What was found in Lake Isabella's water
The level at the city's main supplier, the highest level anywhere in the city, the EPA limit for each, and where every figure comes from.
| Contaminant | Level vs EPA limit | Suppliers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 1907.58 µg/L 19% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: KERN VALLEY MUTUAL WATER COMPANY · 132 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 11650 µg/L — FOURTH STREET WATER SYSTEM · 56 people · 2019 | 7/7 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 901.5 µg/L 23% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: KERN VALLEY MUTUAL WATER COMPANY · 132 people · 2015 | 6/7 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 2.8 µg/L 28% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: KERN VALLEY MUTUAL WATER COMPANY · 132 people · 2015
Highest in the city: 90.15 µg/L — HUNGRY GULCH MWC · 74 people · 2019 | 7/7 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 86.55 µg/L 4.3% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Highest in the city: CLARK STREET COMMUNITY WELL · 90 people · 2017 | 5/7 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 46.75 µg/L 58% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Highest in the city: OAK KNOLLS MUTUAL WATER COMPANY · 123 people · 2018 | 2/7 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 39.783 µg/L 133% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 30 µg/L Highest in the city: KERNVALE MUTUAL WATER CO · 75 people · 2013 | 5/7 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 36 µg/L 2.8% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Highest in the city: OAK KNOLLS MUTUAL WATER COMPANY · 123 people · 2019 | 3/7 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 15.4 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: OAK KNOLLS MUTUAL WATER COMPANY · 123 people · 2018 | 2/7 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 13.55 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: OAK KNOLLS MUTUAL WATER COMPANY · 123 people · 2018 | 2/7 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 10.58 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: OAK KNOLLS MUTUAL WATER COMPANY · 123 people · 2018 | 1/7 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 8.745 µg/L 15% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Highest in the city: OAK KNOLLS MUTUAL WATER COMPANY · 123 people · 2018 | 2/7 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 6.895 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: OAK KNOLLS MUTUAL WATER COMPANY · 123 people · 2018 | 2/7 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 6.2 µg/L 41% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Highest in the city: OAK KNOLLS MUTUAL WATER COMPANY · 123 people · 2019 | 2/7 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 4.7 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: OAK KNOLLS MUTUAL WATER COMPANY · 123 people · 2018 | 1/7 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 4.26 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: OAK KNOLLS MUTUAL WATER COMPANY · 123 people · 2018 | 2/7 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 3.4 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: OAK KNOLLS MUTUAL WATER COMPANY · 123 people · 2018 | 1/7 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 2.69 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: KERNVALE MUTUAL WATER CO · 75 people · 2019 | 2/7 | SYR4 |
| Antimony, Total | 2.39 µg/L 40% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Main supplier: KERN VALLEY MUTUAL WATER COMPANY · 132 people · 2015 | 1/7 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 2 µg/L 4% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Highest in the city: OAK KNOLLS MUTUAL WATER COMPANY · 123 people · 2019 | 1/7 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 1.2 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: FOURTH STREET WATER SYSTEM · 56 people · 2018 | 1/7 | SYR4 |
| Mercury | 0.6000 µg/L 30% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Main supplier: KERN VALLEY MUTUAL WATER COMPANY · 132 people · 2015 | 1/7 | SYR4 |
| 1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE | 0.0379 µg/L 19% of the EPA limit 0.2000 µg/L Highest in the city: OAK KNOLLS MUTUAL WATER COMPANY · 123 people · 2016 | 1/7 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0010 mg/L 6.7% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: KERN VALLEY MUTUAL WATER COMPANY · 132 people · 2022
Highest in the city: 0.0050 mg/L — CLARK STREET COMMUNITY WELL · 90 people · 2024 | 7/7 | LCR |
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 95th percentile of the
system's samples — 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 Lake Isabella
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| KERN VALLEY MUTUAL WATER COMPANY | 132 |
| OAK KNOLLS MUTUAL WATER COMPANY | 123 |
| CLARK STREET COMMUNITY WELL | 90 |
| KERNVALE MUTUAL WATER CO | 75 |
| HUNGRY GULCH MWC | 74 |
| FOURTH STREET WATER SYSTEM | 56 |
| CYPRESS CANYON WATER SYSTEM | 44 |
Frequently asked questions about Lake Isabella tap water
Is Lake Isabella tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 23 contaminants in the water serving Lake Isabella. 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 Lake Isabella?
7 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Lake Isabella, California to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Lake Isabella's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Lake Isabella include Nitrate, Fluoride, Arsenic, Barium, TTHM. The full list, with the level at the main supplier 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.