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City water profile

Palo Alto water quality

Compare local ZIP estimates, evidence quality, associated public systems, and compliance history for Palo Alto, California.

Median indexed hardness

273PPM

4 indexed ZIPs

Range 273–273 PPM

State comparison
84 PPM above
State hardness rank
#33 of 242
Matched utilities
1
Active health records
0

City summary

What the indexed records say

Palo Alto has 4 published ZIP profiles across Santa Clara County. The indexed median is 273 PPM, compared with 189 PPM across California.

Among the 242 Californiacities with an indexed median, Palo Alto ranks #33from highest to lowest. Across all 678 state ZIP profiles, available estimates run from 3.3to 728.5 PPM.

The 273–273 PPM range shows how much the available ZIP estimates vary within the city label.

Hardness distribution

How local ZIP estimates compare

Soft0 ZIPs
Moderately hard0 ZIPs
Hard0 ZIPs
Very hard4 ZIPs

4 of 4 ZIP profiles have a hardness estimate. Bars count ZIP profiles, not households or laboratory samples.

Evidence quality

Distance, dates, and confidence

Median nearest distance
1.2 miles
Profiles with evidence
4/4

Confidence labels

High: 0Moderate: 4Low: 0

Observation window: Jan 13, 2016 to Jun 3, 2026.

ZIP directory

Water reports in Palo Alto

Open a ZIP for site-level provenance and measurements.

ZIP code

94301

Very Hard

273 PPM

Nearest site
1 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

94303

Very Hard

273 PPM

Nearest site
1.2 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

94304

Very Hard

273 PPM

Nearest site
2.1 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

94306

Very Hard

273 PPM

Nearest site
0.3 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

Public water systems

Utilities associated with this city

City Of Palo Alto

PWSID CA4310009

Surface water
System population served
67,231
Last reported
Jun 22, 2026

The system names this served city; Census place overlap links the city to this ZCTA.

Compliance history

What EPA records show

No active health-based violation appears among the associated systems in the represented EPA reporting quarter. This does not mean every contaminant was tested at every tap.

No violation records are included in the current lookback window.

Practical next steps

Move from index to evidence

  1. 1. Open your ZIP. Check distance, dates, confidence, and the associated utility.
  2. 2. Read the current CCR. Confirm source water, detections, limits, ranges, and notices.
  3. 3. Test the tap when needed. Confirm health concerns or treatment sizing with the right method.

Questions people ask

About water in Palo Alto

Is the water hard?

The indexed city median is 273 PPM. Open the ZIP report to verify the distance and confidence behind that estimate.

Is the tap water safe?

Compliance history is utility-wide and cannot guarantee conditions at every tap. Check current notices and test when address-specific evidence is needed.

Do I need treatment?

Choose treatment only after confirming the problem at the property. A softener targets hardness; contaminant treatment requires a matching, verified performance claim.