Water Quality Report · Updated May 12, 2026
San Bernardino Municipal Water System
San Bernardino Municipal Water System delivers tap water graded D (59/100) by TapWaterSafety.org. The utility serves approximately 222,000 residents in San Bernardino, California using groundwater from the Bunker Hill Basin. The most significant water quality concerns are: Arsenic significantly above health guideline; Chromium-6 detected; Radium-228 detected. For questions, the utility can be reached at (213) 638-8557.
Is San Bernardino tap water safe to drink?
San Bernardino Municipal Water System 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 222,000 residents in San Bernardino, drawing from groundwater (Bunker Hill Basin) and disinfecting with chloramine.
Public testing data identifies 21 contaminants in this water above EWG's health-based guidelines, including: Arsenic, Arsenic, Arsenic, Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Chromium-6 (Hexavalent), Chromium-6 (Hexavalent), Chromium-6 (Hexavalent), Nitrate, Radium-228, Radium-228, Nitrate, Nitrate, Radium-228, Lead, Lead, Lead. 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 San Bernardino residents
Top concerns in this water
Based on the most recent EPA and EWG data, these are the most significant water quality issues for San Bernardino Municipal Water System.
Arsenic significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernArsenic detected at 1.84 ppb, 460x above the EWG health guideline of 0.004 ppb.
Chromium-6 detected
Moderate concernChromium-6 detected at 0.18 ppb.
Radium-228 detected
Moderate concernRadium-228 detected at 0.13 pCi/L.
Contact San Bernardino Municipal Water System
Reach the utility directly for service issues, water quality concerns, or to request your Consumer Confidence Report.
General Contact
Water Quality Contact
For questions about contaminants, test results, or your Consumer Confidence Report.
Treatment Plant
Recommended water filters for San Bernardino
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.
Reverse Osmosis or water softener
$249-$750RO removes radium effectively; ion-exchange water softeners also reduce radium concentration.
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 |
1.84 ppb | 0.004 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 0.004 | 2023 | 460× over |
| Arsenic Heavy metal |
1.5 ppb | 0.004 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 0.004 | 2024 | 375× over |
| Arsenic Heavy metal |
1.29 ppb | 0.004 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 0.004 | 2022 | 322× over |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
2.9 ppb | 0.1 | 60 | 60 | — | — | 2024 | 29× over |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
2.79 ppb | 0.1 | 60 | 60 | — | — | 2022 | 28× over |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
2.22 ppb | 0.1 | 60 | 60 | — | — | 2023 | 22× over |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
9.65 ppb | 0.6 | 80 | 100 | — | — | 2022 | 16× over |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
8.9 ppb | 0.6 | 80 | 100 | — | — | 2024 | 15× over |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
7.65 ppb | 0.6 | 80 | 100 | — | — | 2023 | 13× over |
| Chromium-6 (Hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.225 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | 0.02 | 2023 | 11× over |
| Chromium-6 (Hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.22 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | 0.02 | 2022 | 11× over |
| Chromium-6 (Hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.18 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | 0.02 | 2024 | 9.0× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
0.975 mg/L | 0.14 | 10 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | 2022 | 7.0× over |
| Radium-228 Radiological |
0.13 pCi/L | 0.019 | 5 | — | 0.1 | 0.019 | 2023 | 6.8× over |
| Radium-228 Radiological |
0.13 pCi/L | 0.019 | 5 | — | 0.1 | 0.019 | 2024 | 6.8× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
0.9 mg/L | 0.14 | 10 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | 2024 | 6.4× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
0.791 mg/L | 0.14 | 10 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | 2023 | 5.6× over |
| Radium-228 Radiological |
0.105 pCi/L | 0.019 | 5 | — | 0.1 | 0.019 | 2022 | 5.5× over |
| Lead Heavy metal |
0.7 ppb | 0 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 0.2 | 2024 | — |
| Lead Heavy metal |
0.681 ppb | 0 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 0.2 | 2023 | — |
| Lead Heavy metal |
0.891 ppb | 0 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 0.2 | 2022 | — |
| Contaminant | Detected (2024) | EWG | EPA | EU DWD | WHO | CA PHG | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
8.9 ppb | 0.6 | 80 | 100 | — | — | 15× over |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
2.9 ppb | 0.1 | 60 | 60 | — | — | 29× over |
| Lead Heavy metal |
0.7 ppb | 0 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 0.2 | — |
| Arsenic Heavy metal |
1.5 ppb | 0.004 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 0.004 | 375× over |
| Radium-228 Radiological |
0.13 pCi/L | 0.019 | 5 | — | 0.1 | 0.019 | 6.8× over |
| Chromium-6 (Hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.18 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | 0.02 | 9.0× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
0.9 mg/L | 0.14 | 10 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | 6.4× over |
| Contaminant | Detected (2023) | EWG | EPA | EU DWD | WHO | CA PHG | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
7.65 ppb | 0.6 | 80 | 100 | — | — | 13× over |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
2.22 ppb | 0.1 | 60 | 60 | — | — | 22× over |
| Lead Heavy metal |
0.681 ppb | 0 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 0.2 | — |
| Arsenic Heavy metal |
1.84 ppb | 0.004 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 0.004 | 460× over |
| Radium-228 Radiological |
0.13 pCi/L | 0.019 | 5 | — | 0.1 | 0.019 | 6.8× over |
| Chromium-6 (Hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.225 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | 0.02 | 11× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
0.791 mg/L | 0.14 | 10 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | 5.6× over |
| Contaminant | Detected (2022) | EWG | EPA | EU DWD | WHO | CA PHG | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
9.65 ppb | 0.6 | 80 | 100 | — | — | 16× over |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
2.79 ppb | 0.1 | 60 | 60 | — | — | 28× over |
| Lead Heavy metal |
0.891 ppb | 0 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 0.2 | — |
| Arsenic Heavy metal |
1.29 ppb | 0.004 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 0.004 | 322× over |
| Radium-228 Radiological |
0.105 pCi/L | 0.019 | 5 | — | 0.1 | 0.019 | 5.5× over |
| Chromium-6 (Hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.22 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | 0.02 | 11× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
0.975 mg/L | 0.14 | 10 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | 7.0× over |
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, and San Bernardino Municipal Water System's Consumer Confidence Report.
San Bernardino Municipal Water System service area
This water system serves 1 community in San Bernardino County, California. Click any city for its dedicated tap water quality page.
Find the right filter for San Bernardino water
Browse filter categories by water-quality concern. Each option below is NSF-certified for the matched contaminant type.