Consumer Confidence Report

About the Consumer Confidence Report

Each year, Long Beach Utilities electronically publishes its annual water quality report, otherwise known as the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), that details how well we safeguard your drinking water. The CCR is a report that federal law requires public water systems to provide to our customers. Our water quality staff perform tens of thousands of tests and analyze the samples for more than one hundred drinking water contaminants. We are proud to provide our customers with reliable, affordable, and exceptional quality drinking water.

Please continue to read the following sections of the full 2025 report for more details. If you would like to have a downloadable PDF version of the full report, you can select from the PDF links below:

• Water Quality Report in English(PDF, 13MB)(PDF, 6MB)
• Water Quality Report in Spanish(PDF, 12MB)(PDF, 6MB) (Español)
• Water Quality Report in Khmer(PDF, 13MB)(PDF, 6MB) (ខ្មែរ)
• Water Quality Report in Tagalog(PDF, 12MB)(PDF, 6MB)

If you would prefer to receive a hard copy of the CCR, please contact us at (562) 570-2479 to request a copy or visit your Long Beach Library neighborhood branch.

For questions about water quality, treatment, and testing, call (562) 570-2479.

2025 Annual Water Quality Report

Drinking water testing performed in 2025, published on July 1, 2026

Proudly presented by

Long Beach Utilities Department
Award-Winning Members of Partnership for Safe Water (American Water Works Association)
PWS ID#: 1910065

Long Beach Board of Utilities Commissioners
Kevin Scott, President
Gloria Cordero, Vice President
Charlie Parkin, Secretary
Gina Rushing Maguire, Commissioner
Al Austin II, Commissioner

Message From the General Manager

Long Beach Utilities Department is pleased to share that your tap water meets all drinking water standards set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the State of California Water Resources Control Board. This report summarizes the drinking water quality in the City of Long Beach for 2025.

Dear Long Beach Utilities Customers,

I proudly present to you the 2025 Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). This annual report shares important data from over 60,000 drinking water samples taken between January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025. I want to thank the team of dedicated employees who work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year to ensure that every Long Beach Utilities customer receives the safest, cleanest, and most reliable drinking water.

Please review the report to learn how your drinking water quality exceeds all federal and state drinking water quality standards. Over the last year, we increased our groundwater sourcing from 60% to 71%; this astounding milestone was accomplished by strategic efforts to minimize reliance on imported water, increase opportunities for recycled water, and maximize local groundwater supplies. These advancements prioritize affordability for our customers now and in the future.

For customers with questions, the Long Beach Utilities Department (LBUD) welcomes public comments at our Board of Utilities Commissioner meetings. These meetings are held twice a month at our Administration Building at 1800 East Wardlow Road at 9 a.m. Your insights and feedback are important to helping us maintain our commitment to excellent customer service.

Sincerely,

B. Anatole Falagán

Consumer Confidence Report Delivery

The Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) is an annual drinking water quality report mandated by the State of California via the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), a federal law requiring all public water systems to provide water quality information to every customer. The purpose of this annual CCR, also referred to as the Water Quality Report, is to inform Long Beach Utilities Department (LBUD) customers about the sources of their drinking water, the quality of drinking water, and to outline the water delivery process for businesses and homes.

The LBUD has published the 2025 CCR. To receive a hard copy of this CCR, please contact the LBUD Laboratory Manager by calling (562) 570-2479 or by visiting your neighborhood Long Beach Library branch after July 1, 2026. Public comment on this report or other issues related to the LBUD may be shared at a regularly scheduled Long Beach Public Utilities Commission meeting. Meetings are held on the first and third Thursday of every month, starting at 9:00 a.m. at the Long Beach Utilities Administration Building, 1800 E Wardlow Road, Long Beach, CA 90807. The building is conveniently located near four Long Beach Transit Bus routes: 21, 23, 71, and 131. Free visitor parking is also available.

Long Beach Drinking Water Sources

In 2025, 71 percent of Long Beach’s potable water needs were met by local groundwater supplies. The remaining 29 percent was met by purchased imported surface water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD).

Long Beach’s groundwater is sourced from Central Basin groundwater aquifers. Local groundwater is extracted from wells located throughout portions of Long Beach and are adjudicated and managed by the Water Replenishment District (WRD). Groundwater aquifers are recharged by rain and snowmelt that flow through washes and creeks into the San Gabriel River and Whittier Narrows before percolating into the underground aquifer.

To supplement local groundwater supplies, LBUD purchases imported water from the MWD. MWD imports water into Southern California via the Colorado River Aqueduct, which brings in water from the Colorado River, and the State Water Project, which brings in water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

Groundwater and imported water are mixed, or “blended,” at the Long Beach Groundwater Treatment Plant (GWTP) prior to distribution to the majority of Long Beach’s service area. The quality of treated groundwater and purchased surface water surpasses federal and state drinking water standards. Water quality standards are established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California State Water Resources Control Board.

The above figure shows the drinking water distribution systems in Long Beach.

Assessing Our Sources of Drinking Water

Pictured: Drinking water pools at the Groundwater Treatment Plant going through the sedimentation basins before entering the filtration process

As required under the 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act amendments, a source water assessment must be completed for all active drinking water sources, including Long Beach’s groundwater wells. The goal of the source water assessment is to identify threats to drinking water quality, based on the distance and likelihood of potential contaminants reaching the source water itself.

Recognizing that all source water is subject to potential threats is the best way to protect drinking water quality. The LBUD performs extensive water quality monitoring at every groundwater well from which we source our drinking water. Our centralized treatment process safely and reliably treats groundwater to ensure it meets all state and federal drinking water standards prior to releasing the water into our drinking water distribution system.

LBUD completed an updated source water assessment on active groundwater wells located within the City of Long Beach in July 2012. New wells constructed after that date also undergo a similar assessment prior to being added to the groundwater collection system. The 2012 assessment shows all active Long Beach groundwater wells are considered most vulnerable to contaminants by sewer collection systems. Some existing groundwater wells are also vulnerable to exposure from gas stations, dry cleaners, underground fuel tanks, airport activities, metal plating, finishing and fabrication, plastic and synthetics producers, and landfills.

Although Long Beach groundwater wells are considered vulnerable to these contaminants, Long Beach Utilities performs extensive water quality monitoring for each active well and has not detected any contamination.

All groundwater wells in Long Beach are constructed with a physical barrier around the well. The wall is specifically designed to protect against groundwater contamination.

MWD completed a source water assessment of Colorado River and State Water Project water supplies in December 2002. Colorado River water supplies are most vulnerable to contaminants from stormwater runoff, recreational activity, and wastewater discharge. State Water Project water supplies are most vulnerable to contaminants from urban and stormwater runoff, as well as wildlife, agriculture, and wastewater discharges. For a copy of the assessment and to learn more about source water pollution prevention and safety measure implementation, please visit www.mwdh2o.com.

At times, Long Beach purchases local groundwater from the City of Lakewood. The Lakewood Department of Water Resources completed their source water assessment in 2003. Lakewood’s drinking water sources are considered most vulnerable to contaminants from current and historic gas stations, repair shops, storage tanks, and dry cleaners. A copy of the complete Lakewood source water assessment is available at the Lakewood City Clerk’s Office, 5050 Clark Ave., or by contacting the Lakewood Department of Water Resources at (562) 866 - 9771 ext. 2700.

About Drinking Water Contaminants

Drinking water originates from natural groundwater aquifers, rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, and springs. As surface water or groundwater is extracted, the water dissolves naturally occurring minerals that it passes through — sometimes surface water can also pick up substances resulting from animal and human activity. 

Contaminants exist in nature, including in water. Drinking water treatment makes the water safe to drink. Laboratory tests confirm drinking water safety prior to the water reaching your tap.

Microbial Contaminants	Pesticides & Herbicides
Viruses and bacteria may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural and livestock operations, and wildlife.	Chemicals that come from a variety of sources such as agricultural operations, urban stormwater runoff and residential uses.
Radioactive Materials	Organic Chemicals
Radioactive materials can be natural occuring, or result from natural resources and mining activities, such as oil and gas production.	Chemicals such as Synthetic and volatile organic chemicals are byproducts of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, agricultural applications and septic systems.
Inorganic Chemicals
Chemicals such as salts and metals can be naturally occurring or result form urban stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining or farming.

To ensure tap water is safe to drink, the U.S. EPA and State Water Resources Control Board is set regulations limiting the level of contaminants in water distributed by public water systems. State regulations also establish limits for contaminants in drinking water.

Drinking water, including bottled water, may contain a microscopic amount of contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate your drinking water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the U.S. EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1 (800) 426-4791.

Note for Immunocompromised People

People who have an impaired immune system are more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water compared to the general population. Immunocompromised individuals, such as those undergoing chemotherapy treatment, who have undergone organ transplants, who have HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, as well as older adults and infants, can be particularly at risk for infections. Immunocompromised individuals should seek advice on drinking water from their healthcare providers. U.S. EPA and Federal Centers for Disease Control guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1 (800) 426-4791.

Drinking Water Testing Sampling Results

Pictured: Water Quality sampling team collecting weekly monitoring sample throughout Long Beach area.

In 2025, LBUD conducted water quality testing on more than 63,500 samples taken from across the city to assess for radioactive, biological, inorganic, volatile organic, or synthetic organic contaminants. We are proud to report that 2025 testing confirms that all contaminants are below the maximum allowable levels (MCL) set by the U.S. EPA and California State Water Resources Control Board. Although the presence of these contaminants does not indicate a health risk, each year we provide this Consumer Confidence Report to show the list of drinking water contaminants detected.

Unless otherwise noted, data presented in this report is from testing performed during Jan. 1, 2025 to Dec. 31, 2025. U.S. EPA and State regulations require water agencies to monitor certain substances less than once per year because the concentrations of these substances do not change frequently. In these cases, the most recent sample data are included, along with the year in which the sample was taken.

LBUD Water Quality Data 2025

Regulated Primary Health Standards

Radioactive Contaminants

Unregulated Contaminants with NL, but no MCLs

Unregulated Chemicals Requiring Monitoring Under Federal UCMR5: 2023 - 2025

Disinfection Byproducts and Maximum Residual Disinfectants

Secondary Drinking Water Standards - Aesthetic Standards: 2025

Additional Constituents of Interest: 2025

Footnotes

1. Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of the water. LBUD monitors turbidity because it is a reliable indicator of the effectiveness of our filtration system.
2. The Revised Total Coliform Rule established the Coliform Treatment Technique using a “find-and-fix” approach. When positive coliform samples in any given month are above 5 percent, a Level 1 Assessment is triggered and corrective action is taken.
3. Single value from LBUD’s annual monitoring.
4. Copper and lead are regulated as Treatment Technique under the U.S. EPA and California Lead and Copper Rule, which requires water samples to be collected at the consumers’ tap. If action levels are exceeded in more than 10 percent of consumers’ taps, water systems must take steps to reduce these levels. Compliance lead and copper monitoring was conducted in 2025 at 63 consumer taps. The values reported comply with the Lead and Copper Rule. The detection limit for reporting for lead is 5 ppb. Long Beach Utilities Department will report this same result each CCR year (2026, 2027, and 2028) until the next set of samples are taken.
5. Data from MWD’s 2025 Treatment Plant Effluents and Distribution System.

Water Quality Standards: Definitions, Acronyms, and Abbreviations

Pictured: Glass amber bottles on a benchtop awaiting nitrite analysis

The U.S. EPA and State Water Quality Board set limits for substances that can be found in water. These standards are set to protect health and the aesthetic quality of drinking water. The tables in this report show these standards as related to 2025 data.

What are water quality standards?

Regulatory Action Level (AL): The concentration of a contaminant that, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements that a drinking water system must follow

Customer Confidence Report (CCR): A document that provides information about the quality of drinking water

DBP: Disinfection Byproducts

Detection Limit for Purpose of Reporting (DLR): The level at which a contaminant is detected for compliance reporting determination

HAA5: Sum of five regulated HAAs — monochloroacetic acid, monobromoacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, dibromoacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid

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, or 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.

Primary Drinking Water Standard (PDWS): MCLs, MRDLs, and treatment techniques for contaminants that affect health, along with their monitoring and reporting requirements.

RAA: Running annual average

RTCR: Revised Total Coliform Rule

Treatment Technique (TT): A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water

What are water quality goals?

Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): Set by the U.S. EPA, the level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health.

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.

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 Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA).

What do the measurements mean?

Grains per gallon (Grains/Gal): Grains of compound per gallon of water

mg/L: Milligram per liter, or ppm

Microsiemens per centimeter (μS/cm): A unit expressing the amount of electrical conductivity of a solution

NA: Not applicable

Not detected (ND): Indicates that the substance was not found by laboratory analysis

Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU): Measurement of the clarity, or turbidity, of water

Threshold Odor Number (TON): A measure of odor in water

Parts per trillion (PPT): One part substance per trillion parts of water, or nanograms per liter

Parts per billion (PPB): One part substance per billion parts of water, or micrograms per liter

Parts per million (PPM): One part substance per million parts of water, or milligrams per liter

Additional Information

Picuted: Community members enjoying Long Beach Utilities Department's clean tap drinking water at the festival at Rancho Los Cerritos

Chromium (hexavalent)

Chromium (hexavalent) sources are erosion of natural deposits and discharges from industrial waste. 2025 annual monitoring of LBUD’s distribution water system indicates no detection for Chromium (hexavalent).

Boron

Boron is naturally present in the environment. Based on studies in laboratory animals, exposure to high concentrations of boron in excess of the notification levels (NL), may result in reduced fetal weight or developmental effects based on animal studies. In 2025, the highest level of boron found in Long Beach’s water was 130 ppb, well below the state’s NL of 1,000 ppb.

Fluoridation

Fluoride is one of the Earth’s most plentiful elements and occurs naturally in water supplies throughout California. In 1971, the Long Beach City Council mandated Fluoride be added to Long Beach’s drinking water. In 2015, the U.S. Public Health Service revised the recommended Fluoride concentration for drinking water to 0.7 mg/L to maintain cavity prevention benefits and reduce the risk of dental fluorosis. In 2025, the average Fluoride in the LBUD distribution system is at 0.72 mg/L.

Blending fluoridated water from different sources does not increase total fluoride levels in drinking water. Fluoridated water does not change the taste, color or odor of your water. Parents should consult with their child’s doctor or dentist for guidance on supplementing fluoride. More information about fluoridation, oral health, and current issues is available at bit.ly/CAWaterboards_fluoridation.

Lead and drinking water

Lead can cause serious health effects in people of all ages, especially pregnant people, infants (both formula-fed and breastfed) and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and parts used in service lines and in home plumbing. The LBUD is responsible for providing high quality drinking water and removing lead pipes from the water distribution system, but cannot control the variety of materials used in the plumbing in your home. Because lead levels may vary over time, lead exposure is possible even when your tap sampling results do not detect lead at one point in time.

You can help protect yourself and your family by identifying and removing lead materials within your home plumbing and taking steps to reduce your family’s risk. A filter, certified by an American National Standards Institute accredited certifier, can also reduce lead exposures. Follow the instructions provided with the filter to ensure the filter is used properly. Use only cold water for drinking, cooking, and making baby formula. Boiling water does not remove lead from water. Before using tap water for drinking, cooking, or making baby formulas, flush your pipes for several minutes. You can do this by running your tap, taking a shower, doing laundry, or a load of dishes. If you have a lead service line or galvanized requiring replacement service line, you may need to flush your pipes for a longer period. If you are concerned about lead in your water and wish to have your water tested, contact Long Beach Utilities Department’s Water Quality Laboratory at (562) 570-2479. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available at epa.gov/safewater/lead.

In addition to the 2025 Lead and Copper Monitoring Rule, compliance sampling at 63 customer taps, LBUD also conducted school lead monitoring under the 2018 Division of Drinking Water Order. The LBUD partnered with three private schools and 72 public schools in the Long Beach Unified School District for lead testing at drinking fountains and food preparation faucets in 2018 and 2019. The results are in compliance with the Lead and Copper Rule.

The LBUD has completed the initial lead service line inventory required by U.S. EPA Lead and Copper Rule Revisions in October 2024. LBUD has no lead or galvanized requiring replacement services line in its distribution system, including any privately-owned or customerowned serviced lines. LBUD’s full Non-lead statement can be found here: LBUtilities.org/waterquality.

PFAS

In March 2019, State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) issued an order to all water systems to perform four quarterly monitoring for perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, and perfluoroctane sulfonic acid, or PFOS — together known as PFAS. LBUD had 14 groundwater wells that were deemed vulnerable to these substances and began monitoring in 2019. The established notification levels for these two substances are 6.5 ppt for PFOS and 5.1 ppt for PFOA. LBUD has not detected these substances in our groundwater since monitoring began.

In October 2022, the SWRCB issued an order to the public drinking water system to monitor specific water sources quarterly beginning with the first calendar quarter of 2023 for a list of twenty-five PFAS. The established notification levels for the four specific PFAS are 500 ppt for PFBS, 3 ppt for PFHxS, 6.5 ppt for PFOS and 5.1ppt for PFOA. LBUD completed the monitoring of two designated wells, Citizens 9 and Commission 25, for four quarters with no detected PFAS results.

The fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5) was published on December 27, 2021. UCMR 5 requires LBUD to monitor four consecutive calendar quarters of point of entry to the distribution system for 29 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Sample collection started in April 2023 and concluded in 2024. The LBUD has not detected PFAS in our system since monitoring began.

On April 10, 2024, the US EPA announced the final drinking water standards for six PFAS. These new standards are legally enforceable levels, called Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), for six PFAS in drinking water. PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, and HFPO-DA as contaminants with individual MCLs, and PFAS mixtures containing at least two or more of PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA, and PFBS using a Hazard Index MCL to account for the combined and co-occurring levels of these PFAS in drinking water. The EPA also finalized health-based, non-enforceable Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLGs) for these PFAS. Because the LBUD has not detected these chemicals in our system since monitoring began, no changes to our drinking water distribution system need to be made at this time. The LBUD will continue to monitor and report as required by state and federal laws.

Disinfectants and disinfection byproducts (trihalomethanes, haloacetic acids and bromate)

Disinfection of drinking water has been one of the major public health advances in the 20th century and has reduced waterborne diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria and viruses. The LBUD achieves primary disinfection with free chlorine and utilizes chloramine as a secondary disinfectant in our drinking water distribution system. We carefully monitor the amount of disinfectants, adding the lowest quantity of chloramine necessary to protect the safety of your water throughout the distribution system. However, chlorine and chloramine can react with naturally occurring materials in the water to form disinfection byproducts, or DBPs.

Total trihalomethanes, or TTHMs, and Haloacetic acids, or HAA, are the most common DBPs formed by the disinfectant process and are suspected to be carcinogenic in humans. Some people consuming water containing TTHM in excess of the maximum contaminant level, or MCL, over many years may experience liver, kidney or central nervous system problems and may have an increased risk of cancer.

The values for TTHMs in the 2025 distribution system ranged from 28–48 ppb, with the highest locational running annual average (RAA), or locational RAA, of 35.2 ppb. These values are well below the MCL of 80 ppb. The 2025’s distribution system HAA5 concentrations ranged from 5 - 12 ppb, and the highest locational RAA was 10.2 ppb. This is also well below the MCL of 60 ppb.

Bromate, which is also a disinfection byproduct, is formed when ozone reacts with naturally occurring bromide found in the source water. Systems using ozone to treat drinking water are required to monitor for bromate at the Treatment Plant’s effluent. While the LBUD does not ozonate its water, the purchased treated surface water from Metropolitan Water District (MWD) may have detectable levels of bromate.

Exposure to high concentrations of bromate over a long period of time has been shown to cause cancer in rats and have kidney effects in laboratory animals. The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHAA) has suspected high concentrations of bromate to cause reproductive harm in humans. The EPA established an MCL of 10 ppb to prevent non-cancer health effects from long-term exposure in humans.

In 2025, MWD drinking water leaving MWD treatment plant has bromate levels at 3.0 ppb for highest RAA. The LBUD can usually decrease the bromate levels in our system by blending groundwater with imported MWD water. In 2025, the highest RAA for bromate level in our distribution system is at 0.6 ppb. The LBUD continues to ensure safe and high-quality drinking water for every customer.