Well & TapHome Water Treatment Database

Is there PFAS in City of Watsonville water?

Yes. EPA's final UCMR 5 results show City of Watsonville averaged 5.8 ppt of PFOA at its worst sampling point, 1.4 times the EPA limit of 4 ppt.

City of Watsonville Serves 65,231 people · 28 PFOA samples from 14 sampling points · Apr 2024 to Jan 2025 Average above an EPA limit
PFOA Perfluorooctanoic acid 5.8 ppt avg · max 6.5
EPA 4
PFOS Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid 4.8 ppt avg · max 5.1
EPA 4
PFHxS Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid 6.2 ppt avg · max 6.7
EPA 10
Hazard index GenX, PFBS, PFNA, PFHxS combined 0.6 avg · max 0.7
EPA 1

Also detected, no federal limit: PFBS, PFPeA, PFHxA.

Averages are for the worst sampling point, with non-detects counted as zero. Source: EPA UCMR 5.

City of Watsonville is a public water system drawing on surface water, based in Watsonville, California, serving about 65,231 people, including Freedom, Watsonville. Under EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule it was tested for 29 PFAS and lithium 28 times across 14 sampling points between Apr 2024 and Jan 2025.

Every PFAS detected

PFAS Detected Highest Worst point avg EPA limit
PFHxS
Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid		 4 of 28 6.7 ppt 6.2 ppt 10 ppt
PFOA
Perfluorooctanoic acid		 2 of 28 6.5 ppt 5.8 ppt 4 ppt
PFBS
Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid		 4 of 28 6.3 ppt 5.7 ppt none
PFOS
Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid		 4 of 28 5.1 ppt 4.8 ppt 4 ppt
PFPeA
Perfluoropentanoic acid		 3 of 28 4.4 ppt 4.1 ppt none
PFHxA
Perfluorohexanoic acid		 3 of 28 4.2 ppt 3.8 ppt none

Not detected: 9Cl-PF3ONS, PFNA, PFDA, PFDoA, HFPO-DA, 11Cl-PF3OUdS, ADONA, PFEESA, NFDHA, PFPeS, PFHpS, PFUnA, PFTA, PFHpA, NMeFOSAA, PFTrDA, PFBA, PFMBA, PFMPA, 8:2 FTS, 4:2 FTS, 6:2 FTS, NEtFOSAA.

Lithium, tested in the same program: highest 27.3 ppb, detected in 27 of 28 samples. EPA's health-based screening level is 10 ppb.

What the EPA limits mean here

In April 2024 EPA set enforceable limits of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS, 10 ppt each for PFHxS, PFNA and GenX, and a hazard index of 1 for mixtures. Utilities were given until 2029 to comply. In May 2026 EPA proposed keeping only the PFOA and PFOS limits and moving that deadline to 2031. Until that proposal is final, the 2024 limits stand.

Compliance is judged on a running annual average at each entry point, so we show the average at this system's worst sampling point next to its single highest result. UCMR 5 results do not by themselves put a utility in or out of compliance.

What you can do at home

Two routes work for PFAS. For drinking and cooking water only, a reverse osmosis system certified to NSF/ANSI 58 with a PFOA/PFOS reduction claim is the cheapest proven option. To treat every tap and shower, a whole-house carbon system with enough contact time works, but check that the maker has PFAS test data, not just a marketing claim. See the best filters for PFAS and how PFAS removal works.

Other systems in California

All 707 tested systems in California

ZIP codes served

95019 95076 95077

As reported by the utility to EPA. Neighbouring ZIPs are often split between systems; your water bill names yours.

Cite this page

Well & Tap. "PFAS in City of Watsonville water: EPA UCMR 5 results." Data: U.S. EPA Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, final release August 2026, PWSID CA4410011. https://wellandtap.com/pfas/california/city-of-watsonville/

About this data

Source: U.S. EPA, UCMR 5 occurrence data, final release August 2026 (PWSID CA4410011). Population: EPA SDWIS. Averages count results below the reporting level as zero, the same convention EPA uses for running annual averages. Full method.