Is Tap Water Safe to Drink in San Diego?
Yes, tap water in San Diego is safe to drink. It's supplied by a diverse blend of imported Colorado River water, desalinated seawater, and increasingly, purified recycled water, all meeting EPA and California state standards.
Water Source
The San Diego County Water Authority blends imported water (Colorado River and State Water Project), the Carlsbad desalination plant (one of the largest in the Western Hemisphere), and a growing share of highly purified recycled water through the Pure Water San Diego program.
EPA Compliance Status
Meets all federal Safe Drinking Water Act standards and California's additional state-level drinking water requirements, among the strictest in the U.S.
Notable Contaminants & Context
- •California regulates hexavalent chromium (chromium-6) and other constituents more strictly than federal minimums; San Diego's supply is monitored accordingly
- •No significant compliance concerns in the treated supply
How It Compares
California's drinking water program sets stricter monitoring requirements than federal EPA minimums for several contaminants, and San Diego's blended, diversified supply is a widely cited model for drought resilience.
Tips
- •Water hardness varies noticeably depending on which source is blended into your area that season
- •Pure Water San Diego's purified recycled water undergoes multiple advanced treatment barriers exceeding bottled water standards
- •The Water Authority publishes source-blend data by service area
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & References
The safety rating and guidance on this page draw on the following sources. See our full methodology.
- •US EPA Safe Drinking Water Act regulations
- •EWG Tap Water Database
- •The utility's most recent Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
- •WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality