Water Quality Report · Updated May 12, 2026
CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT
CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT delivers tap water graded D (59/100) by TapWaterSafety.org. The utility serves approximately 99,323 residents in SANTA BARBARA, California using surface water. The most significant water quality concerns are: Arsenic significantly above health guideline; Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline; Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline. For questions, the utility can be reached at 805-564-5379.
Is SANTA BARBARA tap water safe to drink?
CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT delivers tap water that earns a grade of D (59/100) from TapWaterSafety.org — a below-average rating, with multiple concerns including arsenic significantly above health guideline.
The utility serves 99,323 residents in SANTA BARBARA, drawing from surface water. Despite being legal under US EPA standards, this water would fail the European Union's Drinking Water Directive, primarily due to arsenic significantly above health guideline.
Public testing data identifies 16 contaminants in this water above EWG's health-based guidelines, including: Arsenic, Haloacetic acids (HAA9), Haloacetic acids (HAA5), Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Bromodichloromethane, Bromochloroacetic acid, Dibromochloromethane, Dibromoacetic acid, Bromate, Trichloroacetic acid, Chloroform, Dichloroacetic acid, Chromium (hexavalent), Bromoform, Nitrate, Uranium. For most residents, a properly certified home filter at the kitchen tap is the most cost-effective way to reduce exposure to whatever's in your water. See our filter recommendations below, matched specifically to this utility's contaminant profile.
Quick actions for SANTA BARBARA residents
Top concerns in this water
Based on the most recent EPA and EWG data, these are the most significant water quality issues for CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT.
Arsenic significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernArsenic detected at 12.8 ppb, 3200x above the EWG health guideline of 0.004 ppb.
Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA9) detected at 23.2 ppb, 387x above the EWG health guideline of 0.06 ppb.
Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA5) detected at 36.2 ppb, 362x above the EWG health guideline of 0.1 ppb.
Contact CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT
Reach the utility directly for service issues, water quality concerns, or to request your Consumer Confidence Report.
General Contact
Treatment Plant
Recommended water filters for SANTA BARBARA
Filters matched to the specific contaminants in this water supply.
Reverse Osmosis
$249-$750Arsenic is most effectively removed by reverse osmosis. Some specialized adsorptive filters also work.
Carbon block (NSF/ANSI 42 + 53)
$40-$750Activated carbon is highly effective for disinfection byproducts like TTHM and HAA5.
Disclosure: TapWaterSafety earns a commission from purchases made through these links. This does not influence our scoring methodology or filter selection.
Score breakdown
This utility's overall score of 59/100 breaks down across five weighted components. Read the full methodology →
Contaminants detected — international standards comparison
Every contaminant detected, compared side-by-side against US EPA legal limits, the EU Drinking Water Directive (2020/2184), WHO Guidelines, and California's Public Health Goal (the strictest US benchmark). Why we show multiple standards →
| Contaminant | Detected | EWG US health-based |
EPA US legal |
EU DWD Europe |
WHO global |
CA PHG strictest US |
Tested sample year |
Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic Heavy metal |
12.8 ppb | 0.004 | 10.0 | 10 | 10 | 0.004 | — | EPA violation |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
23.2 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 387× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
36.2 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 362× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
31.0 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 207× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
8.96 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 149× over |
| Bromochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
2.47 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 124× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
7.33 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 73× over |
| Dibromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
1.85 ppb | 0.03 | — | — | — | — | — | 62× over |
| Bromate Disinfection byproduct |
3.85 ppb | 0.1 | 10.0 | 10 | 10 | 0.1 | — | 39× over |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
3.37 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 34× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
12.5 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 31× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
5.35 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 27× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.229 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 11× over |
| Bromoform Disinfection byproduct |
2.02 ppb | 0.5 | — | — | — | — | — | 4.0× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
0.445 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 3.2× over |
| Uranium Radiological |
1.23 pCi/L | 0.43 | 20.0 | 30 | 30 | 0.43 | — | 2.9× over |
| Chlorate Disinfection byproduct |
160.8 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
19.9 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Molybdenum Other |
7.08 ppb | 40.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Nitrate and nitrite Inorganic |
0.0168 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | Below guideline |
| Vanadium Other |
2.27 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Selenium Heavy metal |
3.16 ppb | 30.0 | 50.0 | 20 | 40 | 30 | — | Below guideline |
| 1,4-Dioxane Semi-volatile organic compound |
0.0163 ppb | 0.35 | — | — | 50 | 1 | — | Below guideline |
| Aluminum Heavy metal |
12.5 ppb | 600.0 | — | 200 | — | 600 | — | Below guideline |
| Monochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.615 ppb | 53.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Barium Heavy metal |
7.37 ppb | 700.0 | 2000.0 | — | 1300 | 2000 | — | Below guideline |
| Chloromethane Other |
0.0061 ppb | 2.69 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| 1,1-Dichloroethane Volatile organic compound |
0.00556 ppb | 3.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.983 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Monobromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.0115 ppb | 25.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Bromide Other |
344.9 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Chromium (total) Heavy metal |
0.0233 ppb | — | 100.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Fluoride Inorganic |
0.388 ppm | — | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Germanium Other |
0.276 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Lithium Other |
25.6 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
All values in the unit of the detected level. Red cells indicate the detected level exceeds that standard. Some contaminants have limits in some jurisdictions but not others (shown as —). The "Tested" column shows the year each contaminant sample was collected.
Sources: US EPA, EU Drinking Water Directive 2020/2184, WHO Guidelines (4th ed.), California OEHHA PHGs, EWG Tap Water Database.
CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER DEPARTMENT service area
This water system serves 1 community in Santa Barbara County, California. Click any city for its dedicated tap water quality page.
Find the right filter for SANTA BARBARA water
Browse filter categories by water-quality concern. Each option below is NSF-certified for the matched contaminant type.