States ›California ›Kern County ›Kernville

Kernville, CA Tap Water Quality 2026

Water quality report for Kernville, CA — PFAS, lead and copper results, violation history and state inspection findings from EPA SDWIS.

A look at Kernville's drinking water using EPA enforcement records: violations, lead and copper results, PFAS sampling and state inspection findings.

Main Utility: Cws - Kernville PWSID: CA1510033 Updated: 2026 Q2
✅

No federal limits exceeded on record

Lead is 7.40 ppb, 49% of the action level and no violations are open. PFAS has never been sampled at this system.

C

Kernville earns a C for water quality

Graded on violations and lead, with state inspection findings. PFAS not tested.

Lead: 7.40 ppb — 49% of the federal action level
PFAS never sampled at this system
12 violations since 2015, 12 health-based
No violations currently open
Kernville's lead level vs. all California community water systems
0 ppb5 ppb10 ppb15 ppb
Lead level: 7.40 ppb — 49% of the federal action level
✓ Lower lead than 7% of California utilities
Population Served
1172
~1882 connections
Water Source
Surface water
Drawn from surface water — SDWIS source code SW
Active Violations
0
12 since 2015, all resolved

Lead & Copper Testing

Lead (Pb)
90th percentile of tap samples collected across the distribution system
49% of EPA action level
7.40 ppb
Action level: 15 ppb
Copper (Cu)
90th percentile of tap samples. SDWIS reports a copper figure only when a system exceeds the action level, so any value here is an exceedance.
123.1% of EPA action level
1,600 ppb
Action level: 1,300 ppb
The 90th-percentile lead result is 7.40 ppb, 49% of the 15 ppb federal action level. The action level is a treatment trigger, not a legal maximum, and it is measured across sampled taps rather than at any single home. Copper reached the action level here; a copper figure appears in SDWIS only when a system triggers it.

Contaminant Violations (2015–Present)

ContaminantTypeMeasuredLimitPeriodStatus
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MCL EXCEEDANCE 0.067 MG/L 0.060 mg/L 2019 Resolved
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MCL EXCEEDANCE 0.061 MG/L 0.060 mg/L 2019 Resolved
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MCL EXCEEDANCE 0.063 MG/L 0.060 mg/L 2019 Resolved
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MCL EXCEEDANCE 0.064 MG/L 0.060 mg/L 2018 Resolved
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MCL EXCEEDANCE 0.084 MG/L 0.060 mg/L 2017 Resolved
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MCL EXCEEDANCE 0.069 MG/L 0.060 mg/L 2017 Resolved
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MCL EXCEEDANCE 0.064 MG/L 0.060 mg/L 2017 Resolved
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MCL EXCEEDANCE 0.072 MG/L 0.060 mg/L 2017 Resolved
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MCL EXCEEDANCE 0.079 MG/L 0.060 mg/L 2016 Resolved
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MCL EXCEEDANCE 0.08 MG/L 0.060 mg/L 2016 Resolved
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MCL EXCEEDANCE 0.087 MG/L 0.060 mg/L 2016 Resolved
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MCL EXCEEDANCE 0.074 MG/L 0.060 mg/L 2016 Resolved
Understanding violation types MCL violations mean a contaminant exceeded the federal maximum limit — the most serious type.
TT (Treatment Technique) violations mean required treatment procedures weren't followed, but don't necessarily mean contamination occurred.

Violation History

12 violations are on record since 2015, of which 12 were health-based. All have been resolved and none remain open.

About the Main Water System

Utility Cws - Kernville
PWSID CA1510033
Water source Surface water — Drawn from surface water — SDWIS source code SW
Population served 1,172
Service connections 1,882
Systems serving this area 7
Regulator State primacy agency
Data through 2026 Q2 — EPA SDWIS

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Kernville tap water safe to drink? ▼
No federal limit is exceeded on record. No violations are currently open. Lead is 7.40 ppb, 49% of the action level.
Does Kernville water have PFAS? ▼
This system has never been sampled for PFAS. EPA's national monitoring covered systems serving 3,300 people or more, so no results exist — which is not evidence that none is present.
Who supplies water to Kernville? ▼
Cws - Kernville (PWSID CA1510033), one of 7 systems serving this area. Surface water. Drawn from surface water — SDWIS source code SW
When was this system last inspected? ▼
It was last inspected on 2025-10-29. No significant deficiencies were recorded.

What Should Kernville Residents Do?

1
Consider a filter certified for lead
Look for NSF/ANSI 53 certification for lead reduction.
2
Check for a lead service line
Lead reaches tap water mainly through service lines and household plumbing. Suppliers now publish an inventory identifying lead lines.
3
Flush before drinking
If water has sat in pipes more than six hours, run the cold tap for two minutes before drinking or cooking.

Nearby Cities in California

Bakersfield, Ca Tap Water Quality 2026 Kern Delano, Ca Tap Water Quality 2026 Kern Oildale, Ca Tap Water Quality 2026 Kern Ridgecrest, Ca Tap Water Quality 2026 Kern East Niles, Ca Tap Water Quality 2026 Kern Wasco, Ca Tap Water Quality 2026 Kern