMO) | Why it’s listed: its current certification names PFOA and PFOS, found in Sacramento’s record.See the evidence | Check price at Waterdrop |
| Also good | CountertopAquaTru Carafe Countertop Reverse-Osmosis Purifier (AT100) | TreatsPFOA and PFOSPrice$$$ | Certified for PFOA and PFOS (NSF/ANSI 53, IAPMO) | Why it’s listed: its current certification names PFOA and PFOS, found in Sacramento’s record.See the evidence | Check price on Amazon |
| Also good | CountertopAquaTru Classic Countertop Reverse-Osmosis Purifier (AT2000) | TreatsPFOA and PFOSPrice$$$ | Certified for PFOA and PFOS (NSF/ANSI 53, IAPMO) | Why it’s listed: its current certification names PFOA and PFOS, found in Sacramento’s record.See the evidence | Check price on Amazon |
| Also good | CountertopPatriot Pure Ultimate Water Filtration System | TreatsPFOA and PFOSPrice$$ | Certified for PFOA and PFOS (NSF/ANSI 53, NSF, IAPMO) | Why it’s listed: its current certification names PFOA and PFOS, found in Sacramento’s record.See the evidence | Check price on Amazon |
| Also good | Reverse osmosisiSpring RCC7AK Alkaline Reverse Osmosis SystemUse code REFISPRING at checkout: 10% off your first iSpring order. | TechnologyReverse osmosisPrice$$ | Brand lab-tested for PFAS, not independently certified for PFHxS, PFOA, PFOS, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) and Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) | See the evidence | Check price at iSpring |
| Also good | Reverse osmosisiSpring RO5004F Tankless Reverse Osmosis System with UVUse code REFISPRING at checkout: 10% off your first iSpring order. | TechnologyReverse osmosisPrice$$$ | Brand lab-tested for PFAS, not independently certified for PFHxS, PFOA, PFOS, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) and Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) | See the evidence | Check price at iSpring |
| Also good | Reverse osmosisWaterdrop X12 Reverse Osmosis System | TechnologyReverse osmosisPrice$$$$ | Brand lab-tested for PFAS, not independently certified for PFHxS, PFOA, PFOS, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) and Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) | See the evidence | Check price at Waterdrop |
★ Best choice: HealthShield™, certified for PFHxS, PFOA, PFOS and Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA).
| Pick | Product | Details and price | Certification | Why it’s listed | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★ Best choice | Whole-houseHealthShield™ | TreatsPFHxS, PFOA, PFOS and Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA)Price$$$$ | Certified for PFHxS, PFOA, PFOS and Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) (NSF/ANSI 53, WQA) | Why it’s listed: its current certification names PFHxS, PFOA, PFOS and Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), found in Sacramento’s record.See the evidence | Check price at Aquasana |
| $ Budget pick | Whole-houseiSpring WGB32B-PFKS PFAS & Heavy Metals Whole House FilterUse code REFISPRING at checkout: 10% off your first iSpring order. | Price$$$ | Brand lab-tested for PFAS, not independently certified for PFHxS, PFOA, PFOS, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) and Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) | See the evidence | Check price at iSpring |
Also: hard water picks →
Certified filters for lithium →
PurityMap earns a commission from these links. "Best choice" and "Budget pick" go to certified products first; commission never decides them. As an Amazon Associate, PurityMap earns from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.
Local help
A local plumber can look at your home and install a water softener or whole-home system.
Older buildings may have lead service lines, solder or fixtures. Lead is not in Sacramento’s published record, so only a tap test tells you. Test first-draw water, then filter if needed.
8 of 29 PFAS tested were detected in Sacramento’s record (PFOS 41.4 ng/L, PFOA 17.3 ng/L and PFHxS 19.1 ng/L, and more); 3 above their limit. If PFAS matters to you, a filter certification names each compound it covers.
Utilities keep a disinfectant in the pipes on the way to your tap. A carbon filter certified for chlorine reduces the taste.
Scale is a comfort and appliance issue, not a health one.
Reverse osmosis reduces many dissolved contaminants, including lead and minerals, at a single faucet, with some water sent to drain.
Get one email when Sacramento’s record changes.
One email when a new sampling round is published, a result moves above or below its reference, or the system's score changes.PurityMap does not give a safe/unsafe verdict; it shows what the public records measured. For Sacramento, PFOS 41.4 ng/L (limit 4 ng/L), PFOA 17.3 ng/L (limit 4 ng/L) and PFHxS 19.1 ng/L (limit 10 ng/L) were measured in one EPA sample each, above the limits EPA set in 2024 (not a violation: the limits are judged on a yearly average, due 2029). CITY OF SACRAMENTO MAIN (PWSID CA3410020) has a Purity Score of 60/100 (confidence: high), assessed at the water-system level and computed only from contaminants that were measured. Water can change in your own pipes, so a certified test is the only way to know what comes out of your tap. What we found →
CITY OF SACRAMENTO MAIN (PWS ID CA3410020) is the public water system on record for Sacramento, California, serving about 527,979 people. Confirm the utility on your water bill before acting on a specific finding. Water utility →
Surface water (primary source of record in EPA SDWIS). Water utility →
Yes. In EPA's UCMR 5 testing (2023-08-23 to 2024-05-15), PFOS was measured at 41.4 ng/L in one EPA sample, above the 4 ng/L limit EPA set in 2024, PFOA was measured at 17.3 ng/L in one EPA sample, above the 4 ng/L limit EPA set in 2024 and PFHxS was measured at 19.1 ng/L in one EPA sample, above the 10 ng/L limit EPA set in 2024. EPA's 2024 limits are judged on a yearly average, and water systems have until 2029 to meet them, so a single sample is not a violation. PFBS (6.2 ng/L, below the 2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory) and PFHxA (6.3 ng/L, below the 400,000 ng/L state limit) were also detected. PFBA (7.4 ng/L), PFHpA (4.4 ng/L) and PFPeA (6.5 ng/L) were also detected; they have no federal or state limit. Reverse osmosis and filters certified to NSF/ANSI 53 for PFOA/PFOS reduce them at the tap. What we found →
Lead is not in Sacramento's current published record. Lead usually enters from a building's own pipes and fixtures, so a certified home test is the way to know yours. Your household →
PurityMap's current record for Sacramento holds 34 findings: 5 above a reference, 4 detected within the reference, 3 detected with no limit and 22 not detected. Each finding links to its dated public record; a parameter that was never monitored is shown as pending, not as a pass. Records →
Sacramento's water is recorded as 8.1 gpg, hard. Hardness is an aesthetic and plumbing characteristic, not a health-based limit. Choose your situation →
UCMR5 Analytical Results
UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF SACRAMENTO MAIN (CA3410020)
US EPA
State SDWIS Compliance Record
Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile: CITY OF SACRAMENTO MAIN (CA3410020)
US EPA SDWIS
Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
City of Sacramento Dept. of Utilities 2024 Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
City of Sacramento Dept. of Utilities
Methodology: how we analyze water. Prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by the PurityMap Editorial Team before publication.
EPA SDWIS, EPA UCMR 5 and utility reports, each dated and linked.
Units converted to one basis; a non-detect kept distinct from zero.
Each result tagged by reference type: MCL, action level, screening level or aesthetic.
Every value sits against its own reference, never a blended one.
Measured subjects summarised at the water-system level; an open health-based violation caps the score.
Treatment is matched to what was found; a product is called certified only when its current certification names it.
What the Purity Score means: a summary of this water system’s published record, capped while a health-based violation is open. It is not a test of any tap. CITY OF SACRAMENTO MAIN · PWSID CA3410020 · Purity Score 60/100 (Fair) · Confidence: high · Assessed at the water-system level
Full methodology →Start with the hot-or-cold tap check. Where City of Sacramento reported something related, it's shown below.
Sacramento disinfects with chlorine (utility water-quality report).
Lead at City of Sacramento: not detected (90th percentile, 2021–2023 monitoring period). Lead has no taste, so a taste neither shows nor rules it out.