Tap Water Quality Report
Tap water quality in SOUTH BEND, Indiana
Tap water in SOUTH BEND, Indiana receives a grade of D (62/100) from TapWaterSafety.org. It's served by SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS. The most significant water quality concerns are: PFAS contamination; Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) significantly above health guideline; Arsenic significantly above health guideline; Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline. Data sources: EPA SDWIS, EPA ECHO, EWG Tap Water Database.
What's in SOUTH BEND's tap water
Top water quality concerns identified by the EPA and Environmental Working Group across the utility serving SOUTH BEND.
PFAS contamination
Severe concernPerfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) detected. PFAS are persistent chemicals linked to cancer and immune effects with no known safe exposure threshold.
Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernPerfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) detected at 2.12 ppt, 2122x above the EWG health guideline of 0.001 ppt.
Arsenic significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernArsenic detected at 0.644 ppb, 161x above the EWG health guideline of 0.004 ppb.
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernTotal trihalomethanes (TTHMs) detected at 23.1 ppb, 154x above the EWG health guideline of 0.15 ppb.
Recommended filters for SOUTH BEND
Filters matched to the specific contaminants in SOUTH BEND's water supply.
Reverse Osmosis or NSF P473 certified carbon
$80-$750Activated carbon and RO are the only technologies proven to remove PFAS at certified levels.
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.
All contaminants detected in SOUTH BEND's tap water
Every contaminant identified, compared side-by-side against US EPA legal limits, the EU Drinking Water Directive (2020/2184), WHO Guidelines, and California's Public Health Goal. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) PFAS |
2.12 ppt | 0.001 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | 2122× over |
| Arsenic Heavy metal |
0.644 ppb | 0.004 | 10.0 | 10 | 10 | 0.004 | — | 161× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
23.1 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 154× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
6.35 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 106× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
6.08 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 101× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
7.97 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 80× over |
| Dibromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
2.28 ppb | 0.03 | — | — | — | — | — | 76× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
3.58 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 36× over |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) PFAS |
1.34 ppt | 0.09 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | — | 15× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
1.99 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 14× over |
| Radium, combined (-226 and -228) Radiological |
0.64 pCi/L | 0.05 | 5.0 | — | — | — | — | 13× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
4.71 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 12× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
1.9 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 9.5× over |
| Bromoform Disinfection byproduct |
3.2 ppb | 0.5 | — | — | — | — | — | 6.4× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.113 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 5.7× over |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.167 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1.7× over |
| 1,4-Dioxane Semi-volatile organic compound |
0.192 ppb | 0.35 | — | — | 50 | 1 | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoropentane sulfonic acid (PFPeS) PFAS |
0.4 ppt | 1.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
30.3 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Chlorate Disinfection byproduct |
33.2 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Barium Heavy metal |
99.9 ppb | 700.0 | 2000.0 | — | 1300 | 2000 | — | Below guideline |
| Trichloroethylene Volatile organic compound |
0.0225 ppb | 0.4 | 5.0 | 10 | 20 | 1.7 | — | Below guideline |
| Molybdenum Other |
0.745 ppb | 40.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| 1,1-Dichloroethane Volatile organic compound |
0.0218 ppb | 3.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Vanadium Other |
0.105 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA) PFAS |
4.24 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutanoic Acid (PFBA) PFAS |
2.09 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) PFAS |
1.76 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) PFAS |
1.11 ppt | 2000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA) PFAS |
0.461 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.121 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| 1,1,1-Trichloroethane Other |
0.00671 ppb | — | 200.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Chlorodifluoromethane Other |
0.0117 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Chromium (total) Heavy metal |
1.3 ppb | — | 100.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene Volatile organic compound |
1.04 ppb | — | 70.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Fluoride Inorganic |
0.679 ppm | — | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | — | 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, California OEHHA PHGs, EWG Tap Water Database.
Treatment plant contact info
For service issues, water quality concerns, or to request a Consumer Confidence Report from SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS.