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City water profile

Santa Cruz water quality

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

Median indexed hardness

279PPM

2 indexed ZIPs

Range 275–282.5 PPM

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

City summary

What the indexed records say

Santa Cruz has 2 published ZIP profiles across Santa Cruz County. The indexed median is 279 PPM, compared with 189 PPM across California.

Among the 242 Californiacities with an indexed median, Santa Cruz ranks #29from highest to lowest. Across all 678 state ZIP profiles, available estimates run from 3.3to 728.5 PPM.

The 275–282.5 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 hard2 ZIPs

2 of 2 ZIP profiles have a hardness estimate. Bars count ZIP profiles, not households or laboratory samples.

Evidence quality

Distance, dates, and confidence

Median nearest distance
16.3 miles
Profiles with evidence
2/2

Confidence labels

High: 0Moderate: 2Low: 0

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

ZIP directory

Water reports in Santa Cruz

Open a ZIP for site-level provenance and measurements.

ZIP code

95062

Very Hard

282.5 PPM

Nearest site
12.3 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

95064

Very Hard

275 PPM

Nearest site
16.3 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

Public water systems

Utilities associated with this city

Santa Cruz Water Department

PWSID CA4410010

Surface water
System population served
94,626
Last reported
Jun 22, 2026

A municipal system, in-state city, and served county all agree with this Census 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 Santa Cruz

Is the water hard?

The indexed city median is 279 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.