Is Manhattan Beach, CA tap water safe?
The short answer
Neither of the 2 utilities serving Manhattan Beach has a result above a legal limit or action level, or a health-based violation since 2016, in EPA’s and California’s records.
Manhattan Beach - City, Water Dept., which serves the most people here, has 1 result above the health goal and 1 result above EPA’s health benchmark. The worst: Lithium at 51.4 ppb, above EPA’s health benchmark. Health goals are stricter than legal limits and are not enforced.
The water from Manhattan Beach - City, Water Dept. is very hard, typically 381 mg/L (22.3 grains per gallon). How California’s water compares.
A town can be served by more than one utility, and some homes are on private wells. The name on your water bill tells you which is yours, and your ZIP code narrows it down. They are listed by how many people each serves in Manhattan Beach’s ZIP codes, from EPA’s estimates.
- Open report
Manhattan Beach - City, Water Dept.
California · serves 34,051 people · nearly all in Manhattan Beach
1 result above the health goal and 1 result above EPA’s health benchmark. The worst: Lithium at 51.4 ppb, above EPA’s health benchmark. Hardness: very hard, typically 381 mg/L (22.3 grains per gallon).
No health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
California Water Service Co. - Herm/Redo
California · serves 100,072 people · about 240 in Manhattan Beach
3 results above the health goal and 1 result above EPA’s health benchmark. The worst: Lithium at 62.5 ppb, above EPA’s health benchmark. Hardness: very hard, typically 415 mg/L (24.3 grains per gallon).
No health-based violations since 2016
What handles it
Each of these is certified, on a certifier’s listing, for a result above a line in Manhattan Beach - City, Water Dept.’s water, which serves the most people here. Another utility’s report names what handles its own results.
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Brita Tahoe Pitcher with Elite Filter (OB60, OB06)
Pitcher
- WQA listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 13, 2026
- IAPMO listing:NSF/ANSI 53checked Oct. 13, 2026
Certified for: Lead
Brita Everyday Pitcher with Elite Filter (OB46, OB06)
Pitcher
- WQA listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 13, 2026
Certified for: Lead
PUR PLUS 11-Cup Pitcher (PPT111W)
Pitcher
- NSF listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 4, 2026
- WQA listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 4, 2026
- IAPMO listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 4, 2026
Certified for: Lead
Water testing near Manhattan Beach
The 3 labs California certifies closest to Manhattan Beach, in a straight line. Call first: certification is test by test, and not every lab takes samples from homeowners.
EMAX Laboratories, Inc.
Torrance, CA · about 6 miles
Certified for nitrate, minerals and other inorganics, organic chemicals, disinfection byproducts
JK BioScience Inc.
Rancho Dominguez, CA · about 10 miles
Certified for bacteria, lead and copper, metals
SGS Forensic Laboratories
Carson, CA · about 11 miles
Certified for metals
ZIP codes in Manhattan Beach
Which ZIP codes are in Manhattan Beach: Census 2020 relationship files. Which utilities serve them, and how many people: EPA SDWIS and EPA’s service area map. Each utility’s results: EPA UCMR 5, EPA SDWIS, and EPA’s and the state’s compliance monitoring, as its report lists them. How they are measured: methodology. Certified labs: California State Water Resources Control Board, ELAP accredited laboratories and their fields of accreditation; distances from the Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation area gazetteer.
Near Manhattan Beach
Other towns in Los Angeles County with a page of their own.
What to do next
- Read Manhattan Beach - City, Water Dept.’s full reportEvery result with its dates, the violations, and the certification claim that handles each finding.Open the report
- About LithiumWhat it does to health, where it comes from, and the certification claim that addresses it.About Lithium
- On a private well?No utility tests a well. A certified lab test is the first step.How to test well water