What was found in South Bend'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 | 8150 µg/L 82% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 6025 µg/L 60% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2014 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 800 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 253.5 µg/L 13% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 221.5 µg/L 17% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 30.04 µg/L 38% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 3.27 µg/L 22% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 14.555 µg/L — CLEARWATER VILLAGE MOBILE HOME PARK · 400 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 6.21 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 14.35 µg/L — CLEARWATER VILLAGE MOBILE HOME PARK · 400 people · 2018 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 7.0295 pCi/L 47% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 4.57 µg/L 46% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 6.7 µg/L — CLEARWATER VILLAGE MOBILE HOME PARK · 400 people · 2018 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene | 5.61 µg/L 8% of the EPA limit 70 µg/L Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 4.7 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 3.095 µg/L 3.1% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 2.96 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 2.745 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 2.5 µg/L 5% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Carbon Tetrachloride | 1.6 µg/L 32% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 1.42 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 1.2115 pCi/L 24% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroethylene | 0.9850 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| 1,1,1-Trichloroethane | 0.8650 µg/L 0.4% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Tetrachloroethylene | 0.7850 µg/L 16% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 0.6170 pCi/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: CLEARWATER VILLAGE MOBILE HOME PARK · 400 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Vinyl Chloride | 0.2000 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Highest in the city: SUNSET VILLAGE & RV PARK · 25 people · 2018 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Pfpea | 0.0397 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2024 | 1/3 | UCMR-5 |
| PFHXS | 0.0256 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2024 | 1/3 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfba | 0.0232 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2024 | 1/3 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhxa | 0.0208 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2024 | 1/3 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOA | 0.0100 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2024 | 1/3 | UCMR-5 |
| PFBS | 0.0087 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2024 | 1/3 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhpa | 0.0083 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2024 | 1/3 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfpes | 0.0072 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2024 | 1/3 | UCMR-5 |
| Lead | 0.0047 mg/L 31% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS · 115,000 people · 2025 | 3/3 | 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 South Bend
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS | 115,000 |
| CLEARWATER VILLAGE MOBILE HOME PARK | 400 |
| SUNSET VILLAGE & RV PARK | 25 |
Frequently asked questions about South Bend tap water
Is South Bend tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 33 contaminants in the water serving South Bend. 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 South Bend?
3 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for South Bend, Indiana to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in South Bend's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in South Bend include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, 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.