What was found in Taft'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-Nitrite | 953000 µg/L 9530% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 10000 µg/L Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate | 6097.8 µg/L 61% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 337.2 µg/L 8.4% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 62.2 µg/L 3.1% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 33.8 µg/L 2.6% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 31.29 µg/L 104% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 30 µg/L Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 28 µg/L 35% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 24 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 13 µg/L 130% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 10 µg/L Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 11.175 µg/L 75% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Antimony, Total | 10.75 µg/L 179% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 6 µg/L Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 7.64 pCi/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Thallium, Total | 7.3 µg/L 365% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 2 µg/L Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 6.75 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 5.5 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 4.34 µg/L 7.2% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 4.025 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 3.46 µg/L 3.5% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 2.75 µg/L 0.3% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Chlorobenzene | 2.525 µg/L 2.5% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Styrene | 2.1 µg/L 2.1% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 1.695 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Ethylbenzene | 1.4 µg/L 0.2% of the EPA limit 700 µg/L Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 1.37 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Cadmium | 1 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Mercury | 1 µg/L 50% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 1 µg/L 0% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 0.3295 pCi/L 6.6% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0 mg/L 0% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT · 20,500 people · 2024 | 1/1 | 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 Taft
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| WEST KERN WATER DISTRICT | 20,500 |
Frequently asked questions about Taft tap water
Is Taft tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 29 contaminants in the water serving Taft. 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 Taft?
1 public water supplier report drinking-water monitoring for Taft, California to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Taft's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Taft include Nitrate-Nitrite, Nitrate, Fluoride, Barium, Copper. 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.