What was found in Santa Barbara'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 | 994500 µg/L 9945% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 10000 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2019 | 7/15 | SYR4 |
| Cyanide | 11870 µg/L 5935% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 200 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2019 | 1/15 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate | 7100 µg/L 71% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 7500 µg/L — LA CUMBRE MUTUAL WATER CO · 4,861 people · 2019 | 9/15 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 615 µg/L 15% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 1300 µg/L — MONTECITO SEA MEADOWS · 70 people · 2017 | 13/15 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 121 µg/L 9.3% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 612 µg/L — MONTECITO WATER DIST · 11,962 people · 2019 | 3/15 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 254 µg/L 508% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 50 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2019 | 7/15 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 175 µg/L 8.8% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2019 | 9/15 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 76.28 µg/L 95% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 101.05 µg/L — MONTECITO WATER DIST · 11,962 people · 2019 | 5/15 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 34.15 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 69.15 µg/L — MONTECITO WATER DIST · 11,962 people · 2019 | 5/15 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 42.5 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2024
Highest in the city: 67.9 µg/L — LA CUMBRE MUTUAL WATER CO · 4,861 people · 2024 | 4/15 | UCMR-5 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 20 µg/L 33% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 55.62 µg/L — LA CUMBRE MUTUAL WATER CO · 4,861 people · 2019 | 5/15 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 12 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 42.5 µg/L — LA CUMBRE MUTUAL WATER CO · 4,861 people · 2019 | 4/15 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 37 µg/L 37% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2019 | 8/15 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 29 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2019 | 5/15 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 22.2 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 23.08 µg/L — CARPINTERIA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT · 15,996 people · 2019 | 5/15 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 9 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 22.5 µg/L — MONTECITO WATER DIST · 11,962 people · 2019 | 5/15 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 19.795 µg/L 132% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 15 µg/L Highest in the city: SAN MARCOS MUTUAL WATER COMPANY · 120 people · 2019 | 5/15 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 18.2 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2019 | 5/15 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 10 µg/L 100% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2019 | 2/15 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 8.0161 µg/L 27% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 9.8191 µg/L — SAN VICENTE WATER COMPANY · 550 people · 2017 | 6/15 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 7.97 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2019 | 1/15 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 7.22 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 7.495 µg/L — LA CUMBRE MUTUAL WATER CO · 4,861 people · 2019 | 4/15 | SYR4 |
| Bromate | 7.03 µg/L 70% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2019 | 1/15 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 5.48 pCi/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2019 | 1/15 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 3 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 4.25 µg/L — MONTECITO WATER DIST · 11,962 people · 2019 | 4/15 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 3.635 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 4 µg/L — CARPINTERIA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT · 15,996 people · 2019 | 3/15 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 1.1 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: LA CUMBRE MUTUAL WATER CO · 4,861 people · 2017 | 1/15 | SYR4 |
| Ethylbenzene | 0.9355 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 700 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2019 | 1/15 | SYR4 |
| Tetrachloroethylene | 0.5900 µg/L 12% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2019 | 1/15 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0 mg/L 0% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT · 99,323 people · 2023
Highest in the city: 0.1900 mg/L — PAINTED CAVE · 160 people · 2025 | 14/15 | LCR |
| Mercury | 0.0995 µg/L 5% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Highest in the city: MONTECITO SEA MEADOWS · 70 people · 2017 | 2/15 | SYR4 |
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 Santa Barbara
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT | 99,323 |
| CARPINTERIA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT | 15,996 |
| MONTECITO WATER DIST | 11,962 |
| LA CUMBRE MUTUAL WATER CO | 4,861 |
| SAN VICENTE WATER COMPANY | 550 |
| LAS POSITAS MUTUAL WATER COMPANY | 200 |
| ELLWOOD MUTUAL WATER COMPANY | 186 |
| PAINTED CAVE | 160 |
| SAN MARCOS MUTUAL WATER COMPANY | 120 |
| MONTECITO SEA MEADOWS | 70 |
| CACHUMA VILLAGE | 60 |
| VIEJA MUTUAL WATER COMPANY | 60 |
| LINGATE LANE MUTUAL WATER COMPANY | 55 |
| ROSARIO PARK | 38 |
| CACHUMA PROJECT | 0 |
Frequently asked questions about Santa Barbara tap water
Is Santa Barbara tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 31 contaminants in the water serving Santa Barbara. 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 Barbara?
15 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Santa Barbara, California to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Santa Barbara's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Santa Barbara include Nitrate-Nitrite, Cyanide, Nitrate, Fluoride, 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.