CA / Monterey
CA · Tap water records
Monterey tap water, in plain English
Here is what the EPA's own data shows about tap water in Monterey. According to EPA SDWIS data retrieved June 2026, Monterey is served by 3 active community water systems, together reported to serve about 803 people.
As of June 2026, EPA records show 45 violations across the community water system(s) serving Monterey, going back to the earliest EPA record. 5 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
Csp-Pfeiffer Big Sur
585 served · groundwater · PWSID CA2710300 - Monitoring Consumer Confidence Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times in July 2023. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Revised Total Coliform Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times in May 2019. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Lead and Copper Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times in October 2018. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Merrill Gardens Iris Canyon Ws
161 served · groundwater · PWSID CA2702816 - Monitoring Lead and Copper Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between January 2019 and July 2019. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
The Willows Resort
57 served · groundwater · PWSID CA4400850 - 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 Revised Total Coliform Rule: a health-based violation (a contaminant recorded above the limit the EPA tracks), recorded 4 times in June 2024. The EPA record for these does not include a measured level. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Revised Total Coliform Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 21 times between April 2023 and October 2025. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- 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 Residual Chlorine: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 4 times in June 2024. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Lead and Copper Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 4 times in October 2021. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Nitrate: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times in January 2020. 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.