Public water system · CA3700029
ActiveDescanso Fire Station
At a glance
Descanso Fire Station (PWSID CA3700029) is an active transient non-community water system in San Diego County, California. It reports serving 34 people through 9 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by the federal government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2014.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
34
Service connections
9
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
TNCWS
Transient non-community water system
System record
How does Descanso Fire Station compare with other water systems in San Diego County?
By EPA's size categories, Descanso Fire Station 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 Descanso Fire Station is well below 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 Descanso Fire Station?
EPA lists Descanso Fire Station as owned by the federal 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. 16 of the 191 active systems in San Diego County (8.4%) are also owned by the federal government.
Does Descanso Fire Station have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2014. The violations listed here began between July 2007 and October 2014. By type: 9 monitoring and reporting and 3 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (12 of them). EPA lists 12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2013-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2013-04-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Acute (TCR) · code 21 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2012-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2010-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2009-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2009-04-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2009-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Repeat Minor (TCR) · code 26 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Repeat Minor (TCR) · code 26 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2007-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Repeat Major (TCR) · code 25 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2007-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
The 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, newest first.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.
Descanso Fire Station: frequently asked questions
Who runs Descanso Fire Station?
Descanso Fire Station (PWSID CA3700029) is a transient non-community water system owned by the federal government. It is regulated by the CA state drinking water program.
How many people does Descanso Fire Station serve?
Descanso Fire Station reports serving 34 people through 9 service connections in San Diego County, California.
Where does Descanso Fire Station 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 Descanso Fire Station have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2014. 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 Descanso Fire Station'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. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2014. For current results, consult EPA ECHO, or the CA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Descanso Fire Station's water quality report?
The annual Consumer Confidence Report requirement applies to community water systems. Descanso Fire Station 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, “Descanso Fire Station, PWSID CA3700029, California”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/california/descanso-fire-station-ca3700029 (data as of October 1, 2026).