Imperial, CA

Moderate Risk (44/100)

Transparent derived index from EPA TRI / SDWIS / Superfund extracts: not an official EPA rating. Fixed caps: facilities ≤25 pts (50+ = max), log10 releases ≤25 pts, Superfund ≤25 pts (5/site), health-violation systems ≤15 pts (3/system), high-chemical facilities ≤10 pts. Bands: High ≥60, Moderate ≥30. See methodology.

Environmental data for Imperial in California · Population: 179,319

TRI sites such as Spreckels Sugar Co Inc.; U.S. Marine Corps Chocolate Mountains Aerial Gunnery Range; US Navy Naval Air Facility el Centro; SDWIS systems such as EL CENTRO, CITY OF; CALEXICO, CITY OF; BRAWLEY, CITY OF; NPL sites such as Stoker Company anchor Imperial, CA's EPA extract. Derived burden score 44/100 (Moderate Risk) uses fixed national caps on density, log release volume, Superfund count, and health-flagged systems - not an official EPA rating.

Health-flagged SDWIS rows in Imperial include CALEXICO, CITY OF; IMPERIAL, CITY OF; HEBER PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT, while Spreckels Sugar Co Inc. leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. AQS median AQI 63 / peak 341 in 2024.

Burden score 44/100 (Moderate Risk) is the only weighted composite on this page. The tables below list every TRI facility, SDWIS system, and Superfund site EPA has on record for Imperial -- not just the names called out above -- reproducing the disclosure history as filed, not a current-safety verdict. Extract current as of 2026-08-25.

Release-over-release change

What changed for Imperial, CA: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year

2022 → 2023

Same facilities, both years

-6.6%

5 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023

Whole inventory

-6.6%

309.0 thousand lb → 288.7 thousand lb, every facility that filed

  • Imperial, CA's total reported releases fell from 309.0 thousand lb in 2022 to 288.7 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Imperial, CA's off-site transfers fell from 138 lb in 2022 to 115 lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Imperial, CA's water releases fell from 33.0 thousand lb in 2022 to 28.0 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Imperial, CA's air releases fell from 118.8 thousand lb in 2022 to 103.2 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
County population (Census ACS)
179,319
TRI Facilities
5
Water Systems
25
Superfund Sites
1
Total Releases
1.4M lbs

Air Quality History (2020–2024)

EPA Air Quality Index (AQI) data showing how many days per year fall into each air quality category.

Year Good Moderate Unhealthy (SG) Max AQI
2024 83 (23%) 233 42 341
2023 104 (28%) 214 37 506
2022 86 (24%) 232 34 791
2021 84 (23%) 252 22 436
2020 94 (26%) 244 26 166
2024 Good Air Quality: 23% of days
Unhealthy days: 50
Median AQI: 63

Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County AQI categories: Good (0-50), Moderate (51-100), Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150), Unhealthy (151-200), Very Unhealthy (201-300), Hazardous (301+)

For real-time air quality readings and pollutant breakdowns in California, see the EPA's AirNow.gov.

Water Systems (25)

System System pop (SDWIS) Violations
EL CENTRO, CITY OF 43,772 0
CALEXICO, CITY OF 40,357 2
BRAWLEY, CITY OF 26,862 0
IMPERIAL, CITY OF 21,591 29
HEBER PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT 6,979 7
HOLTVILLE, CITY OF 6,355 28
CALIPATRIA STATE PRISON 4,800 1
CENTINELA STATE PRISON 4,100 31
WESTMORLAND, CITY OF 2,202 8
GATEWAY 1,800 7
SEELEY CWD 1,729 69
SUNBEAM LAKE RV RESORT 650 4
NAF EL CENTRO 637 0
COUNTRY LIFE MH & RV PARK 600 1
PALO VERDE COUNTY WATER DIST. 410 5
WINTERHAVEN COUNTY WATER DISTRICT 394 1
OCOTILLO MUTUAL WATER CO 150 1
RIO BEND RV GOLF RESORT & STORM CROSSING 130 5
COYOTE VALLEY MUTUAL WATER CO 125 1
MITCHELLS CAMP FAMILY ASSOC. 125 5
VALLEY MOBILE HOME PARK 70 3
GOLD ROCK RANCH 40 2
IID VILLAGE 37 2
UC DESERT RESEARCH AND EXTENSION CENTER 30 83
JACKSON HIDE-A-WAY 25 0

TRI Facilities (5)

# Facility Total Releases
1 Spreckels Sugar Co Inc. 589.6K lbs
2 U.S. Marine Corps Chocolate Mountains Aerial Gunnery Range 585.2K lbs
3 US Navy Naval Air Facility el Centro 156.1K lbs
4 Mesquite Mine 113.3K lbs
5 US Gypsum Co 884 lbs

Superfund Sites (1)

Site Name Status HRS Score
Stoker Company Proposed NPL Site 70.94

Cities in Imperial (12)

El Centro
2 facilities · 6 water
Brawley
2 facilities · 1 water
Niland
1 facilities · 0 water
Imperial
0 facilities · 4 water
Ocotillo
0 facilities · 3 water
Calexico
0 facilities · 2 water
Holtville
0 facilities · 2 water
Palo Verde
0 facilities · 2 water
Winterhaven
0 facilities · 2 water
Heber
0 facilities · 1 water
Seeley
0 facilities · 1 water
Westmorland
0 facilities · 1 water

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the environmental risk level in Imperial, California?
Imperial, CA has an environmental risk score of 44/100 (Moderate Risk), based on 5 TRI facilities, 1 Superfund sites, and 25 water systems on record. 21 water systems have health-based violations. Source: EPA TRI, SDWIS, and Superfund NPL.
Are there Superfund sites in Imperial?
Yes, Imperial, CA has 1 Superfund site on the EPA National Priorities List (NPL). Superfund sites are contaminated locations that require long-term cleanup under the EPA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
How many toxic release facilities are in Imperial?
Imperial, CA has 5 TRI-reporting facilities on record with the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, with a combined total of 1.4M lbs in reported toxic releases. TRI facilities self-report annual chemical release data to the EPA.
What is the air quality in Imperial?
In 2024, Imperial, CA recorded a median AQI of 63 and a peak AQI of 341. 23% of monitored days had "Good" air quality (AQI 0–50). Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County.
Is the drinking water safe in Imperial?
Imperial, CA has 25 EPA-regulated water systems. 21 systems have reported health-based violations (MCL exceedances). A past violation does not necessarily mean water is currently unsafe. For current water quality, contact your local water utility. Source: EPA SDWIS.
What environmental agencies cover Imperial?
Environmental compliance in Imperial, California is overseen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at the federal level and the California state environmental agency. Facilities report to the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, water systems are regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and contaminated sites are managed under the Superfund program. Contact your state environmental agency for local concerns.

What does this county environmental profile show?

This county environmental profile rolls up EPA Toxics Release Inventory facility reports, Safe Drinking Water Information System public-water-system filings, and Superfund National Priorities List sites for the county boundary defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Facility counts reflect facilities with a reporting address inside the county, not where downstream environmental effects may be observed. Population figures are from the most recent Census ACS 5-year estimate. The county detail page is updated whenever the upstream EPA programs publish revised data; see the methodology page for the documented ingest cadence and the editorial choices governing how aggregations are computed.

Related

Data sourced from U.S. EPA environmental datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainEnviro