Santa Barbara Water Quality
California
According to EPA SDWIS, Santa Barbara, California is served by 17 community water systems covering about 133,912 people. The same extract lists 11 health-based violation records, most recently coded 5200 in 2024. Counts are historical EPA registry rows, not a current compliance or drinkability score.
Drinking water in Santa Barbara, California is delivered through 17 EPA-regulated community water systems serving an estimated 133,912 people. Each system is tracked in the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) under the Safe Drinking Water Act, which requires testing for regulated contaminants, consumer notification of violations, and publication of an annual Consumer Confidence Report.
PlainEnviro's health-based SDWIS extract shows 11 violation records across the 17 active community systems shown here. Monitoring and reporting records are not present in the extract. The records carry 4 distinct EPA contaminant codes: LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS, Groundwater Rule, Lead and Copper Rule, Coliform (TCR). 2 TRI-reporting industrial facilities are also located within the city limits.
A past EPA health-based registry row does not describe water delivered today or current compliance status; utilities notify customers and remediate under state primacy oversight when required. For current water-quality status and treatment practices, review your local utility's most recent Consumer Confidence Report or contact the California drinking water program. All records above reflect federal EPA SDWIS data and are not independently verified against state databases.
Community Water Systems
| System Name | Pop. Served | Violations | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT | 99,323 | 0 | Clean |
| CARPINTERIA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT | 15,996 | 0 | Clean |
| MONTECITO WATER DIST | 11,962 | 0 | Clean |
| LA CUMBRE MUTUAL WATER CO | 4,861 | 0 | Clean |
| SAN VICENTE WATER COMPANY | 550 | 0 | Clean |
| MAGIC MOUNTAIN MUTUAL WATER COMPANY | 221 | 6 | Health |
| LAS POSITAS MUTUAL WATER COMPANY | 200 | 0 | Clean |
| ELLWOOD MUTUAL WATER COMPANY | 186 | 1 | Health |
| PAINTED CAVE | 160 | 2 | Health |
| SAN MARCOS MUTUAL WATER COMPANY | 120 | 0 | Clean |
| MONTECITO SEA MEADOWS | 70 | 0 | Clean |
| CACHUMA VILLAGE | 60 | 0 | Clean |
| VIEJA MUTUAL WATER COMPANY | 60 | 0 | Clean |
| LINGATE LANE MUTUAL WATER COMPANY | 55 | 1 | Health |
| ESTERINA PROPERTIES | 50 | 1 | Health |
| ROSARIO PARK | 38 | 0 | Clean |
| CACHUMA PROJECT | 0 | 0 | Clean |
Does this city have health-based water violations?
These health-based records can represent Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL), Treatment Technique (TT), or Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL) categories. A historical record does not establish that water is currently unsafe.
| Water system | Contaminant | Begin Date |
|---|---|---|
| ESTERINA PROPERTIES | LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | 2024-10-17 |
| ELLWOOD MUTUAL WATER COMPANY | LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | 2024-10-17 |
| LINGATE LANE MUTUAL WATER COMPANY | LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | 2024-10-17 |
| MAGIC MOUNTAIN MUTUAL WATER COMPANY | Groundwater Rule | 2019-04-01 |
| MAGIC MOUNTAIN MUTUAL WATER COMPANY | Groundwater Rule | 2019-04-01 |
| MAGIC MOUNTAIN MUTUAL WATER COMPANY | Lead and Copper Rule | 2014-02-25 |
| MAGIC MOUNTAIN MUTUAL WATER COMPANY | Lead and Copper Rule | 2014-02-25 |
| MAGIC MOUNTAIN MUTUAL WATER COMPANY | Coliform (TCR) | 2007-11-01 |
| MAGIC MOUNTAIN MUTUAL WATER COMPANY | Coliform (TCR) | 2007-11-01 |
| PAINTED CAVE | Coliform (TCR) | 1996-11-01 |
| PAINTED CAVE | Coliform (TCR) | 1996-11-01 |
What are Santa Barbara's health-based records for?
Santa Barbara's health-based violation records carry 4 distinct EPA codes: some name a substance, others the drinking-water rule that was breached. Counts are records on file in the EPA SDWIS extract, not current test results.
| Contaminant | Records | Systems |
|---|---|---|
| Coliform (TCR) | 4 | 2 |
| Lead and Copper Rule Revisions | 3 | 3 |
| Groundwater Rule | 2 | 1 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | 2 | 1 |
TRI Facilities in Santa Barbara
| Facility | Total Releases |
|---|---|
| Uscg Moorings Santa Barbara | 24 lbs |
| Cemex Santa Barbara Plant | 0 lbs |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does EPA SDWIS list for drinking water in Santa Barbara, California? ▼
How many water violations does Santa Barbara have in this EPA extract? ▼
What contaminants were found in Santa Barbara water? ▼
How many water systems serve Santa Barbara? ▼
Where does Santa Barbara get its drinking water? ▼
Are there pollution sources near Santa Barbara? ▼
How does Santa Barbara compare in California?
Of the 909 California places with at least one community water system on file, Santa Barbara ranks #20 by number of systems (17).
Either side of it: Oakdale (17), Royal Oaks (17), Thermal (17), Los Gatos (16)
About This Data
Figures here are the current EPA SDWIS extract joined to the 17 community water systems whose service area lists Santa Barbara, ranked against the 909 California places with at least one system on file. Data current as of 2026-08-25.
Water system data comes from the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). PlainEnviro's violation fetch is restricted upstream to records EPA flags as health-based and then joined to active community water systems. Monitoring and reporting violations are not included.
A health-based violation row in this extract is a historical EPA registry entry. It does not describe water delivered today or current compliance status. Many records are later resolved, and public water systems notify customers when required. For current conditions, contact your local water utility or the state drinking water program.
TRI facility data comes from the EPA Toxic Release Inventory. Facilities shown are those that self-report to the TRI program. PlainEnviro presents this data without advocacy framing.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.