PlainWater

Community Water System · PWS CA1510013

McFarland, City Of

McFarland, California 93250 - drinking water served from groundwater sources to 14,161 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

14,161
People served
157
EPA violations
55
Health-based
No PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 157 drinking-water violations at McFarland, City Of, 35% of them health-based - above the California per-system average.

157
Total EPA violations on record
35%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
14,161
People served by this system
0
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: McFarland, City Of

McFarland, City Of is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 14,161 residents in McFarland, California (Kern County) through 2,849 service connections. Its water is drawn from groundwater sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 157 total violations for this system , of which 55 (35%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 99 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2023.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is TTHM, recorded in 27 violations (MR). This system was sampled under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program and no PFAS compounds were detected above the minimum reporting level.

Across California, EPA tracks 7,249 public water systems serving 42,404,883 people, with 153,308 cumulative violations and 63,983 health-based violations on record. About 89% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 21.1 violations. Statewide, 447 of 694 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (64.4%).

McFarland, City Of's 157 violations sit above the California average.

All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.

Population Served
14,161
Total Violations
157
Health-Based Violations
55
Water Source
Groundwater

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
2,849
County
Kern
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
55
Monitoring Violations
99
Treatment Tech Violations
0

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
TTHM MR 27 2017
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 25 2017
Arsenic MCL 22 2013
Arsenic MR 19 2012
Nitrate MCL 19 2023
Coliform (TCR) MCL 14 2016
Coliform (TCR) MR 12 2012
Lead and Copper Rule MR 5 2021
Nitrate MR 4 2013
Revised Total Coliform Rule MON 2 2019
E. COLI MR 2 2020
Nitrate-Nitrite MR 2 2017
Consumer Confidence Rule Other 2 2007
Chlorine MR 1 2004

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 0 of 145 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
NMeFOSAA 8/20/2025 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 8/20/2025 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 8/20/2025 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 8/20/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 8/20/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 8/20/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 8/20/2025 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 8/20/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 8/20/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 8/20/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 8/20/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 8/20/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 8/20/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 8/20/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 8/20/2025 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 8/20/2025 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 8/20/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 8/20/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 8/20/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 8/20/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 8/20/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 8/20/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 8/20/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 8/20/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 8/20/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 8/20/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 8/20/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 8/20/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 8/20/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 8/20/2025 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 8/20/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 8/20/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 8/20/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 8/20/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 8/20/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 8/20/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 8/20/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 8/20/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 8/20/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 8/20/2025 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 8/20/2025 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 8/20/2025 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 8/20/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 8/20/2025 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 8/20/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 8/20/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 8/20/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 8/20/2025 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 8/20/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 8/20/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected

Verify This Water System

The figures above are aggregated from EPA's public databases. To verify the underlying records, or to file a complaint, request a Consumer Confidence Report, or check current monitoring status, go directly to the federal and state regulators that enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act for McFarland, City Of.

Federal Source of Truth

EPA SDWIS, Federal Reports

EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) holds the federal compliance record for every regulated public water system. Open the system-level report by PWS ID:

View PWS ID CA1510013 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

California Drinking Water Authority

California State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water is the primacy agency that licenses and inspects McFarland, City Of under EPA-delegated authority.

Open CA regulator portal

Source: California State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water

Violation Timeline

Each row links to the EPA SDWIS public record for verification. Cross-reference the contaminant code on EPA's federal report to see violation dates, return-to-compliance status, and enforcement actions.

Year (latest) Contaminant Category Count EPA Record
2023 Nitrate MCL 19 SDWIS / CA1510013 / 1040
2021 Lead and Copper Rule MR 5 SDWIS / CA1510013 / 5000
2020 E. COLI MR 2 SDWIS / CA1510013 / 3014
2019 Revised Total Coliform Rule MON 2 SDWIS / CA1510013 / 8000
2017 TTHM MR 27 SDWIS / CA1510013 / 2950
2017 Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 25 SDWIS / CA1510013 / 2456
2017 Nitrate-Nitrite MR 2 SDWIS / CA1510013 / 1038
2016 Coliform (TCR) MCL 14 SDWIS / CA1510013 / 3100
2013 Arsenic MCL 22 SDWIS / CA1510013 / 1005
2013 Nitrate MR 4 SDWIS / CA1510013 / 1040
2012 Arsenic MR 19 SDWIS / CA1510013 / 1005
2012 Coliform (TCR) MR 12 SDWIS / CA1510013 / 3100
2007 Consumer Confidence Rule Other 2 SDWIS / CA1510013 / 7000
2004 Chlorine MR 1 SDWIS / CA1510013 / 0999

How McFarland, City Of Compares

Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.

Metric McFarland, City Of California avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 157 21.1 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 55 8.8 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection None 64.4% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 14,161 5,850 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 7,249 regulated public water systems in California.

Federal MCL reference, Safe Drinking Water Act thresholds
Contaminant Federal MCL / Action Level Note
Lead 0 mg/L (Action Level: 0.015 mg/L) Lead and Copper Rule treatment technique
Arsenic 0.010 mg/L (10 ppb) Health-based MCL since 2006
Total Coliform Treatment technique (RTCR) Indicator organism, monitoring trigger
PFOA / PFOS (PFAS) 4.0 ppt each (final 2024 rule) Compliance deadline 2029 (EPA proposed extending to 2031, not yet final as of May 2026)
Nitrate (as N) 10 mg/L Acute health risk for infants

Frequently Asked Questions

Is McFarland, City Of water safe to drink?
McFarland, City Of (PWS ID: CA1510013) has 157 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing. This system serves 14,161 people using Groundwater sources.
How many people does McFarland, City Of serve?
McFarland, City Of serves 14,161 people in McFarland, California. It is a Local-owned system using Groundwater water sources with 2,849 service connections.
What type of violations does McFarland, City Of have?
McFarland, City Of has 157 total violations: 55 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 99 monitoring/reporting violations, and 0 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in McFarland, City Of water?
No. McFarland, City Of was tested for PFAS under the EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program and no PFAS contamination was detected.
What water source does McFarland, City Of use?
McFarland, City Of uses Groundwater as its primary water source. It is classified as a Community Water System (CWS), serving residential populations year-round.
Where does this data come from?
All data comes from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and the UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program. SDWIS tracks compliance for all public water systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Data Sources: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), Q4 2025. PFAS data from EPA UCMR5 monitoring program (2023-2025). This data is provided for informational purposes only.
Data sourced from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 PFAS monitoring data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainWater Editorial

Every figure on PlainWater is rendered directly from EPA SDWIS drinking-water data, no number is typed in by an editor. This system's figures are rendered directly from EPA SDWIS data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.