Water Quality: Big Sur, CA
10 water systems • 2,046 people served
Multiple Health ViolationsWater Quality Summary
Big Sur is served by 10 public water systems with a combined service population of 2,046 people, and has 62 EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record. Critically, 43 of those are health-based violations, meaning one or more contaminants were detected above EPA-established safe levels — a serious public health concern. Big Sur's violation count is 29% above the national average for California. Contaminants associated with violations include Fecal Coliform.
Contaminants Found
Indicates direct fecal contamination; associated with diarrhea, cramps, nausea, and potential severe illness.
Common source: Human and animal fecal waste
EPA limit: Zero tolerance (any positive triggers violations)
Water Systems Serving Big Sur
| System Name | PWSID | Source | Population | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NEPENTHE WS | CA2701280 | Surface Water | 618 | 3 |
| POST RANCH INN WS | CA2702299 | Groundwater | 416 | 0 |
| ESALEN INSTITUTE WS | CA2701295 | Surface Water | 246 | 1 |
| VENTANA BIG SUR INN WS | CA2702328 | Surface Water | 193 | 0 |
| FERNWOOD WS | CA2702325 | Surface Water | 184 | 7 |
| COASTLANDS MWS (POST CREEK) | CA2701279 | Surface Water | 129 | 2 |
| CLEAR RIDGE WA | CA2701898 | Surface Water | 123 | 15 |
| RANCHO CHAPARRAL MWC | CA2701278 | Surface Water | 58 | 15 |
| NEW CAMALDOLI HERMITAGE WS | CA2702268 | Surface Water | 44 | 1 |
| PARTINGTON MWC | CA2701263 | Surface Water | 35 | 18 |
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
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.