Is Tap Water Safe to Drink in Santa Clarita?
Yes, tap water in Santa Clarita is safe to drink. SCV Water blends State Water Project deliveries with local groundwater, and wells once affected by legacy perchlorate or PFAS run through dedicated treatment. All served water meets standards.
Water Source
The Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency (SCV Water) serves a roughly half-and-half blend of imported State Water Project water from Castaic Lake and local groundwater from the valley's alluvial aquifer and deeper Saugus Formation.
EPA Compliance Status
Meets all federal Safe Drinking Water Act standards and California limits.
Notable Contaminants & Context
- •Perchlorate from the former Whittaker-Bermite munitions site contaminated several Saugus Formation wells; impacted wells were taken offline and returned to service only with dedicated treatment
- •PFAS detections in some local wells led SCV Water to build early PFAS treatment facilities, among the first in the region, keeping served water within state and federal limits
- •Hardness and mineral content from both sources are a taste and appliance matter
Water Quality Data
Key contaminants detected vs. regulatory limits. All values from the most recent published report — Source: SCV Water 2024 CCR.
| Contaminant | Detected | Limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorine (total) | 1.3 mg/L | 4.0 mg/L | ✓ |
| Fluoride | 0.7 mg/L | 4.0 mg/L | ✓ |
| Lead (90th percentile) | 2.0 µg/L | 15.0 µg/L | ✓ |
| Nitrate (as N) | 2.4 mg/L | 10.0 mg/L | ✓ |
| TTHM (Total Trihalomethanes) | 24.2 µg/L | 80.0 µg/L | ✓ |
| HAA5 (Haloacetic Acids) | 16.4 µg/L | 60.0 µg/L | ✓ |
| Chromium-6 | 0.09 µg/L | 0.02 µg/L | ⚠ |
✓ = below limit ⚠ = above health goal ✗ = exceeds guideline
How It Compares
Santa Clarita is a good example of aggressive wellhead remediation: rather than blending contamination down, the agency treated or idled affected wells outright, and it publishes contaminant-by-well data.
Tips
- •A softener or descaling routine helps with the valley's hard water
- •SCV Water's annual report lists which wells have perchlorate or PFAS treatment
- •Taste varies with the imported-versus-groundwater blend through the year
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