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South Bend Water Works

EPA monitoring tested this supplier for 105 contaminants and detected 31. A detection doesn't automatically mean the water is unsafe — the level and EPA source for each is below.

105
contaminants tested
31
detected
115,000
people served
6
health-based violations
Indiana rankingsLead in IndianaPFAS in Indiana
Water source
Ground water
Ownership
Local government
Counties served
St. Joseph

Compliance record

Formal violations the EPA has on file for this supplier. A health-based violation means a contaminant limit or a required treatment was breached; the rest are monitoring or reporting failures — still violations, but not a measured health risk.

6
health-based violations
339
violations on file
0
still open
ViolationTypeStatusPeriod
MCL Health-based Resolved 2000-05-01 → 2000-05-31
MCL Health-based Resolved 2000-05-01 → 2000-05-31
MCL Health-based Resolved 2000-05-01 → 2000-05-31
TT Health-based Resolved 1996-10-01 → 1996-12-31
TT Health-based Resolved 1996-04-01 → 1996-06-30
TT Health-based Resolved 1996-01-01 → 1996-06-30
MON Monitoring Resolved 2025-11-01 → 2025-11-30
MON Monitoring Resolved 2025-11-01 → 2025-11-30
MON Monitoring Resolved 2025-11-01 → 2025-11-30
MR Monitoring Resolved 2013-07-01 → 2013-09-30

PFAS detected

PFAS are industrial “forever chemicals”. These are the EPA's latest nationwide test results (2023–2025).
ContaminantMaxDetection ratePeriod
PFHXS 0.0256 µg/L 5/18 2024
Pfpea 0.0397 µg/L 5/18 2024
PFBS 0.0087 µg/L 4/18 2024
Pfba 0.0232 µg/L 3/18 2024
Pfhxa 0.0208 µg/L 3/18 2024
PFOA 0.0100 µg/L 2/18 2024
Pfhpa 0.0083 µg/L 1/18 2024
Pfpes 0.0072 µg/L 1/18 2024

Other contaminants detected

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 this system's samples — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a violation. Where a single sample came in higher than that percentile, it is noted under the bar. Formal violations are listed separately.
ContaminantLevel vs EPA limitDetection rateSourcePeriod
Fluoride
800 µg/L 20%
of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L
worst single sample: 1100 µg/L
1551/1552 SYR4 2014–2019
Nitrate
8150 µg/L 82%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
worst single sample: 9200 µg/L
156/284 SYR4 2012–2019
TTHM
30.04 µg/L 38%
of the EPA limit 80 µg/L
worst single sample: 46.6 µg/L
125/132 SYR4 2012–2019
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
6.21 µg/L 10%
of the EPA limit 60 µg/L
worst single sample: 8.6 µg/L
79/132 SYR4 2012–2019
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene
5.61 µg/L 8%
of the EPA limit 70 µg/L
worst single sample: 6.5 µg/L
59/143 SYR4 2012–2019
Copper
221.5 µg/L 17%
of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L
worst single sample: 402 µg/L
51/52 SYR4 2018–2019
Lead
3.27 µg/L 22%
of the EPA limit 15 µg/L
worst single sample: 7.8 µg/L
42/52 SYR4 2018–2019
Barium
253.5 µg/L 13%
of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L
worst single sample: 260 µg/L
34/34 SYR4 2014–2019
Dibromochloromethane
4.7 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 5.9 µg/L
25/143 SYR4 2012–2019
Bromodichloromethane
2.96 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 4.1 µg/L
22/143 SYR4 2012–2019
Chromium
3.095 µg/L 3.1%
of the EPA limit 100 µg/L
worst single sample: 3.4 µg/L
22/72 SYR4 2014–2019
Chloroform
1.42 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 1.9 µg/L
17/143 SYR4 2012–2019
Lead
0.0047 mg/L 31%
of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L
 16/16 LCR 2025
Bromoform
2.745 µg/L
No EPA limit set
worst single sample: 3.2 µg/L
14/143 SYR4 2012–2019
1,1,1-Trichloroethane
0.8650 µg/L 0.4%
of the EPA limit 200 µg/L
worst single sample: 0.9000 µg/L
8/143 SYR4 2012–2019
Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U
7.0295 pCi/L 47%
of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L
worst single sample: 8.3 pCi/L
8/8 SYR4 2016–2019
Arsenic
4.57 µg/L 46%
of the EPA limit 10 µg/L
worst single sample: 4.9 µg/L
7/35 SYR4 2012–2019
Nitrate-Nitrite
6025 µg/L 60%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
worst single sample: 7000 µg/L
6/9 SYR4 2014
Trichloroethylene
0.9850 µg/L 20%
of the EPA limit 5 µg/L
worst single sample: 1 µg/L
4/143 SYR4 2012–2019
Combined Radium (-226 And -228)
1.2115 pCi/L 24%
of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L
worst single sample: 1.25 pCi/L
2/2 SYR4 2019
Tetrachloroethylene
0.7850 µg/L 16%
of the EPA limit 5 µg/L
worst single sample: 0.8000 µg/L
2/143 SYR4 2012–2019
Carbon Tetrachloride
1.6 µg/L 32%
of the EPA limit 5 µg/L
 1/143 SYR4 2012–2019
Selenium
2.5 µg/L 5%
of the EPA limit 50 µg/L
 1/34 SYR4 2014–2019
74 contaminants tested, none detected
1,1,2-Trichloroethane1,1-Dichloroethylene1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE1,2-Dichloroethane1,2-Dichloropropane11Cl-PF3OUdS2,4,5-TP2,4-D4:2 Fts6:2 Fts8:2 Fts9Cl-PF3ONSAdonaAntimony, TotalAtrazineBhc-GammaBenzeneBenzo(A)PyreneBeryllium, TotalChlorobenzeneCyanideCadmiumCarbofuranChlordaneDichloromethaneDalaponDi(2-ethylhexyl) AdipateDi(2-ethylhexyl) PhthalateDinosebDiquatEthylene DibromideEndothallEndrinEthylbenzeneGlyphosateHexachlorobenzeneHfpo-DaHeptachlorHeptachlor EpoxideHexachlorocyclopentadieneLassoMercuryMethoxychlorNetfosaaNfdhaNmefosaaNitriteOxamylPfdaPfdoaPfeesaPfhpsPfmbaPfmpaPFNAPFOSPftaPftrdaPfunaPentachlorophenolPicloramSimazineStyreneThallium, TotalTolueneTotal Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB)ToxapheneVinyl ChlorideXylenes, TotalLithiumO-DichlorobenzeneP-Dichlorobenzenetrans-1,2-Dichloroethylene

Utility contact

Contact
SMITH, KEN P.
Phone
574-245-6108
Email
[email protected]

Frequently asked questions about South Bend Water Works

Is South Bend Water Works tap water safe to drink?

EPA monitoring detected 31 contaminants in South Bend Water Works's water. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most levels are within federal limits. See each level and source above, and the utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for its official compliance status.

What contaminants were detected in South Bend Water Works's water?

EPA monitoring detected Fluoride, Nitrate, TTHM, Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene, and others. The full list with the level and data source for each is above.

How many people does South Bend Water Works serve?

South Bend Water Works reports serving 115,000 people in Indiana, per its EPA record.

Has South Bend Water Works had any water quality violations?

The EPA has 339 violations on file for South Bend Water Works, of which 6 are health-based (a contaminant limit or required treatment was breached) and 0 remain open. The rest are monitoring or reporting failures.

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.