El Monte Tap Water Quality Report
El Monte's water has 1 contaminant above EPA MCLGs. Consider using a certified water filter for additional protection.
No single water system serves most of El Monte (104,639 residents, Census 2024 estimate). Its large systems are EL MONTE-CITY, WATER DEPT. (EPA counts 22,968 people served, about 22% of El Monte's population); SAN GABRIEL VALLEY WATER CO.-EL MONTE (EPA counts 254,300 people served, more than El Monte's population); CAL/AM WATER COMPANY - SAN MARINO (EPA counts 47,695 people served, about 46% of El Monte's population); GSWC-SOUTH ARCADIA (EPA counts 26,526 people served, about 25% of El Monte's population). EPA's counts may include people served outside El Monte, so each share is at most that. Check which one bills you: each system's figures are shown separately below.
- EL MONTE-CITY, WATER DEPT.: 118 contaminants tested, 1 above EPA MCLGs; health-based violations since 2020: 0
- SAN GABRIEL VALLEY WATER CO.-EL MONTE: 273 contaminants tested, 0 above EPA MCLGs; health-based violations since 2020: 0
- CAL/AM WATER COMPANY - SAN MARINO: 102 contaminants tested, 0 above EPA MCLGs; health-based violations since 2020: 0
- GSWC-SOUTH ARCADIA: 103 contaminants tested, 2 above EPA MCLGs; health-based violations since 2020: 0
Other systems listed for El Monte with results above guidelines: GSWC-SOUTH ARCADIA (2 above guidelines)
Water systems
4 large systems
Residents (Census 2024)
104,639
Health-based violations since 2020
0
EL MONTE-CITY, WATER DEPT.. EPA SDWA violation data as of Q2 2026 (downloaded 2026-07-09).
Latest sample on file
Dec 2023 · EL MONTE-CITY, WATER DEPT.
Utilities publish newer results in their annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report).
Is El Monte Tap Water Safe to Drink?
We recommend using a certified water filter for additional protection, especially for vulnerable populations like children, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems. El Monte's water has 1 contaminant above EPA health-based guidelines (MCLGs), while it meets federal legal limits.
EL MONTE-CITY, WATER DEPT., El Monte's water system, serves 22,968 people. 6 other systems are listed for El Monte. Each system's results are listed under its own name, never added to EL MONTE-CITY, WATER DEPT.'s. Water quality testing is conducted regularly and reported to the EPA. The latest sample on file for EL MONTE-CITY, WATER DEPT. is from Dec 2023.
Boil water advisories are issued by water systems and state agencies, and they change from day to day. Boil water advisories in California
El Monte Water Service Areas
What these numbers actually mean for El Monte, CA
We read El Monte, CA’s published record and send you a short report — which findings warrant a decision, which to ignore, and what to do about it. Including when the answer is nothing.
- 1 contaminant above EPA MCLGs and 13 contaminants with an EPA health goal detected in some samples (no level on file)
- 108 results on file
- 23 PFAS compounds on record
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Recommended Water Filters for El Monte
Based on El Monte's water quality data, these NSF-certified filters are recommended to remove contaminants above EPA MCLGs.
Culligan
ZeroWater
NSF Certified:
Flow Rate
1.9 gpm
Daily Production
1 gpd
Highlights:
- Compact design
- Easy to set up
- Affordable
- NSF-42, NSF-53, NSF-401 certified
Removes 19 contaminants:
+14 more
Strontium, Molybdenum, Fluoride, Uranium, Lead, Total PFAS, Chlorine, 25, Phosphorus, Bicarbonate, Calcium, Carbonate, Magnesium, Sodium
Santevia
Bath Filter
NSF Certified:
Flow Rate
0.36 gpm
Highlights:
- Organic cotton design reduces plastic used in construction
- Affordable upfront & ongoing cost
- The only bath filter that removed 100% chlorine with “normal” faster faucet flow
Removes 1 contaminants:
Waterdrop
A1
NSF Certified:
Flow Rate
1 gpm
Highlights:
- Performance certified
- Lower price than Philips
- Hot water dispensing
- Compact design
Removes 5 contaminants:
Whirlpool Corporation
W11256135
NSF Certified:
Capacity
1001 gal
Filter Life
3 mo
Flow Rate
0.7 gpm
Removes 19 contaminants:
+14 more
Benzene, Carbofuran, Chlorine (Free), Chlorine (Total), Chlorine Dioxide, Chlorobenzene, Cryptosporidium, Ethylbenzene, Lead, Mercury, Metolachlor, Tetrachloroethylene, Toxaphene, Turbidity
Test Your Water Quality
Professional laboratory testing provides accurate, detailed analysis of your drinking water.
SimpleLab
Advanced Home Water Test
$269
Comprehensive water analysis testing over 200 contaminants including bacteria, heavy metals, and chemical compounds.
Tap Score
PFAS Forever Chemicals Test
$339.95
Specialized test for PFOA, PFOS, and 24 other forever chemicals. Essential for areas near military bases, airports, or industrial sites.
Tap Score
Advanced Microplastics Test
$829
Cutting-edge testing for microplastics particles in drinking water using advanced laboratory techniques.
What El Monte's water readings can explain
Utility-reported data for El Monte includes a chlorine-based disinfectant — the readings behind these common tap water questions. We publish a city-level hardness figure for El Monte, resolved from its water systems where they report one and estimated from county sampling where they do not. Each page starts with the hot-tap and cold-tap check, then shows what your own water system reported.
On a private well near El Monte? Public-water results do not apply to private wells. See Los Angeles County well water testing and USGS risk data — modeled arsenic, nitrate, and the tests to run.
Water softener cost and installation in El Monte
El Monte's tap water measures 4.0 grains per gallon (68.3 mg/L) — moderately hard on the USGS scale, below the range where scale is usually worth treating.
Water softener cost for 4.0 gpg water in El Monte — equipment and local installation labour for your ZIP code, with the sizing arithmetic shown in full. For the national picture first, read what a water softener costs — equipment, installation labour and ten-year ownership, each separated out. For California as a whole, read water softener cost in California — priced against the plumber wage published for the state.
Frequently Asked Questions About El Monte Tap Water
El Monte's water has 1 contaminant above EPA MCLGs. While the water meets federal legal limits, we recommend using a certified water filter for additional protection, especially for vulnerable populations like children, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems.
Spotted something off on this page?
Residents keep our data honest.
This form corrects our data; it does not reach EL MONTE-CITY, WATER DEPT.. For a problem with your water now (discolored water, no water, low pressure, a leak), contact EL MONTE-CITY, WATER DEPT. directly.
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