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Community Water System · PWS CA1510038

Bear Valley Csd

Tehachapi, California 93561 - drinking water served from groundwater sources to 5,592 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

5,592
People served
25
EPA violations
15
Health-based
1 PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 25 drinking-water violations at Bear Valley Csd, 60% of them health-based - above the California per-system average, and UCMR5 testing detected 1 PFAS compound.

25
Total EPA violations on record
60%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
5,592
People served by this system
1
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Bear Valley Csd

Bear Valley Csd is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 5,592 residents in Tehachapi, California (Kern County) through 3,051 service connections. Its water is drawn from groundwater sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 25 total violations for this system , of which 15 (60%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 6 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2024.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Coliform (TCR), recorded in 8 violations (MCL, health-based). Under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, 1 PFAS compound was detected in samples collected from this system, with a maximum reported concentration of 5.7 ppt (parts per trillion). PFAS are persistent synthetic chemicals linked to health effects at very low exposure levels.

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%).

Bear Valley Csd's 25 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.

PFAS Detected

1 PFAS "forever chemicals" detected in testing under EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program.

Population Served
5,592
Total Violations
25
Health-Based Violations
15
Water Source
Groundwater

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
3,051
County
Kern
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
14
Monitoring Violations
6
Treatment Tech Violations
1

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Coliform (TCR) MCL 8 2006
Combined Uranium MCL 4 2011
Nitrate MR 2 2001
Coliform (TCR) MR 2 2014
Nitrate MCL 2 2001
TTHM MR 1 2004
LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS RPT 1 2024
LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS TT 1 2024
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 1 2004

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 1 of 348 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
8:2 FTS 4/10/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 4/10/2024 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 4/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 4/10/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 4/10/2024 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 4/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 4/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 4/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 4/10/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 4/10/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 4/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 4/10/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 4/10/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 4/10/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 4/10/2024 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 4/10/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 4/10/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 4/10/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 4/10/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 4/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 4/10/2024 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 4/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 4/10/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 4/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 4/10/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 4/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 4/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 4/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 4/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 4/10/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 4/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 4/10/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 4/10/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 4/10/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 4/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 4/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 4/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 4/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 4/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 4/10/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 4/10/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 4/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 4/10/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 4/10/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 4/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 4/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 4/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 4/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 4/10/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 4/10/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 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 Bear Valley Csd.

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 CA1510038 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 Bear Valley Csd 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
2024 LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS RPT 1 SDWIS / CA1510038 / 5200
2024 LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS TT 1 SDWIS / CA1510038 / 5200
2014 Coliform (TCR) MR 2 SDWIS / CA1510038 / 3100
2011 Combined Uranium MCL 4 SDWIS / CA1510038 / 4006
2006 Coliform (TCR) MCL 8 SDWIS / CA1510038 / 3100
2004 TTHM MR 1 SDWIS / CA1510038 / 2950
2004 Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 1 SDWIS / CA1510038 / 2456
2001 Nitrate MR 2 SDWIS / CA1510038 / 1040
2001 Nitrate MCL 2 SDWIS / CA1510038 / 1040

How Bear Valley Csd Compares

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

Metric Bear Valley Csd California avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 25 21.1 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 15 8.8 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection 1 compound 64.4% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 5,592 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 Bear Valley Csd water safe to drink?
Bear Valley Csd (PWS ID: CA1510038) has 25 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. PFAS contamination has been detected in UCMR5 testing, with 1 PFAS compound found. This system serves 5,592 people using Groundwater sources.
How many people does Bear Valley Csd serve?
Bear Valley Csd serves 5,592 people in Tehachapi, California. It is a Local-owned system using Groundwater water sources with 3,051 service connections.
What type of violations does Bear Valley Csd have?
Bear Valley Csd has 25 total violations: 15 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 6 monitoring/reporting violations, and 1 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Bear Valley Csd water?
Yes. UCMR5 testing detected 1 PFAS compound in Bear Valley Csd's water supply: PFOA. PFAS are persistent "forever chemicals" that do not break down in the environment.
What water source does Bear Valley Csd use?
Bear Valley Csd 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.