Table of Contents
Can You Drink Tap Water in Redwood City?
Yes, Redwood City's tap water is generally considered safe to drink as Redwood City has no active health based violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) that we are aware of. Other factors such as lead piping in a home, or low levels of pollutants on immunocompromised individuals, should also be considered, however. To find more recent info we might have, you can check out our boil water notice page or the city's water provider website.
According the EPA’s ECHO database, from April 30, 2019 to June 30, 2022, Redwood City's water utility, City of Redwood City, had 0 violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act. For more details on the violations, please see our violation history section below. The last violation for Redwood City was resolved on March 31, 2015. This assessment is based on the City of Redwood City water system, other water systems in the city may have different results.
While tap water that meets the EPA health guidelines generally won’t make you sick to your stomach, it can still contain regulated and unregulated contaminants present in trace amounts that could potentially cause health issues over the long-run. These trace contaminants may also impact immunocompromised and vulnerable individuals.
The EPA is reviewing if it’s current regulations around pollutant levels in tap water are strict enough, and the health dangers posed by unregulated pollutants, like PFAS.
Water Quality Report for Redwood City Tap Water
The most recent publicly available numbers for measured contaminant levels in Redwood City tap water are in its 2020 Water Quality Report. As you can see, there are levels which the EPA considers to be acceptable, but being below the maximum allowable level doesn’t necessarily mean the water is healthy.
Lead in tap water, for example, is currently allowed at up to 15ppb by the EPA, but it has set the ideal goal for lead at zero. This highlights how meeting EPA standards doesn’t necessarily mean local tap water is healthy.
EPA regulations continue to change as it evaluates the long term impacts of chemicals and updates drinking water acceptable levels. The rules around arsenic, as well as, lead and copper are currently being re-evaluated.
There are also a number of "emerging" contaminants that are not currently. For example, PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), for which the EPA has issued a health advisory. PFAS are called "forever chemicals" since they tend not to break down in the environment or the human body and can accumulate over time.
We recommend looking at the contaminants present in Redwood City's water quality reports, or getting your home's tap water tested to see if you should be filtering your water.
Redwood City Tap Water Safe Drinking Water Act Violation History - Prior 10 Years
Below is a ten year history of violations for the water system named City of Redwood City for Redwood City in California. For more details please see the "What do these Violations Mean?" section below.
From March 1, 2015 to March 31, 2015, Redwood City had 1 health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Treatment Technique Violation, more specifically, the violation code was Treatment Technique (SWTR and GWR) which falls into the Microbials rule code group, and the Surface Water Treatment Rules rule code family for the following contaminant code: Surface Water Treatment Rule.
From Jan. 1, 2014 to Jan. 31, 2014, Redwood City had 1 health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, more specifically, the violation code was Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) which falls into the Microbials rule code group, and the Total Coliform Rules rule code family for the following contaminant code: Coliform (TCR).
Is there Lead in Redwood City Water?
Based on the EPA’s ECHO Database, 90% of the samples taken from the Redwood City water system, City of Redwood City, between sample start date and sample end date, were at or below, 0.0 mg/L of lead in Redwood City water. This is 0% of the 0.015 mg/L action level. This means 10% of the samples taken from Redwood City contained more lead.
While Redwood City water testing may have found 0.0 mg/L of lead in its water, that does not mean your water source has the same amount. The amount of lead in water in a city can vary greatly from neighborhood to neighborhood, or even building to building. Many buildings, particularly older ones, have lead pipes or service lines which can be a source of contamination. To find out if your home has lead, we recommend getting you water tested.
No amount of lead in water is healthy, only less dangerous. As lead accumulates in our bodies over time, even exposure to relatively small amounts can have negative health effects. For more information, please check out our Lead FAQ page.
Are there PFAS in Redwood City Tap Water?
Currently, testing tap water for PFAS isn’t mandated on a national level. We do have a list of military bases where there have been suspected or confirmed leaks. There appears to be at least one military base - Moffett Field/Moffett Field NAS - near Redwood City with suspected leaks.
With many potential sources of PFAS in tap water across the US, the best information we currently have about which cities have PFAS in their water is this ewg map, which you can check to see if Redwood City has been evaluated for yet.
Our stance is better safe than sorry, and that it makes sense to try to purify the tap water just in case.
Redwood City SDWA Violation History Table - Prior 10 Years
| Compliance Period | Status | Health-Based? | Category Code | Code | Rule Code | Contaminant Code | Rule Group Code | Rule Family Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03/01/2015 - 03/31/2015 | Resolved | Yes | Treatment Technique Violation (TT) | Treatment Technique (SWTR and GWR) (41) | Surface Water Treatment Rule (121) | Surface Water Treatment Rule (0200) | Microbials (100) | Surface Water Treatment Rules (120) |
| 01/01/2014 - 01/31/2014 | Resolved | Yes | Maximum Contaminant Level Violation (MCL) | Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) (22) | Total Coliform Rule (110) | Coliform (TCR) (3100) | Microbials (100) | Total Coliform Rules (110) |
What do these Violations Mean?
Safe Drinking Water Act Violations categories split into two groups, health based, and non-health based. Generally, health based violations are more serious, though non-health based violations can also be cause for concern.
Health Based Violations
- Maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) - maximum allowed contaminant level was exceeded.
- Maximum residual disinfectant levels (MRDLs) - maximum allowed disinfectant level was exceeded.
- Other violations (Other) - the exact required process to reduce the amounts of contaminants in drinking water was not followed.
Non-Health Based Violations
- Monitoring and reporting violations (MR, MON) - failure to conduct the required regular monitoring of drinking water quality, and/or to submit monitoring results on time.
- Public notice violations (Other) - failure to immediately alert consumers if there is a serious problem with their drinking water that may pose a risk to public health.
- Other violations (Other) - miscellaneous violations, such as failure to issue annual consumer confidence reports or maintain required records.
SDWA Table Key
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Compliance Period | Dates of the compliance period. |
| Status |
Current status of the violation.
|
| Health-Based? | Whether the violation is health based. |
| Category Code |
The category of violation that is reported.
|
| Code | A full description of violation codes can be accessed in the SDWA_REF_CODE_VALUES (CSV) table. |
| Contaminant Code | A code value that represents a contaminant for which a public water system has incurred a violation of a primary drinking water regulation. |
| Rule Code |
Code for a National Drinking Water rule.
|
| Rule Group Code |
Code that uniquely identifies a rule group.
|
| Rule Family Code |
Code for rule family.
|
For more clarification please visit the EPA's data dictionary.
Redwood City Water - Frequently Asked Questions
| By Phone: | 650-780-7466 |
| By Email: | tkyaw@redwoodcity.org |
| By Mail: | 1400 BROADWAY REDWOOD CITY, CA, 94063 |
Existing customers can login to their City of Redwood City account to pay their Redwood City water bill by clicking here.
If you want to pay your City of Redwood City bill online and haven't made an account yet, you can create an account online. Please click here to create your account to pay your Redwood City water bill.
If you don't want to make an account, or can't remember your account, you can make a one-time payment towards your Redwood City water bill without creating an account using a one time payment portal with your account number and credit or debit card. Click here to make a one time payment.
Moving to a new house or apartment in Redwood City means you will often need to put the water in your name with City of Redwood City. In order to put the water in your name, please click the link to the start service form below. Start service requests for water bills typically take two business days.
Leaving your house or apartment in Redwood City means you will likely need to take your name off of the water bill with City of Redwood City. In order to take your name off the water bill, please click the link to the stop service form below. Stop service for water bills requests typically take two business days.
The estimated price of bottled water
$2 in USD (1.5-liter)
USER SUBMITTED RATINGS
- Drinking Water Pollution and Inaccessibility
- Water Pollution
- Drinking Water Quality and Accessibility
- Water Quality
The above data is comprised of subjective, user submitted opinions about the water quality and pollution in Redwood City, measured on a scale from 0% (lowest) to 100% (highest).
Related FAQS
Redwood City Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report)
The EPA mandates that towns and cities consistently monitor and test their tap water. They must report their findings in an annual Consumer Confidence Report. Below is the most recent water quality report from Redwood City's Water. If you would like to see the original version of the report, please click here.
What’s Inside:
- Our Drinking Water Sources and Treatment
- Protecting Our Watersheds
- Contaminants and Regulations
- Water Quality
3 Key Water Quality Terms
8 Special Health Needs and Groundwater Storage and Recovery
- Fluoridation and Dental Fluorosis
- Drinking Water and Lead
This
contains important
information about your
drinking water. To translate it, or speak with someone who understands it please call (650)
Este informe contiene
information muy importante
sobre su agua potable. Tradúzcalo o hable con alguien que lo entienda bien por favor llame (650) 780- 7464.
City of Redwood City
Water Utility Services
OUR DRINKING WATER SOURCES AND TREATMENT
The San Francisco Regional Water System’s (SFRWS) major drinking water supply consists of surface water and groundwater that are well protected and carefully managed by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC). These sources are diverse in both the origin and the location with the surface water stored in reservoirs located in the Sierra Nevada, Alameda County and San Mateo County, and groundwater stored in a deep aquifer located in the northern part of San Mateo County.
To meet drinking water standards for consumption, all surface water supplies from SFRWS undergo treatment before it is delivered to our customers. Water from the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is exempt from state and federal filtration requirements but receives the following treatment: ultraviolet light and chlorine disinfection, pH adjustment for optimum corrosion control, fluoridation for dental health protection, and chloramination for maintaining disinfectant residual and minimizing the formation of regulated disinfection byproducts. Water from local Bay Area reservoirs in Alameda County and San Mateo County is delivered to Sunol Valley Water Treatment Plant (SVWTP) and Harry Tracy Water Treatment Plant (HTWTP), respectively, and is treated by filtration, disinfection, fluoridation, optimum corrosion control and taste and odor removal processes. In 2020, a small amount of groundwater from five of the eight recently completed wells was intermittently added to the SFRWS’s surface water supply.
1
PROTECTING OUR WATERSHEDS |
LAWN BE GONE! REBATE |
Watersheds Protection
SFRWS conducts watershed sanitary surveys for the Hetch Hetchy source annually and for
CONTAMINANTS AND REGULATIONS
Generally, the sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, oceans, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity. Such substances are called contaminants, and may be present in source water as:
Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria that may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations and wildlife,
Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, that can be naturally occurring or result from urban stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining or farming,
Pesticides and herbicides that may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff and residential uses,
Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are
Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.
More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the USEPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline
City of Redwood City |
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Water Utility Services |
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WATER QUALITY
SFRWS regularly collects and tests water samples from reservoirs and designated sampling points throughout the sources and the transmission system to ensure the water delivered to you meets or exceeds federal and State drinking water standards. In 2020, SFRWS conducted more than 47,200 drinking water tests in the sources and the transmission system. This is in addition to the extensive treatment process control monitoring performed by SFRWS’s certified operators and online instruments.
The City of Redwood City also collects and tests water samples from the City’s water system and storage reservoirs. Samples are collected weekly, monthly, and quarterly depending on the type of analyses. Samples are sent to a certified lab or analysis is performed in the field. The City of Redwood City Water Division staff ensures water delivered within the water system meets or exceeds federal and state drinking water standards.
Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the
Monitoring of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
PFAS is a group of approximately 5,000
TO LEARN MORE
Additional water quality data may be obtained by contacting Justin Chapel at Redwood City Public Works Services (650)
Want to learn more about drinking water regulations? Visit the SWRCB Division of Drinking Water at www.swrcb.ca.gov/drinkingwater or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at www.epa.gov.
Water quality policies are decided at public hearings held at regularly scheduled City Council meetings. For more information visit www.redwoodcity.org.
City of Redwood City
Water Utility Services
Key Water Quality Terms
The following are definitions of key terms referring to standards and goals of water quality noted on the data table.
Public Health Goal (PHG): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. PHGs are set by the California Environmental Protection Agency.
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): The level of a contaminant in
drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs are set by the USEPA.
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. Primary MCLs are set as close to the PHGs or MCLGs as is economically and technologically feasible. Secondary MCLs (SMCLs) are set to protect the odor, taste, and appearance of drinking water.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL): The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG): The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants.
Primary Drinking Water Standard (PDWS): MCLs and MRDLs for contaminants that affect health along with their monitoring and reporting requirements, and water treatment requirements.
Regulatory Action Level: The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements that a water system must follow.
Treatment Technique (TT): A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.
Turbidity: A water clarity indicator that measures cloudiness of the water, and is also used to indicate the effectiveness of the filtration system. High turbidity can hinder the effectiveness of disinfectants.
Cryptosporidium is a parasitic microbe found in most surface water. The SFPUC regularly tests for this waterborne pathogen, and found it at very low levels in source water and treated water in 2019. However, current test methods approved by the USEPA do not distinguish between dead organisms and those capable of causing disease. Ingestion of Cryptosporidium may produce symptoms of nausea, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and associated headaches. Cryptosporidium must be ingested to cause disease, and it may be spread through means other than drinking water.
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< / < |
= less than / less than or |
NL |
= Notification level |
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equal to |
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AL |
= Action Level |
NoP |
= Number of Coliform- |
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Positive Sample |
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Max |
= Maximum |
NTU |
= Nephelometric Turbidity |
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Unit |
Min |
= Minimum |
ORL |
= Other Regulatory level |
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N/A |
= Not Available |
ppb |
= part per billion |
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ND |
= |
ppm |
= part per million |
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µS/cm |
= microSiemens/ centimeter |
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3
Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR)
Background
The 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act required the U.S. EPA to establish criteria for a monitoring program for unregulated contaminants and to publish, once every 5 years, a list of no more than 30 contaminants to be monitored by public water systems.
Recent Sampling Event
The most recent sampling event was UCMR 4 part 3, which took place in August through November of 2020. This sampling event requires public water systems to monitor for 10 cyanotoxins and 20 additional chemical contaminants. The City of Redwood City performed 4 quarters of sampling for chemical contaminants. There were 6 chemicals detected at low levels that did not exceed any MCLs. UCMR 4 sampling took place in August of 2020 through November 2020 for cyanotoxins. All results for the cyanotoxins were
Prior to that event was UCMR 3 in which the City of Redwood City performed sampling for 28 potential contaminants and two viruses from August 2014 through May 2015. Of the potential contaminants, only 4 were detected at very low levels. During each event samples were taken from one of our SFPUC source water connections and from various sample points in the City’s distribution system.
The results of the detected contaminants can be found in the table on the next page.
Reporting
U.S. EPA does not provide guidance on the issue of reporting federal UCMR contaminants beyond the previous calendar year’s detections, other than to say it is not required and that data older than 5 years need not be reported. As a result, the State Board recommends systems to report the data for 5 years.
For More Information
Unregulated contaminant monitoring helps the U.S. EPA and the State Water Resources Control Board to determine where certain contaminants occur and whether the contaminants need to be regulated. To view the results of sampling for the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule conducted by Redwood City please visit our website at www.redwoodcity.org/ waterquality .
Visit Redwood City’s
Native plant demonstration garden
The Redwood City Parks Department, and volunteers con- verted this area from turf to a native garden. The volun- teers attended a workshop sponsored by Redwood City’s Water Conservation Program "How to convert turf to a water efficient landscape", and the result of their work is a
garden that's educational, supports wildlife, and uses a lot less water.
Location:
Redwood City Public Works
City of Redwood City |
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Water Utility Services |
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Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR) Results
UCMR4 Detected |
Unit |
MCL |
PHG or |
Range or |
Average or |
Major Sources in Drinking |
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Contaminants |
(MCLG) |
Level Found |
[Max] |
Water |
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Haloacetic Acids
Bromochloroacetic Acid |
ppb |
N/A |
N/A |
0.374 - 0.977 |
0.642 |
Degradation of disinfectant |
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(BCAA) |
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Dichloroacetic Acid (DCAA) |
ppb |
N/A |
N/A |
12.8 - 32.6 |
19.8 |
Degradation of disinfectant |
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Monochloroacetic Acid |
ppb |
N/A |
N/A |
2.05 - 2.77 |
2.45 |
Degradation of disinfectant |
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Trichloroacetic Acid (TCAA) |
ppb |
N/A |
N/A |
8.28 - 16.20 |
12.86 |
Degradation of disinfectant |
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HAA5 |
ppb |
60 |
N/A |
31.9 - 37.5 |
34.75 |
Degradation of disinfectant |
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Metals |
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Maganese |
ppb |
2 |
N/A |
1.33 - 1.99 |
1.75 |
Byproduct of drinking water |
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disinfection |
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UCMR3 Detected |
Unit |
MCL |
PHG or |
Range or |
Average or |
Major Sources in Drinking |
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Contaminants |
(MCLG) |
Level Found |
[Max] |
Water |
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Strontium |
ppb |
N/A |
N/A |
28 |
Erosion of natural and pipe |
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Vanadium |
ppb |
50 (NL) |
N/A |
0.25 |
Erosion of natural and pipe |
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ppb |
10 |
0.02 |
0.04 |
Erosion of natural deposits; |
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Chlorate |
ppb |
800 (NL) |
N/A |
131 |
Degradation of disinfectant |
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City of Redwood City |
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Water Utility Services |
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City of Redwood City—Water Quality Data for Year 2020 (1)
Detected Contaminants |
Unit |
MCL |
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PHG or |
Range or |
Average or |
Major Sources in Drinking |
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(MCLG) |
Level Found |
[Max] |
Water |
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Turbidity |
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Unfiltered Hetch Hetchy |
NTU |
5 |
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N/A |
0.2 - 0.5 (2) |
[1.3] |
Soil Runoff |
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Water |
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Filtered Water from Sunol |
NTU |
1(3) Min 95% of |
N/A |
- |
[0.4] |
Soil Runoff |
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Valley Water Treatment |
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N/A |
99.8% - 100% |
- |
Soil Runoff |
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Plant (SVWTP) |
< 0.3 NTU |
(3) |
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Filtered Water from Harry |
NTU |
1(3) Min 95% of |
N/A |
- |
[0.1] |
Soil Runoff |
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Tracy Water Treatment |
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N/A |
100% |
- |
Soil Runoff |
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Plant (HTWTP) (12) |
< 0.3 NTU |
(3) |
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Disinfection Byproducts and Precursors |
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Total Trihalomethanes |
ppb |
80 |
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N/A |
27.7 - 41.3 |
[34.8] (4) |
Byproduct of drinking water |
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disinfection |
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Haloacetic Acids |
ppb |
60 |
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N/A |
24.2 - 43.1 |
[32.5] (4) |
Byproduct of drinking water |
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disinfection |
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Total Organic Carbon (5) |
ppm |
TT |
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N/A |
1.7 - 3.4 |
2.9 |
Various natural and |
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Microbiological |
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NoP <5.0% |
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Total Coliform |
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of monthly |
(0) |
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[0%] |
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environment |
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Giardia lamblia |
Cyst/L |
TT |
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(0) |
0 - 0.05 |
0.01 |
Naturally present in the |
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Inorganics |
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Fluoride (source water) (7) |
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0.3(7) |
Erosion of natural deposits; |
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ppm |
2.0 |
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1 |
ND - 0.7 |
water additive to promote strong |
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teeth |
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Chloramine (as chlorine) |
ppm |
MRDL=4.0 |
MRDLG=4 |
0.62 - 3.59 |
[2.67] (8) |
Drinking water disinfectant |
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added for treatment |
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Constituents with |
Unit |
SMCL |
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PHG |
Range |
Average |
Major Sources of |
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Secondary Standards |
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Contaminant |
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Chloride |
ppm |
500 |
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N/A |
<3 - 15 |
8.7 |
Runoff / leaching from natural |
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deposits |
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Specific Conductance |
µS/cm |
1600 |
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N/A |
30 - 260 |
160 |
Substances that form ions when |
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in water |
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Sulfate |
ppm |
500 |
|
N/A |
1 - 34 |
17 |
Runoff / leaching from natural |
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deposits |
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Total Dissolved Solids |
ppm |
1000 |
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N/A |
<20 - 137 |
72 |
Runoff / leaching from natural |
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deposits |
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Turbidity |
NTU |
5 |
|
N/A |
ND - 0.2 |
ND |
Soil runoff |
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Lead and Copper |
Unit |
AL |
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PHG |
Range |
90th |
Major Sources in Drinking |
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Percentile |
Water |
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Copper |
ppb |
1300 |
|
300 |
< 1 - 96 (9) |
48.5 |
Internal corrosion of household |
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water plumbing systems |
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Lead |
ppb |
15 |
|
0.2 |
<1 - 9.8 (10) |
2.8 |
Internal corrosion of household |
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water plumbing systems |
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City of Redwood City |
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6 |
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Water Utility Services |
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City of Redwood City - Water Quality Data for Year 2020
Other Water Quality
Parameters
|
Unit |
ORL |
Range |
|
|
|
|
Alkalinity (as |
ppm |
N/A |
6.7 - 138 |
CaCO3) |
|
|
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Calcium (as Ca) |
ppm |
N/A |
2.9 - 22 |
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Chlorate (12) |
ppb |
800 (NL) |
67 - 1200 |
Footnotes:
-
All results met State and Federal drinking water health
Average standards.
55 (2) These are monthly average turbidity values measured every 4 hours daily.
12 (3) There is no turbidity MCL for filtered water. The limits are based on the TT requirements for filtration systems.
262 (4) This is the highest locational running annual average value.
- Total organic carbon is a precursor for disinfection byproduct
Hardness (as |
ppm |
N/A |
8.0 - 79 |
CaCO3) |
|
|
|
45
formation. The TT requirement applies to the filtered water from the SVWTP only.
Magnesium |
ppm |
N/A |
0.2 - 6.8 |
pH |
- |
N/A |
8.6 - 9.8 |
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Potassium |
ppm |
N/A |
0.3 - 1.3 |
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Silica |
ppm |
N/A |
2.8 - 7 |
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Sodium |
ppm |
N/A |
2.4 - 22 |
|
|
|
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Strontium |
ppb |
N/A |
14 - 242 |
|
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- The natural fluoride levels in the upcountry sources were ND.
4.0 Elevated fluoride levels in the SVWTP and HTWTP raw water are
attributed to the transfer of fluoridated Hetch Hetchy water into
9.3 the local reservoirs.
- In May 2015, the SWRCB recommended an optimal fluoride
0.8 level of 0.7 ppm be maintained in the treated water. In 2020,
the range and average of the fluoride levels were 0.6 ppm - 0.9
4.8 ppm and 0.7 ppm, respectively.
(8) This is the highest running annual average value.
14 (9) The most recent Lead and Copper Rule monitoring was in 2018. 0 of 31 site samples collected at consumer taps had copper
110 concentrations above the AL.
- The most recent Lead and Copper Rule monitoring was in 2018. 0 of 31 site samples collected at consumer taps had lead concentrations above the AL.
- The detected chlorate in the treated water is a degradation product of sodium hypochlorite used by the SFPUC for water disinfection.
-
Chromium (VI) has a PHG of 0.02 ppb but no MCL. The previous MCL of 10 ppb was withdrawn by the
SWRCB-DDW on September 11, 2017. Currently, theSWRCB-DDW regulates all chromium through a MCL of 50 ppb for Total Chromium, which was not detected in our water in 2019.
My Water, Redwood City’s customer water use portal and mobile app brings your water use, water outages and billing information to your finger- tips. Conservation made easy! My Water’s core purpose is to empower customers through better customer service so that we all may use water more wisely, and in turn, save money and
help the environment.
My Water allows you to:
- View hourly water use
- Sign up for notifications
- Leak Alerts
- Outages
- View your bill
- Compare use with others
To get started, visit www.mywater.redwoodcity.org and register using your account number.
City of Redwood City |
7 |
Water Utility Services |
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SPECIAL HEALTH NEEDS
FLUORIDATION AND DENTAL FLUOROSIS
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno- compromised persons, such as those with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly people and infants, can be particularly at risk from infections.
These people should seek advice about drinking water from their healthcare providers. USEPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the USEPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline
Groundwater Storage and Recovery (GSR) Project
Groundwater is a renewable source of
Mandated by State law, water fluoridation is a widely accepted practice proven to be safe and effective for preventing and controlling tooth decay. The fluoride target level in the water is
0.7 milligram per liter (mg/L, or part per million, ppm), consistent with the May 2015 State regulatory guidance on optimal fluoride level. Infants fed formula mixed with water containing fluoride at this level may still have a chance of developing tiny white lines or streaks in their teeth. These marks are referred to as mild to very mild fluorosis, and are often only visible under a microscope. Even in cases where the marks are visible, they do not pose any health risk. The Centers of Disease Control (CDC) considers it safe to use optimally fluoridated water for preparing infant formula. To lessen this chance of dental fluorosis, you may choose to use
Contact your healthcare provider or
City of Redwood City |
8 |
Water Utility Services |
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DRINGKING WATER
AND LEAD
Exposure to lead, if present, can cause serious health effects in all age groups, especially for pregnant women and young children. Infants and children who drink water containing lead could have decreases in IQ and attention span and increases in learning and behavior problems. Lead exposure among women who are pregnant increases prenatal risks. Lead exposure among women who later become pregnant has similar risks if lead stored in the mother’s bones is released during pregnancy. Recent science suggests that adults who drink water containing lead have increased risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney or nervous system problems.
Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. There are no known lead service lines in our water distribution system. We are responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but we cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. You share the responsibility for protecting yourself and your family from the lead in your home plumbing. You can take responsibility by identifying and removing lead materials within your home plumbing and taking steps to reduce your family’s risk. Before drinking, flush your pipes for several minutes by running your tap, taking a shower, doing laundry or a load of dishes. You can also use a filter certified to remove lead from drinking water. If you are concerned about lead in your water you may wish to have your water tested, call your city phone (650)
As previously reported in 2018, the SFPUC completed an inventory of lead user service lines (LUSL) in our system and there are no known pipelines and connectors between water mains and meters made of lead. The City of Redwood City continues to conduct a service line inventory of all service lines in the water system to confirm pipe material. The City of Redwood City has currently has no known lead service lines.
City of Redwood City |
9 |
Water Utility Services |
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City of Redwood City
Water Utility Services
1400 Broadway
Redwood City, CA
City of Redwood City |
10 |
Water Utility Services |
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Contaminants
City of Redwood City
EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the California State Water Resources Control Board, as well as information from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History database (ECHO). For the latest quarter assessed by the U.S. EPA (January 2019 - March 2019), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.
Utility details
- Serves: 84557
- Data available: 2012-2017
- Data Source: Purchased surface water
- Total: 16
Contaminants That Exceed Guidelines
- Bromodichloromethane
- Chloroform
- Dichloroacetic acid
- Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
- Trichloroacetic acid
Other Detected Contaminants
- Aluminum*
- Bromide*
- Chlorate
- Chromium (hexavalent)
- Dibromoacetic acid
- Fluoride*
- Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
- Molybdenum*
- Monochloroacetic acid
- Strontium
- Vanadium
Reminder
Always take extra precautions, the water may be safe to drink when it leaves the sewage treatment plant but it may pick up pollutants during its way to your tap. We advise that you ask locals or hotel staff about the water quality. Also, note that different cities have different water mineral contents.
Sources and Resources
Sources Cited
Additional Resources
The United States Environmental Protection Agency has established certain guidelines for the quality of drinking water. These guidelines were established based on scientific evidence that showed what was known to be harmful to human health, especially to children. The Agency has also set standards for the quality of “other” drinking water, also known as municipal water. The standards apply to treatment centers and suppliers, just like with tap water. This is so we can all be protected from dangerous chemicals.
Our environment is already being compromised by the pollution and waste from factories, but adding chemicals to the water is definitely not the answer. This just adds to the problems of pollution and waste in our water supply. And, as I mentioned above, they will only be found in water that has already been treated through a municipal water plant. These chemicals have already been found in water that is sent out for consumption and are often in bottled water.