CITY WATER REPORT
Is Merced Tap Water Safe? 2026 Water Quality Report
CITY OF MERCED serves Merced · 93,692 residents.
- Utility
- CITY OF MERCED
- Population served
- 93,692
- Water source
- Groundwater
- Disinfectant
- Pending utility report
- Hardness
- Pending utility report
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA): 6.1 ng/L ABOVE the 4.0 ng/L limit.
About this score
What the record shows
CITY OF MERCED (EPA PWSID CA2410009) delivers groundwater to 93,692 residents. This report reflects 3 federally regulated PFAS result(s) from the 2024 UCMR5 round and the latest Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile result. Water hardness and disinfectant type are pending the utility's own annual report.
Your water system
resolution confirmed
- CITY OF MERCED — serves most of the city
CITY OF MERCED is the primary municipal supplier for most Merced addresses. Confirm your supplier on your utility bill.
CITY OF MERCED is the public system on record for this city. This identifies which utility serves the city — confirm yours on your water bill before acting on a specific finding.
What stands out in Merced
Each row links to a dated measurement in the supplier profile. A missing measurement is never shown as a non-detect.
What this data doesn’t tell you
Public water-system monitoring reflects the system, not the water at an individual household tap at a given moment. Home plumbing, fixtures, storage, sampling location and timing can all change what actually reaches your glass.
The data behind this report
| Contaminant | Result | Benchmark | Sampled | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) | 6.1 ng/L | 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024) | 2024 | UCMR5 Analytical Results — CITY OF MERCED (CA2410009) |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) | 8.9 ng/L | 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024) | 2024 | UCMR5 Analytical Results — CITY OF MERCED (CA2410009) |
| Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) | 15 ng/L | 10.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024) | 2024 | UCMR5 Analytical Results — CITY OF MERCED (CA2410009) |
| Lead (90th percentile) | 0 µg/L | 15 µg/L federal action level | 2022-2024 | Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile — CITY OF MERCED (CA2410009) |
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
- Result
- 6.1 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2024
Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS)
- Result
- 8.9 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2024
Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS)
- Result
- 15 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 10.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2024
Lead (90th percentile)
- Result
- 0 µg/L
- Benchmark
- 15 µg/L federal action level
- Sampled
- 2022-2024
Every value is the published result from the cited public record. A reporting limit is the lowest level the method could reliably quantify — a non-detect is not a guarantee of zero.
What can you do about it?
To reduce exposure to what was reported in Merced, these treatment technologies are relevant to the contaminants found here:
- Reverse osmosis
- Activated carbon (GAC)
- Anion exchange
- NSF/ANSI 53 lead-certified filters
- Replacing lead service lines
Understand water treatment technologies — then the specific products below are matched to these findings.
Recommended solutions
Reverse-osmosis or NSF/ANSI 53 PFAS-reduction system
pfasOur pick: Waterdrop G3P800 Tankless Reverse Osmosis Water Filter System, 800 GPD
Recommended because PFAS were measured above their federal limits here; RO and certified PFAS filters are the effective removal methods.
Also worth considering
Whole-house activated-carbon system
pfasOur pick: iSpring WGB32B Commercial-Grade Whole House Water Filter System
Recommended because For whole-home coverage of PFAS and disinfection by-products at every tap.
Countertop reverse-osmosis (renter-friendly)
pfasOur pick: Waterdrop C2SL Countertop Reverse Osmosis Water Filter, [ Mineral Added ]
Recommended because A no-plumbing PFAS option for renters (also reduces lead).
NSF/ANSI 53 lead-reduction filter (optional)
leadOur pick: Clearly Filtered Water Filter Pitcher, 10 Cup BPA Free Water Filtration
Recommended because There is no safe level of lead, and older home plumbing can add it at the tap.
Recommendations are matched to the published findings first; the commercial offer is looked up afterwards and never changes which products qualify. As an Amazon Associate, PurityMap earns from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.
Frequently asked questions
Who provides tap water in Merced?
CITY OF MERCED (PWS ID CA2410009) is the public water system on record for Merced, California. Confirm the utility on your water bill before acting on a specific finding.
Where does Merced get its drinking water?
Groundwater (primary source of record in EPA SDWIS).
What does the latest Merced water report show?
Across the tracked parameters, PurityMap's current record for Merced shows 3 contaminants measured above their benchmark and 1 within benchmark. Each finding links to its dated public record; a parameter that was never monitored is shown as pending, not as a pass.
Is there lead in Merced's tap water?
In Merced, lead is detected but within its action level in the published record. Lead can still enter water from household plumbing after it leaves the system, so a system result cannot rule out an individual tap — a certified home test is the only way to know yours.
Are PFAS "forever chemicals" in Merced's water?
At least one PFAS compound is measured above its benchmark in Merced's published record — see the findings for the specific compound and value.
Sources
Methodology: how we analyze water.
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- Systems published
- 1 of 1
- Latest sample on record
- 2024 (PFAS) / LCR (lead)
The record, not the water. These describe how completely the city is monitored — not a quality score.