Public water system · CA3705063
ActiveCity of San Diego - El Capitan Reservoir
At a glance
City of San Diego - El Capitan Reservoir (PWSID CA3705063) is an active transient non-community water system in San Diego County, California. It reports serving 300 people through 4 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list one violation for this system; it is health-based, and the most recent began in October 2010.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
300
Service connections
4
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
TNCWS
Transient non-community water system
System record
How does City of San Diego - El Capitan Reservoir compare with other water systems in San Diego County?
By EPA's size categories, City of San Diego - El Capitan Reservoir is a very small system (500 people or fewer). San Diego County has 191 active public water systems. Its population served is well below the county average of 19,427 people per system, and accounts for less than 0.1% of the 3,710,459 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across California, the 7,479 active systems average 5,706 people each. Nationally, the average active transient non-community water system reports serving 144 people, so City of San Diego - El Capitan Reservoir is about twice that figure.
What does “transient non-community water system” mean?
A transient non-community water system serves places where people do not stay long, such as gas stations and campgrounds, and regularly serves at least 25 people a day for at least 60 days a year. California has 3,016 active transient non-community water systems, 40% of the state's 7,479 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 6,179 California systems (83%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates City of San Diego - El Capitan Reservoir?
EPA lists City of San Diego - El Capitan Reservoir as owned by a local government. The CA state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 58 of the 191 active systems in San Diego County (30%) are also owned by a local government.
Does City of San Diego - El Capitan Reservoir have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list one violation for this system; it is health-based, and the most recent began in October 2010. By type: 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved is Total coliform bacteria (TCR). EPA lists 1 as resolved. Resolved means at least one resolving action is on record: the system returned to compliance, the rule no longer applies, or no further action was needed.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
The one violation in EPA's records. Labels and codes come from EPA's SDWIS reference tables. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found. "Health-based" marks violations of a legal limit or required treatment.
City of San Diego - El Capitan Reservoir: frequently asked questions
Who runs City of San Diego - El Capitan Reservoir?
City of San Diego - El Capitan Reservoir (PWSID CA3705063) is a transient non-community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the CA state drinking water program.
How many people does City of San Diego - El Capitan Reservoir serve?
City of San Diego - El Capitan Reservoir reports serving 300 people through 4 service connections in San Diego County, California.
Where does City of San Diego - El Capitan Reservoir get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as groundwater. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers.
Does City of San Diego - El Capitan Reservoir have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list one violation for this system; it is health-based, and the most recent began in October 2010. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found.
Is City of San Diego - El Capitan Reservoir's water safe to drink?
AquaCensus shows EPA compliance records, not current water test results, so it cannot say whether the water is safe at a given moment. EPA's records list one violation for this system; it is health-based, and the most recent began in October 2010. For current results, consult EPA ECHO, or the CA state drinking water program.
Where can I find City of San Diego - El Capitan Reservoir's water quality report?
The annual Consumer Confidence Report requirement applies to community water systems. City of San Diego - El Capitan Reservoir is a transient non-community water system, so it is not required to publish one; like every public water system, it must notify the people it serves about violations under EPA's public notification rules.
Other water systems in San Diego County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego, City of | San Diego | 1,385,379 | Community | Surface water |
| Helix Water District | San Diego | 277,668 | Community | Surface water |
| Otay Water District | San Diego | 238,008 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Sweetwater Authority | San Diego | 191,282 | Community | Surface water |
| Oceanside, City of | San Diego | 171,483 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Escondido, City of | San Diego | 137,044 | Community | Surface water |
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About this data
Source: U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and SDWA violation records, via EPA ECHO, as published October 1, 2026 — AquaCensus refreshes it quarterly. See the methodology for how records are matched, cleaned and scored.
Cite as: AquaCensus, “City of San Diego - El Capitan Reservoir, PWSID CA3705063, California”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/california/city-of-san-diego-el-capitan-reservoir-ca3705063 (data as of October 1, 2026).