Problems We Found in Glendale's Drinking Water

Kezia Snipe  |  Hydroviv Research Analyst

**Updated July 2021 to include most recent water quality info

For Hydroviv’s city of Glendale water quality assessment, we aggregated water quality test data from City of Glendale Water and Power, the city’s water provider, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as from samples that we collect and analyze. We cross reference these data with toxicity studies in scientific and medical literature, and look at upcoming regulatory changes. The water filters that we build for people who live in Glendale are optimized with these figures in mind.

Source Of Glendale Drinking Water

In 2016, 65% of Glendale’s water was purchased from the Metropolitan Water District, after being imported and treated from Northern California and the Colorado River. The remaining 35% comes from local groundwater sources extracted from the Verdugo and San Fernando Basins. In addition, 7% of total water used in 2016 was recycled water delivered by the Los Angeles-Glendale Water Reclamation Plant, though this water is only used for irrigation and industrial purposes.

Arsenic In Glendale Drinking Water

Arsenic is a toxic heavy metal that is known to cause cancer and other health issues. Unlike lead, which distributes into water from plumbing, arsenic comes from the source water itself. While the city of Glendale's water quality is in compliance with EPA water quality standards, it’s important to point out that EPA’s standard balances the toxicity against the costs of removing arsenic from drinking water. The most recent City of Glendale water report revealed that the water from the Jensen plant had average arsenic levels of 3.1 parts per billion, while the Glendale Treatment Plant had up to 1.6 parts per billion. We recommend that anyone with more than 1 part per billion take steps to remove arsenic from their water, especially if there are children in the home.

Extremely High Chromium 6 Levels In Glendale Drinking Water

Chromium 6 is a highly toxic metal that is not currently regulated by the EPA, and is only loosely regulated at the state level. In the most recent water quality data, the Glendale Treatment Plant averaged 5300 parts per trillion of chromium 6, with a maximum measured concentration of 6400 parts per trillion. To put it in perspective, these levels are 265 and 320 times higher than the concentration determined to have negligible impact on cancer risk.

Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs) In Glendale Drinking Water

DBPs are a category of emerging contaminants that form when chlorine-based disinfectants react with naturally-occurring organic matter. Although these chemicals are not currently regulated very well, the EPA website discloses that high levels of disinfection byproducts in drinking water are are associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer, as well as kidney, liver, and central nervous system problems.

Still Have Questions About Glendale Tap Water Or Water Quality In General?

Hydroviv is a water filtration company that uses water quality data to optimize water filters for each customer's water. The contaminants that we list above are what we consider to be major “points of emphasis” that we use to build water filters that are built specifically for Glendale, but our filters provide broad protection against a wide range of contaminants found in Glendale's tap water, including VOCs, pesticides, lead, and mercury.

If you’re interested in learning more about water filters that have been optimized for Glendale's water, or just have questions about water quality in general, feel free to visit www.hydroviv.com, reach out by email (hello@hydroviv.com) or through our live chat. We also frequently post water-related news on Twitter or Facebook. We pride ourselves in being a reputable source of information on water quality, and your questions will be answered by scientists, not salespeople (we don't have any salespeople on staff).

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