Is Santa Ynez, CA Tap Water Safe? Quality & Contaminants

What was found in Santa Ynez'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	960000 µg/L 9600% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 10000 µg/L	7/7	SYR4
Nitrate	8927 µg/L 89% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L	7/7	SYR4
Barium	531 µg/L 27% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L	5/7	SYR4
Fluoride	370 µg/L 9.3% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L	7/7	SYR4
Copper	210 µg/L 16% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L	1/7	SYR4
TTHM	74.2 µg/L 93% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L	1/7	SYR4
Lithium	62.2 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/7	UCMR-5
Chromium	43 µg/L 43% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L	7/7	SYR4
Dibromochloromethane	26.4 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/7	SYR4
Bromoform	23.4 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/7	SYR4
Bromodichloromethane	22.9 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/7	SYR4
Lead	22 µg/L 147% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 15 µg/L	3/7	SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	21.5 µg/L 36% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L	1/7	SYR4
Chloroform	20 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/7	SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid	13.6 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/7	SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid	11.3 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/7	SYR4
Selenium	11 µg/L 22% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L	3/7	SYR4
Combined Uranium	10.281 µg/L 34% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L	3/7	SYR4
Arsenic	7.4 µg/L 74% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L	5/7	SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid	4.8 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/7	SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid	3.3 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/7	SYR4
Cadmium	1.8 µg/L 36% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L	1/7	SYR4
Monobromoacetic Acid	1.1 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/7	SYR4
Lead	0.0050 mg/L 33% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L	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 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 Santa Ynez

Supplier	Population served
SANTA YNEZ RIVER WATER CONS. DIST. ID#1	7,022
WOODSTOCK RANCH	325
SANTA YNEZ RANCHO ESTATES	304
SKYLINE PARK	295
OAK TRAIL ESTATES	211
MEADOWLARK RANCHES MUTUAL WATER COMPANY	150
OAK TRAIL RANCH	102

Frequently asked questions about Santa Ynez tap water

Is Santa Ynez tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 24 contaminants in the water serving Santa Ynez. 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 Santa Ynez?

7 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Santa Ynez, California to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.

What contaminants are in Santa Ynez's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Santa Ynez include Nitrate-Nitrite, Nitrate, Barium, Fluoride, 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.