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Public water system record

Desert Water Agency

Serves an area of Riverside County, CA that includes Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Whitewater and 2 more places · 74,807 people served

Federal records show no health-based violations and 1 monitoring/reporting issue for Desert Water Agency in the last ten years.

  • CA3310005
  • PALM SPRINGS
  • CA
  • 74,807 served

System profile

Source water Surface water
ZIP 92263
EPA system ID CA3310005

Verify this system on EPA ECHO →

Health-based violations, last 10 years
0
Resolved
0
Unresolved
0
Any acute record
No
Monitoring issues, last 10 years
1

Key facts

  • Desert Water Agency draws water from 27 wells and 4 surface water intakes (4 of them for emergency, seasonal or other part-time use).
  • Most recent formal enforcement: compliance order (no penalty) by California, June 2018.
  • Record on file since 1992, with 4 health-based violations before October 19, 2016.
  • Lead pipe inventory: 0 lead and 0 unknown out of 25,615 service lines.

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Health-based violations

Since October 2016

Violation data reflects EPA records through March 2026. For the most current status, visit the EPA ECHO database.

None since October 2016.

Monitoring and reporting issues

Since October 2016

Missed tests or reports, not contaminants found above a limit.

Issue Start date Status
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Monitoring and reporting
 Jan 1, 2018 Resolved

Full record since 1992

EPA's records for Desert Water Agency go back to 1992. Before October 19, 2016 they list 4 health-based violations (4 resolved) and 3 monitoring or reporting violations.

Violations that began in Health-based Monitoring and reporting
1990s 3 0
2000s 1 2
2010 to October 18, 2016 0 1
October 19, 2016 to 2019 0 1

Most recent health-based violation before October 19, 2016: Combined Uranium, began October 2004, Resolved.

Show all 4 health-based violations before October 19, 2016
Contaminant Start date Status
Combined Uranium
Contaminant limit exceeded
 Oct 1, 2004 Resolved
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
 Feb 1, 1994 Resolved
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
 Jun 1, 1993 Resolved
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
 Oct 1, 1992 Resolved

Enforcement actions

California regulators took 2 formal enforcement actions against Desert Water Agency between 1993 and 2018. The most recent was a compliance order (no penalty) in June 2018.

Date By Action Violations covered
Jun 18, 2018 California Compliance order (no penalty) 1 violation: Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Aug 5, 1993 California Compliance order (no penalty) 1 violation (1 health-based): Surface Water Treatment Rule

Where the water comes from

Desert Water Agency draws water from 27 wells and 4 surface water intakes (4 of them for emergency, seasonal or other part-time use). It also has an emergency connection to Coachella VWD: Cove Community. 1 smaller public system such as schools, businesses or campgrounds buys water from Desert Water Agency. 1 other public water system has an emergency connection to Desert Water Agency.

Emergency or part-time connections to

Annual water quality report

Desert Water Agency must give its customers an annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report) by July 1, with the levels its tests found in the previous year.

Systems serving 10,000 or more people must mail or deliver the report to every customer, and from 2027 they must send it twice a year.

Find a posted report with EPA's Consumer Confidence Report search

Testing your own water

To test the water at your tap, or a private well this record does not cover, use a laboratory certified for drinking water by California.

Certified drinking water labs by state EPA guidance for private wells