Home hazard report for 90601 — Whittier, CA
ZIP 90601 is served by Whittier-City, Water Dept.: no health-based violations since 2016, latest lead result 0 ppb, PFAS 19 ppt. Los Angeles County is in EPA radon zone 2.
No health-based violations reported since 2016.
90th-percentile lead in the latest round (Jan 2023). Lead comes mostly from household plumbing and service lines, so individual homes can be higher.
Highest PFOA or PFOS result in EPA’s 2023–2025 testing was at or above 4.0 ppt, EPA’s 2024 maximum contaminant level for each. 6 PFAS compounds detected.
Predicted average indoor radon between 2 and 4 pCi/L. Test your home; many homes here exceed 4 pCi/L.
FEMA’s overall natural-hazard risk for this census tract, relative to the rest of the U.S.
Active or proposed Superfund (National Priorities List) sites near the center of this ZIP code.
Active weather alerts
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Where ZIP 90601 is
Dashed: ZIP area · blue: utility service area · scroll or pinch to zoomDrinking water: Whittier-City, Water Dept.
Health-based violations
No health-based violations reported since 2016.
Full record for Whittier-City, Water Dept. →
Other systems overlapping this ZIP: San Gabriel Valley Water Co.-El Monte.
Lead
90th-percentile lead per sampling round (90% of the homes sampled were at or below this level). Black line: EPA’s 15 ppb action level; under the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements the action level becomes 10 ppb from 2027.
PFAS (“forever chemicals”)
| Compound | Highest result | Samples with detection | EPA limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFOS | 19 ppt | 1 of 2 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFBA | 13 ppt | 1 of 2 | — |
| PFOA | 7.5 ppt | 1 of 2 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFBS | 5.5 ppt | 1 of 2 | — |
| PFPeA | 4.8 ppt | 1 of 2 | — |
| PFHxA | 4.2 ppt | 1 of 2 | — |
| PFDA | not detected | 0 of 2 | — |
| PFNA | not detected | 0 of 2 | — |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) | not detected | 0 of 2 | — |
| PFHpA | not detected | 0 of 2 | — |
| PFHxS | not detected | 0 of 2 | — |
EPA Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5), samples 2023–2025; ppt = parts per trillion (ng/L). The 4.0 ppt maximum contaminant levels for PFOA and PFOS were set by EPA in 2024; water systems have until the end of the decade to comply.
Radon in Los Angeles County
EPA radon zone 2 — moderate potential. Predicted average indoor radon between 2 and 4 pCi/L. Test your home; many homes here exceed 4 pCi/L.
Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas from soil and rock, and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above and considering it from 2 pCi/L. A short-term test kit costs about $15–30. How radon zones work →
Natural hazard risk
FEMA rates the overall natural-hazard risk of this neighborhood (census tract) as Relatively Moderate, with relatively high social vulnerability and very low community resilience.
FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025): expected annual losses from each hazard combined with social vulnerability and community resilience, rated relative to all U.S. census tracts. Hazards not listed are not applicable here. It describes the area, not a single building; flood insurance maps (FEMA FIRMs) decide flood-insurance requirements.
Live conditions: river gauges and flood levels · tornado warnings · wildfire detections · earthquakes — our sister maps, updated from NOAA, USGS and NASA every few minutes.
Superfund sites nearby
| Site | Status | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Omega Chemical Corporation Whittier, California · EPA ID CAD042245001 | Active (final NPL) | 2.7 mi |
| San Gabriel Valley (Area 4) La Puente, California · EPA ID CAD980817985 | Active (final NPL) | 4.2 mi |
| Waste Disposal, Inc. Santa Fe Springs, California · EPA ID CAD980884357 | Active (final NPL) | 4.2 mi |
| Operating Industries, Inc., Landfill Monterey Park, California · EPA ID CAT080012024 | Active (final NPL) | 4.7 mi |
| San Gabriel Valley (Area 2) Baldwin Park Area, California · EPA ID CAD980818512 | Active (final NPL) | 7.0 mi |
| Pemaco Maywood Maywood, California · EPA ID CAD980737092 | Active (final NPL) | 8.2 mi |
| San Gabriel Valley (Area 1) El Monte, California · EPA ID CAD980677355 | Active (final NPL) | 8.3 mi |
| San Gabriel Valley (Area 3) Alhambra, California · EPA ID CAD980818579 | Active (final NPL) | 8.4 mi |
| McColl Fullerton, California · EPA ID CAD980498695 | Active (final NPL) | 8.5 mi |
| Exide Technologies - Vernon Vernon, California · EPA ID CAD097854541 | Proposed | 9.3 mi |
EPA Superfund National Priorities List (NPL): the country’s most serious known hazardous-waste sites, each with an EPA cleanup record (linked). Distance is measured from the ZIP center to the site’s reference point; being near a site does not by itself mean exposure — EPA site pages describe what was found and how it is being cleaned up.
What this is — and isn’t. These are records your water utility and state reported to the EPA, and the EPA’s radon map for your county. They describe the system and the area, not the water from your own tap or the air in your home. For that, read your utility’s annual Consumer Confidence Report and test: lead and radon tests are inexpensive.
Questions about 90601
Who supplies drinking water to ZIP 90601?
Whittier-City, Water Dept. (EPA ID CA1910173), a groundwater (wells) system serving about 49,954 people.
Is there lead in Whittier, CA tap water?
The utility’s latest 90th-percentile lead result (Jan 2023) was 0 ppb; EPA’s action level is 15 ppb, falling to 10 ppb from 2027. Lead mostly comes from service lines and home plumbing, so the only way to know your tap is to test it.
Does Whittier, CA water have PFAS?
Highest PFOA or PFOS result in EPA’s 2023–2025 testing was at or above 4.0 ppt, EPA’s 2024 maximum contaminant level for each. 6 PFAS compounds detected.
Has the water system in 90601 had violations?
No health-based violations reported since 2016.
What natural hazards affect ZIP 90601?
FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the overall natural-hazard risk here as Relatively Moderate; the highest-rated hazards are earthquake (relatively high), riverine flooding (relatively moderate), heat wave (relatively low).
Are there Superfund sites near 90601?
Active or proposed Superfund (National Priorities List) sites near the center of this ZIP code. Sites within 10 miles: Omega Chemical Corporation (2.7 mi, Active (final NPL)); San Gabriel Valley (Area 4) (4.2 mi, Active (final NPL)); Waste Disposal, Inc. (4.2 mi, Active (final NPL)).
Is radon a problem in Los Angeles County?
Los Angeles County is in EPA radon zone 2 (moderate potential). Predicted average indoor radon between 2 and 4 pCi/L. Test your home; many homes here exceed 4 pCi/L.