Public water system · CA3710026
ActiveValley Center Mwd
At a glance
Valley Center Mwd (PWSID CA3710026) is an active community water system in San Diego County, California. It reports serving 29,938 people through 9,737 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 4 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2000.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
29,938
Service connections
9,737
Primary source
SWP
Purchased surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Valley Center Mwd compare with other water systems in San Diego County?
By EPA's size categories, Valley Center Mwd is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). San Diego County has 191 active public water systems. Its population served is about 54% above the county average of 19,427 people per system, and accounts for 0.8% 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 community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Valley Center Mwd is about 4.5 times that figure.
What does “community water system” mean?
A community water system serves at least 15 connections used by year-round residents, or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents. Homes, apartments and mobile-home parks are served by these. California has 2,997 active community water systems, 40% of the state's 7,479 active systems. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own. 506 California systems (6.8%) list purchased surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Valley Center Mwd?
EPA lists Valley Center Mwd 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 Valley Center Mwd have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 4 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2000. The violations listed here began between September 1988 and July 2000. By type: 2 contaminant level above the legal limit and 2 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (2 of them). EPA lists 2 as resolved and 2 as archived. 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. Archived means the violation was not marked resolved but is more than five years past the end of the noncompliance period, so it no longer counts toward current compliance status.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1997-03-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1989-11-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherNotification, Public · code 06 | Not reported | No | Archived |
| 1988-09-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherNotification, Public · code 06 | Not reported | No | Archived |
All 4 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.
Valley Center Mwd: frequently asked questions
Who runs Valley Center Mwd?
Valley Center Mwd (PWSID CA3710026) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the CA state drinking water program.
How many people does Valley Center Mwd serve?
Valley Center Mwd reports serving 29,938 people through 9,737 service connections in San Diego County, California.
Where does Valley Center Mwd get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as purchased surface water. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own.
Does Valley Center Mwd have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 4 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2000. 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 Valley Center Mwd'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 4 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2000. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the CA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Valley Center Mwd's water quality report?
As a community water system, Valley Center Mwd must deliver an annual water quality report, called a Consumer Confidence Report, to its customers by July 1 each year, covering the previous calendar year. The system can provide a copy on request.
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, “Valley Center Mwd, PWSID CA3710026, California”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/california/valley-center-mwd-ca3710026 (data as of October 1, 2026).