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Water Quality Lookup / California / Orange County / GOLDEN STATE WC - COWAN HEIGHTS
EPA SDWIS · Orange County, California

GOLDEN STATE WC - COWAN HEIGHTS Water Quality Report

Serving roughly 6,997 people in Orange County, California.

Data current as of July 2026
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Results for GOLDEN STATE WC - COWAN HEIGHTS

1 water provider directly on file, serving roughly 6,997 people in Orange County, California.

Quick answer: GOLDEN STATE WC - COWAN HEIGHTS has no violations on file. One reading is worth knowing about: Lead was measured at 8.7UG/L, among the highest of the 167 providers on file in this area. It's the most notable figure in this system's record among its 167 local peers.
Utility GOLDEN STATE WC - COWAN HEIGHTS Population served 6,997 Owner Private
No violations on file

Contaminants found

Metals
Naturally occurring or corrosion-related elements, e.g. lead, arsenic, copper
Lead Summary
Detected: 0.0084 mg/L (ppm)
12/31/2025
Lead
Detected: 8.7 UG/L (ppb)
6/25/2025
A metal that can leach from old pipes, solder, and fixtures. Current medical guidance holds there is no truly safe level of lead exposure, especially for children and pregnant women.
Copper, Free
Detected: 12 UG/L (ppb)
6/26/2025
Combined Uranium
Detected: 1.59 PCI/L
4/17/2025
A naturally occurring radioactive metal. Long-term exposure above the legal limit is associated with kidney effects and increased cancer risk.
Vanadium, Total
Detected: 2.6 UG/L (ppb)
1/29/2025
Iron
Detected: 9.6 UG/L (ppb)
1/29/2025
Mostly an aesthetic issue (metallic taste, staining) rather than a health concern at typical levels.
Chromium, Hex
Detected: 0.2 UG/L (ppb)
4/17/2025
Nickel
Detected: 1.8 UG/L (ppb)
1/29/2025
Barium
Detected: 99.3 UG/L (ppb)
1/29/2025
Selenium
Detected: 1 UG/L (ppb)
1/29/2025
Disinfection Byproducts
Formed when chlorine used to disinfect water reacts with organic matter
Totalhaloaceticacids (HAA5)
Detected: 4.5 UG/L (ppb)
10/28/2025
TTHM
Detected: 22 UG/L (ppb)
10/28/2025
A group of disinfection byproducts formed when chlorine reacts with organic matter. Long-term exposure above the legal limit has been linked to increased cancer risk in some studies.
Chloroform
Detected: 4.7 UG/L (ppb)
10/28/2025
One of the individual trihalomethane disinfection byproducts, formed when chlorine reacts with organic matter.
Bromoform
Detected: 2.7 UG/L (ppb)
10/28/2025
Bromodichloromethane
Detected: 6.3 UG/L (ppb)
10/28/2025
Dibromochloromethane
Detected: 7.8 UG/L (ppb)
10/28/2025
Inorganics
Common dissolved minerals and salts, e.g. nitrate, fluoride, chloride
Chloride
Detected: 75.4 MG/L (ppm)
4/17/2025
Sulfate
Detected: 98 MG/L (ppm)
4/17/2025
Nitrate
Detected: 2.1 MG/L (ppm)
4/17/2025
Commonly from agricultural fertilizer runoff or septic systems. Above the legal limit, it's an immediate concern especially for infants.
Fluoride
Detected: 0.2 MG/L (ppm)
4/17/2025
Often added deliberately for dental health; can also occur naturally.
Nitrate-Nitrite
Detected: 1.94 MG/L (ppm)
4/17/2025
Minerals
Everyday minerals that mainly affect taste and water hardness
Magnesium
Detected: 13.4 MG/L (ppm)
1/29/2025
Potassium
Detected: 2.3 MG/L (ppm)
1/29/2025
Sodium
Detected: 61 MG/L (ppm)
1/29/2025
Calcium
Detected: 74 MG/L (ppm)
1/29/2025
Properties
General water characteristics like pH, hardness, and cloudiness (turbidity)
Hardness, Total (ASCACO3)
Detected: 240 MG/L (ppm)
1/29/2025
Gross Alpha Particle Activity
Detected: 2.41 PCI/L
4/17/2025
pH
Detected: 7.8 PH
4/17/2025
A measure of how acidic or basic the water is (7 is neutral). Affects taste and plumbing, not a direct health measure.
PFAS & Emerging Contaminants
Human-made "forever chemicals" and other substances not yet fully regulated
Lithium
Detected: 9.4 µg/L (ppb)
10/27/2025
Occurs naturally in some groundwater. Not currently federally regulated in drinking water.
PFBA
Detected: 0.0053 µg/L (ppb)
10/27/2025
PFPEA
Detected: 0.007 µg/L (ppb)
10/27/2025
VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds)
Industrial solvents and fuel-related chemicals that evaporate easily
Bromide
Detected: 0.15 MG/L (ppm)
4/17/2025
Calculated Parameters
Values worked out mathematically from other test results, not measured directly
Alkalinity, Bicarbonate
Detected: 182 MG/L (ppm)
4/17/2025
Other
Additional substances tested that don't fit neatly into the categories above
Dichloroaceticacid
Detected: 1.7 UG/L (ppb)
10/28/2025
Trichloroaceticacid
Detected: 1.4 UG/L (ppb)
10/28/2025
Dibromoaceticacid
Detected: 1.4 UG/L (ppb)
10/28/2025
Alkalinity, Total
Detected: 153 MG/L (ppm)
4/17/2025
Carbon, Total
Detected: 0.13 MG/L (ppm)
4/17/2025
TDS
Detected: 458 MG/L (ppm)
4/17/2025
Perfluorohexanoicacid (PFHXA)
Detected: 3.8 NG/L (ppt)
4/17/2025
Perfluorobutanoicacid (PFBA)
Detected: 6 NG/L (ppt)
4/17/2025
Perfluoropentanoicacid (PFPEA)
Detected: 10.5 NG/L (ppt)
4/17/2025
Perfluorobutanesulfonicacid (PFBS)
Detected: 6.4 NG/L (ppt)
4/17/2025
Perfluoroheptanoicacid (PFHPA)
Detected: 4.7 NG/L (ppt)
4/17/2025
Perfluorohexanesulfonicacid (PFHxS)
Detected: 11.7 NG/L (ppt)
4/17/2025
Perfluoroctanesulfonicacid (PFOS)
Detected: 25.7 NG/L (ppt)
4/17/2025
One of two PFAS with an enforceable federal limit (4 ppt) since 2024.
Perfluoroctanoicacid (PFOA)
Detected: 16.7 NG/L (ppt)
4/17/2025
One of two PFAS with an enforceable federal limit (4 ppt) since 2024.
Perfluoropentanesulfonicacid (PFPES)
Detected: 2.3 NG/L (ppt)
4/17/2025
Conductivity (at 25°C)
Detected: 712 UMHO/CM
10/27/2025
Filtration considerations: See the table below for how whole-house carbon, under-sink reverse osmosis, and under-sink carbon systems compare against what's actually on file here. These are general system types, not a specific product recommendation.
Contaminant Whole-House Carbon Under-Sink RO Under-Sink Carbon
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM)YesYesYes
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)YesYesYes
ChloroformYesYesYes
Chlorine / TasteYesYesYes
Sediment / TurbidityYesYesYes
TrichloroethyleneYesYesYes
TetrachloroethyleneYesYesYes
cis-1,2-DichloroethyleneYesYesYes
1,1-DichloroethyleneYesYesYes
BromoformYesYesYes
BromodichloromethaneYesYesYes
DibromochloromethaneYesYesYes
1,1,2-TrichloroethaneYesYesYes
Vinyl ChlorideYesYesYes
Carbon TetrachlorideYesYesYes
BenzeneYesYesYes
TolueneYesYesYes
XyleneYesYesYes
Totalhaloaceticacids (HAA5)YesYesYes
BromideYesYesYes
LeadPartialYesPartial
ArsenicPartialYesPartial
Chromium-6 (Hexavalent)PartialYesPartial
CopperPartialYesPartial
Combined UraniumPartialYesPartial
PFOAPartialYes*Partial
PFOSPartialYes*Partial
NitratePartialYesPartial
Combined RadiumPartialYesPartial
LithiumPartialYes*Partial
PFBAPartialYes*Partial
PFPEAPartialYes*Partial
DichloroaceticacidPartialYesPartial
TrichloroaceticacidPartialYesPartial
DibromoaceticacidPartialYesPartial
Copper, FreePartialYesPartial
Alkalinity, TotalPartialYesPartial
Carbon, TotalPartialYesPartial
TDSPartialYesPartial
ChloridePartialYesPartial
SulfatePartialYesPartial
Perfluorohexanoicacid (PFHXA)PartialYesPartial
Perfluorobutanoicacid (PFBA)PartialYesPartial
Perfluoropentanoicacid (PFPEA)PartialYesPartial
FluoridePartialYesPartial
Nitrate-NitritePartialYesPartial
Perfluorobutanesulfonicacid (PFBS)PartialYesPartial
Perfluoroheptanoicacid (PFHPA)PartialYesPartial
Perfluorohexanesulfonicacid (PFHxS)PartialYesPartial
Perfluoroctanesulfonicacid (PFOS)PartialYesPartial
Perfluoroctanoicacid (PFOA)PartialYesPartial
Perfluoropentanesulfonicacid (PFPES)PartialYesPartial
Combined UraniumPartialYesPartial
Vanadium, TotalPartialYesPartial
IronPartialYesPartial
Chromium, HexPartialYesPartial
NickelPartialYesPartial
BariumPartialYesPartial
SeleniumPartialYesPartial
Conductivity (at 25°C)PartialYesPartial
Coliform Bacteria (indicator)NoYesNo
MagnesiumNoPartialNo
PotassiumNoPartialNo
SodiumNoPartialNo
CalciumNoPartialNo
Hardness, Total (ASCACO3)NoNoNo
Alkalinity, BicarbonateNoNoNo
Gross Alpha Particle ActivityNoNoNo
pHNoNoNo

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What is TTHM? Understanding EPA Violation Status Is Chromium-6 Dangerous? Whole-House vs. Under-Sink Filtration Lead and Copper in Drinking Water What is PFAS? Arsenic and Uranium Explained Nitrate and Fluoride Explained Water Hardness, pH, and Turbidity What is Coliform Bacteria?