Merced, CA
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 Merced in California · Population: 285,597
TRI sites such as Foster Farms Livingston Complex; Saputo Cheese USA Inc; Fineline Industries LLC; SDWIS systems such as CITY OF MERCED; CITY OF LOS BANOS; CITY OF ATWATER; NPL sites such as Castle Air Force Base (6 Areas) anchor Merced, CA's EPA extract. Derived burden score 53/100 (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 Merced include CITY OF LOS BANOS; CITY OF LIVINGSTON; WINTON WATER & SANITARY DIST, while Foster Farms Livingston Complex leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. AQS median AQI 52 / peak 151 in 2024.
Burden score 53/100 (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 Merced -- 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 Merced, CA: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year
Same facilities, both years
+14.3%
14 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023
Whole inventory
-0.9%
355.1 thousand lb → 351.8 thousand lb, every facility that filed
Between the two reporting years, 1 facility filed for the first time and 1 stopped filing. Facilities entering or leaving the inventory are excluded from the same-facility comparison above.
- Merced, CA's chemicals reported rose from 14 in 2022 to 16 in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Merced, CA's off-site transfers rose from 110.7 thousand lb in 2022 to 125.0 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Merced, CA's land releases fell from 87.7 thousand lb in 2022 to 79.3 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Merced, CA's air releases fell from 152.7 thousand lb in 2022 to 147.5 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
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 | 168 (46%) | 163 | 34 | 151 |
| 2023 | 171 (47%) | 179 | 15 | 129 |
| 2022 | 140 (38%) | 212 | 13 | 143 |
| 2021 | 155 (42%) | 177 | 31 | 166 |
| 2020 | 131 (36%) | 203 | 17 | 194 |
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 (20)
| System | System pop (SDWIS) | Violations |
|---|---|---|
| CITY OF MERCED | 93,692 | 0 |
| CITY OF LOS BANOS | 47,419 | 1 |
| CITY OF ATWATER | 29,479 | 0 |
| CITY OF LIVINGSTON | 14,894 | 13 |
| WINTON WATER & SANITARY DIST | 9,745 | 5 |
| DELHI CWD | 7,784 | 0 |
| CITY OF DOS PALOS | 7,452 | 44 |
| CITY OF GUSTINE | 6,110 | 1 |
| HILMAR COUNTY WATER DISTRICT | 5,504 | 14 |
| PLANADA CSD | 4,164 | 1 |
| SANTA NELLA COUNTY WATER DISTRICT | 2,211 | 2 |
| LE GRAND COMM SERVICES DIST | 1,739 | 14 |
| CASTLE AIRPORT | 1,650 | 2 |
| JOHN LATORACCA CORRECTIONAL FACILITY | 800 | 0 |
| SAN LUIS HILLS | 779 | 51 |
| VOLTA COMMUNITY SD | 406 | 1 |
| BLACK RASCAL WATER COMPANY | 367 | 1 |
| MCCLURE BOAT CLUB, INC. | 286 | 2 |
| BALLICO CSD | 238 | 3 |
| FISHERMAN'S BEND MHP | 120 | 2 |
TRI Facilities (16)
| # | Facility | Total Releases |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foster Farms Livingston Complex | 599.5K lbs |
| 2 | Saputo Cheese USA Inc | 329.4K lbs |
| 3 | Fineline Industries LLC | 278.7K lbs |
| 4 | California Dairies Inc Los Banos | 97.7K lbs |
| 5 | Hilmar Cheese Co | 49.4K lbs |
| 6 | Greif Packaging LLC | 45.9K lbs |
| 7 | Dole Packaged Foods LLC | 41.1K lbs |
| 8 | E & J Gallo Winery | 40.6K lbs |
| 9 | Qg Printing II LLC | 30.4K lbs |
| 10 | Mb Sports | 15.8K lbs |
| 11 | Atwater Federal Prison | 4.3K lbs |
| 12 | Ingomar Packing | 3.3K lbs |
| 13 | O'Keeffe | 6 lbs |
| 14 | Santa Fe Materials Winton Plant | 0 lbs |
| 15 | Gallo Cheese Plant | 0 lbs |
| 16 | Foster Farms Collier Complex | 0 lbs |
Superfund Sites (1)
| Site Name | Status | HRS Score |
|---|---|---|
| Castle Air Force Base (6 Areas) | NPL Site | 37.93 |
Cities in Merced (14)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the environmental risk level in Merced, California? ▼
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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.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.