Water Quality: Bakersfield, CA

50 water systems • 137,162 people served

Multiple Health Violations
923
Total Violations
632
Health-Based Violations
50
Water Systems
137,162
Population Served

Water Quality Summary

Bakersfield is served by 50 public water systems with a combined service population of 137,162 people, and has 923 EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record. Critically, 632 of those are health-based violations, meaning one or more contaminants were detected above EPA-established safe levels — a serious public health concern. Bakersfield's violation count is 1822% above the national average for California. Contaminants associated with violations include Barium, Contaminant 2931, Contaminant 2946, E. coli, Gross Alpha.

Contaminants Found

Barium

Increases blood pressure and causes cardiovascular effects with long-term exposure.

Common source: Natural rock deposits, oil drilling operations, coal power plant waste

EPA limit: 2 mg/L

Contaminant 2931
Contaminant 2946
E. coli

Causes gastrointestinal illness; certain strains (e.g., O157:H7) can cause severe kidney failure and death.

Common source: Fecal contamination from humans or animals entering the water supply

EPA limit: Zero (no E. coli permitted in drinking water)

Gross Alpha

Alpha-emitting radioactive particles increase cancer risk, particularly from bone and other internal cancers.

Common source: Natural uranium and radium in geological formations

EPA limit: 15 pCi/L (excluding radon and uranium)

Haloacetic Acids

Linked to increased cancer risk and potential reproductive and developmental effects with long-term exposure.

Common source: Reaction of chlorine disinfectants with organic matter in treated water

EPA limit: 0.060 mg/L (60 ppb)

Nitrate-Nitrite

Causes methemoglobinemia in infants and may pose cancer risks with long-term exposure.

Common source: Fertilizer runoff, septic systems, animal feedlots, natural deposits

EPA limit: 10 mg/L (as nitrogen)

Selenium

Hair loss, nail brittleness, and nervous system damage at elevated concentrations.

Common source: Natural geological deposits, mining discharges, oil refinery waste

EPA limit: 0.05 mg/L (50 ppb)

Stage 2 DBP

Trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids that increase cancer risk and may cause adverse reproductive outcomes.

Common source: Chlorine disinfection reacting with natural organic matter in source water

EPA limit: TTHM: 0.080 mg/L; HAA5: 0.060 mg/L

TTHM

Total trihalomethanes are linked to increased risk of bladder cancer and adverse reproductive outcomes.

Common source: Reaction of chlorine disinfectants with naturally occurring organic matter in water

EPA limit: 0.080 mg/L (80 ppb)

Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)

Haloacetic acids are associated with increased cancer risk and potential reproductive and developmental effects.

Common source: Reaction of chlorine disinfectants with organic matter in treated water

EPA limit: 0.060 mg/L (60 ppb)

Water Systems Serving Bakersfield

System Name PWSID Source Population Violations
OILDALE MWC CA1510015 Surface Water 44,899 29
VAUGHN WC INC CA1510029 Groundwater 37,189 8
EAST NILES CSD CA1510006 Surface Water 32,517 5
GREENFIELD COUNTY WD CA1510024 Groundwater 11,590 87
LERDO SHERIFF S FACILITY CA1502320 Groundwater 2,800 0
CASA LOMA WATER CO, INC. CA1510004 Groundwater 900 19
VICTORY MUTUAL WATER COMPANY CA1500231 Groundwater 849 8
MOUNTAIN MESA WC CA1510042 Groundwater 777 3
RIVERDALE VILLAGE CA1500452 Groundwater 750 3
BROCK MUTUAL WATER COMPANY CA1500409 Groundwater 462 39
STOCKDALE ANNEX MUTUAL WATER CA1500211 Groundwater 433 0
STOCKDALE RANCHOS MUTUAL WATER CO CA1500557 Groundwater 393 3
ENOS LANE PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT CA1500544 Groundwater 365 21
STOCKDALE MUTUAL WATER CO. CA1500349 Groundwater 200 10
EL ADOBE POA, INC. CA1500493 Groundwater 200 30
MANON MANOR MUTUAL WATER COMPANY CA1500535 Groundwater 200 4
MUSTANG MUTUAL WATER SYSTEM CA1500555 Groundwater 200 5
ALLEN ROAD MUTUAL WATER SYSTEM CA1500483 Groundwater 195 5
SAN JOAQUIN ESTATES MUTUAL WATER COMPANY CA1500575 Groundwater 165 62
ATHAL MUTUAL WATER SYSTEM CA1500289 Groundwater 150 12
HART CREEK ESTATES MUTUAL WATER CO. CA1503329 Groundwater 148 1
MAHER MUTUAL WATER COMPANY CA1500378 Groundwater 140 116
HARVEST MOON MUTUAL WATER CO CA1500546 Groundwater 138 4
LONG CANYON WATER COMPANY CORP. CA1500578 Groundwater 122 12
ST. CLAIR RANCHOS MUTUAL WATER CO. CA1500507 Groundwater 105 4
OASIS PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION CA1500585 Groundwater 100 17
METTLER COUNTY WATER DISTRICT CA1500401 Groundwater 90 44
GOOSELAKE WATER COMPANY CA1500584 Groundwater 90 18
UPLANDS OF THE KERN MUTUAL WATER COMPANY CA1500593 Groundwater 80 11
TOWN & COUNTRY WATER COMPANY CA1502663 Groundwater 73 4
WILSON ROAD WATER COMMUNITY CA1500494 Groundwater 66 47
WEGIS MUTUAL WATER COMPANY CA1502600 Groundwater 64 13
RANCHOS DEL RIO CA1500553 Groundwater 62 7
HART FLAT BEAR MUTUAL WATER CA1500556 Groundwater 56 0
THE ANNE SIPPI CLINIC-RIVERSIDE RANCH CA1503509 Groundwater 51 12
AGAPE MUTUAL WATER SYSTEM CA1500543 Groundwater 50 4
ROUND MOUNTAIN WATER COMPANY CA1500561 Groundwater 50 84
GOSFORD ROAD WATER COMPANY CA1502622 Groundwater 50 9
PANAMA ROAD PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOC CA1502465 Groundwater 45 4
CHOCTAW VALLEY MUTUAL WATER CO. CA1500599 Groundwater 44 4
KRANENBURG WATER SYSTEM CA1500560 Groundwater 42 1
RIVERVIEW HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION CA1502750 Groundwater 40 14
HEATH BRIMHALL P.O.A. CA1502629 Groundwater 39 1
EAST WILSON ROAD WATER COMPANY CA1502699 Groundwater 35 46
NORD ROAD WATER ASSOCIATION CA1502383 Groundwater 32 68
MEADOWS OF THE KERN MUTUAL WATER COMPANY CA1502645 Groundwater 32 3
WINI MUTUAL WATER COMPANY CA1503526 Groundwater 29 16
NORTH KRANENBURG WS CA1503669 Groundwater 28 1
SCHWEIKART WATER SYSTEM CA1502545 Groundwater 27 5
KERN COUNTY WATER AGENCY CA1510040 Surface Water 0 0

Concerned About Your Water?

A home water filter can remove common contaminants. NSF-certified filters are tested against EPA standards.

Consider a reverse osmosis system for comprehensive filtration or a carbon filter for basic improvement.

Other Cities in California

Los Angeles 130 violations • 4,029,090 served San Jose 146 violations • 3,387,313 served Oakland 17 violations • 1,444,562 served San Diego 73 violations • 1,422,927 served Sacramento 1022 violations • 1,219,532 served Burlingame 1 violations • 884,627 served Anaheim 15 violations • 789,505 served Perris 0 violations • 666,581 served

View all cities in California →

Data Sources

Drinking water violation data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). Data includes all recorded violations for active community water systems.

Verify at epa.gov • Search ECHO for CA