CA / Lake Forest
CA · Tap water records
Lake Forest tap water, in plain English
Here is what the EPA's own data shows about tap water in Lake Forest. According to EPA SDWIS data retrieved June 2026, Lake Forest is served by 2 active community water systems, together reported to serve about 51,980 people.
As of June 2026, EPA records show 52 violations across the community water system(s) serving Lake Forest, going back to the earliest EPA record. 43 of these are classified by the EPA as health-based (a contaminant recorded above the limit the EPA tracks); the rest are monitoring or reporting violations. Each is listed by system below, with its status.
What the EPA has on record, by system
El Toro Water District
51,800 served · surface water · PWSID CA3010079 As of June 2026, EPA records show no reported violations for this system in the period covered. This is not a guarantee about every substance, or about the water inside your home's plumbing.
Ortega Oaks Rv Park&Campground
180 served · groundwater · PWSID CA3301482 - Health-based LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS: a health-based violation (a contaminant recorded above the limit the EPA tracks), recorded once in October 2024. The EPA record for these does not include a measured level. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Health-based Nitrate: a health-based violation (a contaminant recorded above the limit the EPA tracks), recorded 8 times between July 2022 and April 2023. The EPA record lists a level of 12 MG/L; the limit (MCL) is 10 MG/L. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Health-based Arsenic: a health-based violation (a contaminant recorded above the limit the EPA tracks), recorded 17 times between July 2011 and April 2016. The EPA record lists a level of 14 MG/L; the limit (MCL) is 0.01 MG/L. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Health-based Combined Uranium: a health-based violation (a contaminant recorded above the limit the EPA tracks), recorded 17 times between October 2011 and April 2016. The EPA record lists a level of 36 PCI/L; the limit (MCL) is 20 PCI/L. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in October 2024. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Arsenic: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 3 times between April 2012 and April 2017. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Combined Uranium: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 3 times between April 2012 and January 2016. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Aluminum: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in January 2014. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Public Notice: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in April 2012. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
What this means
A health-based violation means a contaminant was recorded above the limit the EPA tracks for it. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was late or missed — not that a contaminant was measured above a limit. “Returned to compliance” means the EPA recorded the issue as resolved.
This page summarizes the EPA's own records and does not assess whether your water is safe to drink. For the most current details, you can verify every record directly with the EPA, and contact your water system with questions.
Source: U.S. EPA Envirofacts SDWIS, retrieved June 2026. Records cover the EPA's full reporting history for these systems. Verify at EPA ECHO.