Is there PFAS in UC Davis water?
No PFAS were detected in any of the 15 samples EPA's program collected.
UC Davis is a public water system drawing on surface water, based in Davis, California, serving about 49,616 people. Under EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule it was tested for 29 PFAS and lithium 15 times across 7 sampling points between Apr 2023 and Apr 2024.
Every PFAS detected
None of the 29 PFAS were found at or above EPA's minimum reporting levels (2 to 20 ppt depending on the compound).
Not detected: PFDA, PFDoA, PFHxA, 11Cl-PF3OUdS, PFHxS, 9Cl-PF3ONS, PFUnA, PFOA, PFNA, PFHpA, PFBS, HFPO-DA, PFBA, PFOS, PFTrDA, ADONA, PFTA, NEtFOSAA, NMeFOSAA, PFHpS, PFPeS, NFDHA, PFMBA, PFPeA, PFMPA, 8:2 FTS, 4:2 FTS, 6:2 FTS, PFEESA.
Lithium, tested in the same program: highest 30 ppb, detected in 9 of 15 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
No PFAS action is needed on these results. If your water tastes or smells of chlorine, a whole-house city water filter is the usual fix.
Other systems in California
- City of Poway none detected
- Glendora-city, Water Dept. none detected
- Whittier-city, Water Dept. above an EPA limit
- Golden State Wc - Placentia/yorba Linda above an EPA limit
- Gswc - Artesia above an EPA limit
- Calam - Parkway above an EPA limit
All 707 tested systems in California
ZIP codes served
95616
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 UC Davis water: EPA UCMR 5 results." Data: U.S. EPA Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, final release August 2026, PWSID CA5710009. https://wellandtap.com/pfas/california/uc-davis/
About this data
Source: U.S. EPA, UCMR 5 occurrence data, final release August 2026 (PWSID CA5710009). Population: EPA SDWIS. Averages count results below the reporting level as zero, the same convention EPA uses for running annual averages. Full method.