Bakersfield Tap Water Quality Report
Bakersfield's water has 1 contaminant above EPA MCLGs. Consider using a certified water filter for additional protection.
No single water system serves most of Bakersfield (417,468 residents, Census 2024 estimate). Its large systems are BAKERSFIELD, CITY OF (EPA counts 154,324 people served, about 37% of Bakersfield's population); CWS - BAKERSFIELD (EPA counts 259,157 people served, about 62% of Bakersfield's population). EPA's counts may include people served outside Bakersfield, so each share is at most that. Check which one bills you: each system's figures are shown separately below.
- BAKERSFIELD, CITY OF: 157 contaminants tested, 1 above EPA MCLGs; health-based violations since 2020: 0
- CWS - BAKERSFIELD: 191 contaminants tested, 2 above EPA MCLGs; health-based violations since 2020: 0
Other systems listed for Bakersfield with results above guidelines: EAST WILSON ROAD WATER COMPANY (1 above guidelines), PANAMA ROAD PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOC (1 above guidelines), FOUNTAIN TRAILER PARK WATER (1 above guidelines), CWS - BAKERSFIELD (2 above guidelines), LERDO SHERIFF S FACILITY (2 above guidelines), OASIS PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION (1 above guidelines), VAUGHN WC INC (1 above guidelines), EL ADOBE POA, INC. (2 above guidelines), KRANENBURG WATER SYSTEM (1 above guidelines), CWS - NORTH GARDEN (2 above guidelines)
Water systems
2 large systems
Residents (Census 2024)
417,468
Health-based violations since 2020
0
BAKERSFIELD, CITY OF. EPA SDWA violation data as of Q2 2026 (downloaded 2026-07-09).
Latest sample on file
Jun 2024 · BAKERSFIELD, CITY OF
Utilities publish newer results in their annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report).
Is Bakersfield Tap Water Safe to Drink?
We recommend using a certified water filter for additional protection, especially for vulnerable populations like children, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems. Bakersfield's water has 1 contaminant above EPA health-based guidelines (MCLGs), while it meets federal legal limits.
BAKERSFIELD, CITY OF, Bakersfield's water system, serves 154,324 people. 21 other systems are listed for Bakersfield. Each system's results are listed under its own name, never added to BAKERSFIELD, CITY OF's. Water quality testing is conducted regularly and reported to the EPA. The latest sample on file for BAKERSFIELD, CITY OF is from Jun 2024.
Boil water advisories are issued by water systems and state agencies, and they change from day to day. Boil water advisories in California
Bakersfield Water Service Areas
What these numbers actually mean for Bakersfield, CA
We read Bakersfield, CA’s published record and send you a short report — which findings warrant a decision, which to ignore, and what to do about it. Including when the answer is nothing.
- 1 contaminant above EPA MCLGs, 16 contaminants with an EPA health goal detected in some samples (no level on file) and 1 nitrate reading above 10 mg/L whose basis is unconfirmed (above EPA's limit if measured as nitrogen, within it if measured as nitrate)
- 143 results on file
- 23 PFAS compounds on record
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Recommended Water Filters for Bakersfield
Based on Bakersfield's water quality data, these NSF-certified filters are recommended to remove contaminants above EPA MCLGs.
Culligan
ZeroWater
NSF Certified:
Flow Rate
1.9 gpm
Daily Production
1 gpd
Highlights:
- Compact design
- Easy to set up
- Affordable
- NSF-42, NSF-53, NSF-401 certified
Removes 19 contaminants:
+14 more
Strontium, Molybdenum, Fluoride, Uranium, Lead, Total PFAS, Chlorine, 25, Phosphorus, Bicarbonate, Calcium, Carbonate, Magnesium, Sodium
Santevia
Bath Filter
NSF Certified:
Flow Rate
0.36 gpm
Highlights:
- Organic cotton design reduces plastic used in construction
- Affordable upfront & ongoing cost
- The only bath filter that removed 100% chlorine with “normal” faster faucet flow
Removes 1 contaminants:
Waterdrop
A1
NSF Certified:
Flow Rate
1 gpm
Highlights:
- Performance certified
- Lower price than Philips
- Hot water dispensing
- Compact design
Removes 5 contaminants:
Whirlpool Corporation
W11256135
NSF Certified:
Capacity
1001 gal
Filter Life
3 mo
Flow Rate
0.7 gpm
Removes 19 contaminants:
+14 more
Benzene, Carbofuran, Chlorine (Free), Chlorine (Total), Chlorine Dioxide, Chlorobenzene, Cryptosporidium, Ethylbenzene, Lead, Mercury, Metolachlor, Tetrachloroethylene, Toxaphene, Turbidity
Test Your Water Quality
Professional laboratory testing provides accurate, detailed analysis of your drinking water.
SimpleLab
Advanced Home Water Test
$269
Comprehensive water analysis testing over 200 contaminants including bacteria, heavy metals, and chemical compounds.
Tap Score
PFAS Forever Chemicals Test
$339.95
Specialized test for PFOA, PFOS, and 24 other forever chemicals. Essential for areas near military bases, airports, or industrial sites.
Tap Score
Advanced Microplastics Test
$829
Cutting-edge testing for microplastics particles in drinking water using advanced laboratory techniques.
What Bakersfield's water readings can explain
Utility-reported data for Bakersfield includes sulfate and a chlorine-based disinfectant — the readings behind these common tap water questions. We publish a city-level hardness figure for Bakersfield, resolved from its water systems where they report one and estimated from county sampling where they do not. Each page starts with the hot-tap and cold-tap check, then shows what your own water system reported.
On a private well near Bakersfield? Public-water results do not apply to private wells. See Kern County well water testing and USGS risk data — modeled arsenic, nitrate, and the tests to run.
Water softener cost and installation in Bakersfield
Bakersfield's tap water measures 1.6 grains per gallon (27.4 mg/L) — soft on the USGS scale, below the range where scale is usually worth treating.
Water softener cost for 1.6 gpg water in Bakersfield — equipment and local installation labour for your ZIP code, with the sizing arithmetic shown in full. For the national picture first, read what a water softener costs — equipment, installation labour and ten-year ownership, each separated out. For California as a whole, read water softener cost in California — priced against the plumber wage published for the state.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bakersfield Tap Water
Bakersfield's water has 1 contaminant above EPA MCLGs. While the water meets federal legal limits, we recommend using a certified water filter for additional protection, especially for vulnerable populations like children, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems.
Spotted something off on this page?
Residents keep our data honest.
This form corrects our data; it does not reach BAKERSFIELD, CITY OF. For a problem with your water now (discolored water, no water, low pressure, a leak), contact BAKERSFIELD, CITY OF directly.
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