What was found in Bakersfield's water
The highest level seen across the city's suppliers, the EPA limit for each, and where the figure comes from.
| Contaminant | Level vs EPA limit | Suppliers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 1000000 µg/L 10000% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 10000 µg/L | 4/50 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate | 24000 µg/L 240% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 10000 µg/L | 46/50 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 1600 µg/L 40% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L | 49/50 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 190 µg/L 9.5% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L | 48/50 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 190 µg/L 15% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L | 22/50 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 170 µg/L 17% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L | 2/50 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 130 µg/L 217% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 60 µg/L | 29/50 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 125.7 µg/L 157% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 80 µg/L | 24/50 | SYR4 |
| Bromate | 110 µg/L 1100% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 10 µg/L | 1/50 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 100 µg/L 1000% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 10 µg/L | 28/50 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 81.6 µg/L No EPA limit set | 15/50 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 70 µg/L No EPA limit set | 26/50 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 67.05 µg/L 224% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 30 µg/L | 22/50 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 54 µg/L No EPA limit set | 10/50 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 50 µg/L 100% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L | 20/50 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 48.9 µg/L No EPA limit set | 25/50 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 41.758 µg/L 278% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 15 µg/L | 19/50 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 41.2 µg/L No EPA limit set | 18/50 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 35.8 µg/L No EPA limit set | 25/50 | SYR4 |
| Glyphosate | 32 µg/L 4.6% of the EPA limit 700 µg/L | 1/50 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 20.6 µg/L No EPA limit set | 4/50 | UCMR-5 |
| Chromium | 20 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L | 7/50 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 15.8 µg/L No EPA limit set | 6/50 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 15 µg/L 1.5% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L | 3/50 | SYR4 |
| Tetrachloroethylene | 14 µg/L 280% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 5 µg/L | 2/50 | SYR4 |
| Mercury | 11 µg/L 550% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 2 µg/L | 7/50 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 11 µg/L No EPA limit set | 7/50 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 10.8 µg/L No EPA limit set | 20/50 | SYR4 |
| Cyanide | 10 µg/L 5% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L | 1/50 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 2.4 pCi/L No EPA limit set | 1/50 | SYR4 |
| Antimony, Total | 2.3 µg/L 38% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L | 5/50 | SYR4 |
| 1,1-Dichloroethylene | 1.4 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 7 µg/L | 1/50 | SYR4 |
| cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene | 0.8900 µg/L 1.3% of the EPA limit 70 µg/L | 1/50 | SYR4 |
| 1,2-Dichloropropane | 0.8000 µg/L 16% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L | 2/50 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroethylene | 0.6800 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L | 1/50 | SYR4 |
| 1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE | 0.2600 µg/L 130% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 0.2000 µg/L | 10/50 | SYR4 |
| Ethylene Dibromide | 0.1900 µg/L 380% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 0.0500 µg/L | 4/50 | SYR4 |
| Cadmium | 0.1760 µg/L 3.5% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L | 2/50 | SYR4 |
| Beryllium, Total | 0.0370 µg/L 0.9% of the EPA limit 4 µg/L | 2/50 | SYR4 |
| Thallium, Total | 0.0260 µg/L 1.3% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L | 2/50 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0140 mg/L 93% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L | 49/50 | LCR |
| Heptachlor | 0.0100 µg/L 2.5% of the EPA limit 0.4000 µg/L | 1/50 | SYR4 |
| PFOS | 0.0076 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/50 | UCMR-5 |
| PFNA | 0.0047 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/50 | UCMR-5 |
| PFHXS | 0.0042 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/50 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhxa | 0.0034 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/50 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfpea | 0.0031 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/50 | UCMR-5 |
Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is
well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the
limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there
means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a
running annual average while the figure is the single worst sample on
record — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a violation.
Formal violations are listed separately.
These are the utilities' own EPA-reported results, not a city-wide
average. A detection means the lab measured the
substance — it isn't the same as exceeding a legal limit. Hover a source
tag to see the EPA program and years behind each figure.
Water suppliers serving Bakersfield
Frequently asked questions about Bakersfield tap water
Is Bakersfield tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 47 contaminants in the water serving Bakersfield. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most detected levels are within federal limits. Check the level and source for each contaminant above, and your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for the official compliance status.
How many water suppliers serve Bakersfield?
50 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Bakersfield, California to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Bakersfield's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Bakersfield include Nitrate-Nitrite, Nitrate, Fluoride, Barium, Copper. The full list, with the highest level found and the data source, is in the table above.
Where does this data come from?
Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.