Rand Communities Water District
What EPA’s and California’s records show in this utility’s water: nitrate, arsenic and other regulated chemicals; lead and copper; and violations since 2016, with the certification that handles each result.
- Serves
- 303 people
- Connections
- 277
- Water source
- Groundwater
- Based in
- Johanesburg, CA
- County
- Kern
- Owner
- Local government
- Hardness
- Hard
The short answer
1 result is above EPA’s legal limit, and 1 more is above the health goal. The worst: Arsenic, above the legal limit. 30 health-based violations since 2016.
What handles itWhat was found
Arsenic, uranium, nitrate, total trihalomethanes (TTHM), haloacetic acids (HAA5), fluoride and chromium (total): California’s own results, samples taken from March 3, 2020 to May 5, 2026, with EPA’s 2012 to 2019 file for earlier years.
Above the legal limit1
Arsenic
Comes from the source
17.6ppb
Highest yearly average, 2020 to 2026
2026 average: 15.8 ppb
Averaged by year, the highest was 17.6 ppb, in 2020, above EPA’s legal limit of 10 ppb. Its highest single sample was 28 ppb. In 2026, the latest year on file, its six samples averaged 15.8 ppb, above the limit. EPA recorded violations for arsenic at this utility in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. Earlier, from 2012 to 2019, EPA’s file shows a highest yearly average of 17 ppb, in 2019, and EPA recorded violations in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
What handles it
- NSF/ANSI 58 look for “Arsenic (Pentavalent)<=50 ppb Reduction”
- NSF/ANSI 53 look for “Arsenic (Pentavalent)<=50 ppb Reduction”
Above the health goal1
Uranium
Comes from the source
4.6ppb
Highest yearly average, 2025
Averaged by year, the highest was 4.6 ppb, in 2025: below EPA’s legal limit of 30 ppb, but above its health goal of zero. That is the only year on file.
What handles it
- NSF/ANSI 58 look for “Uranium”
Below EPA’s limits4
Nitrate
Comes from the source
7.3ppm
Highest sample; found in 22 of 22
2025 average: 5.3 ppm
The highest sample, in 2021, was 7.3 ppm, below EPA’s legal limit of 10 ppm. In 2025, the latest year on file, its two samples averaged 5.3 ppm. Earlier, from 2012 to 2019, EPA’s file shows a highest sample of 7.2 ppm, in 2018.
What handles it
- NSF/ANSI 58 look for “Nitrate/Nitrite Reduction”
- NSF/ANSI 53 look for “Nitrate/Nitrite (30 ppm challenge)”
Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)
Forms or is added in treatment
15.9ppb
Highest yearly average, 2021 to 2025
2025: not found
Averaged by year, the highest was 15.9 ppb, in 2021, below EPA’s legal limit of 80 ppb. In 2025, the latest year on file, it wasn’t found in its one sample. Earlier, from 2012 to 2019, EPA’s file shows a highest yearly average of 14.5 ppb, in 2018.
What handles it
- NSF/ANSI 53 look for “Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Reduction”
- NSF/ANSI 58 look for “Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Reduction”
Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
Forms or is added in treatment
7.0ppb
Highest yearly average, 2021
Averaged by year, the highest was 7.0 ppb, in 2021, below EPA’s legal limit of 60 ppb. That is the only year on file. Earlier, from 2012 to 2019, EPA’s file shows a highest yearly average of 2.6 ppb, in 2018.
What handles it
No certification claim covers this compound yet.
Fluoride
Forms or is added in treatment
0.34ppm
Highest yearly average, 2020 to 2023
2023, one sample: 0.27 ppm
Averaged by year, the highest was 0.34 ppm, in 2022, below EPA’s legal limit of 4.0 ppm. Its highest single sample was 0.35 ppm. In 2023, the latest year on file, its one sample was 0.27 ppm. Earlier, from 2012 to 2019, EPA’s file shows a highest yearly average of 0.35 ppm, in 2013.
What handles it
- NSF/ANSI 58 look for “Fluoride Reduction”
- NSF/ANSI 53 look for “Fluoride”
2 compounds tested and not foundBelow the reporting level in every sample. Not found is not the same as zero.
- Chromium (total)
- Lead
What handles it
A certification covers specific claims, not a whole standard. Look for these claims on the certifier’s listing, not the box. Wording varies a little: NSF writes “Lead Reduction,” WQA just “Lead.”
- NSF/ANSI 53
Claim: Arsenic (Pentavalent)<=50 ppb Reduction
For: Arsenic
Other certifiers’ wording: Arsenic (III) (50 ppb influent level)
- NSF/ANSI 58
Claims: Arsenic (Pentavalent)<=50 ppb Reduction, Uranium
For: Arsenic, Uranium
Other certifiers’ wording: Arsenic (Pentavalent)<=300 ppb Reduction; Arsenic (V) (300 ppb influent level)
At the tap, or for the whole house?
These come with the water itself, so a whole-house system certified for the same claims treats every tap and shower. A filter at the tap treats drinking water for much less. How whole-house systems compare.
Filters with those claims on a certifier’s listing
Disclosure: TapBuff earns a commission if you buy through some links on this page. It does not change which standard or filter we name. As an Amazon Associate, TapBuff earns from qualifying purchases. How TapBuff makes money
Countertop reverse osmosis
- IAPMO listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 58NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 4, 2026
Certified for: Arsenic
Aquasana SmartFlow Reverse Osmosis (AQ-SFRO2)
Under-sink reverse osmosis
- WQA listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 58NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 9, 2026
Certified for: Arsenic
Brondell Capella RC250 Reverse Osmosis System
Under-sink reverse osmosis
- WQA listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 58NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 9, 2026
Certified for: Arsenic
Hardness
Hard, typically 143 mg/L (8.3 grains per gallon), across 2 sampling points, 2019 to 2023.
Hardness is calcium and magnesium. EPA sets no limit for it: it shows up as scale on fixtures and in water heaters, and as soap that won’t lather. USGS calls water above 60 mg/L moderately hard, above 120 hard and above 180 very hard.
Violations since 2016
| Contaminant or rule | Type | Period | Measured | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lead and Copper Rule Revisions | The required inventory of lead service lines was not completed or submitted on time.EPA: LSL Inventory | Oct. 17, 2024 | — | Unaddressed |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | July 1, 2023 to Sept. 30, 2023 | 0.021 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | April 1, 2023 to June 30, 2023 | 0.023 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | Jan. 1, 2023 to March 31, 2023 | 0.023 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | Oct. 1, 2022 to Dec. 31, 2022 | 0.022 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | July 1, 2022 to Sept. 30, 2022 | 0.022 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | April 1, 2022 to June 30, 2022 | 0.022 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | Jan. 1, 2022 to March 31, 2022 | 0.022 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | Oct. 1, 2021 to Dec. 31, 2021 | 0.023 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | April 1, 2021 to June 30, 2021 | 0.024 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | Jan. 1, 2021 to March 31, 2021 | 0.025 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | Oct. 1, 2020 to Dec. 31, 2020 | 0.025 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | July 1, 2020 to Sept. 30, 2020 | 0.025 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | Jan. 1, 2020 to March 31, 2020 | 0.023 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | Oct. 1, 2019 to Dec. 31, 2019 | 0.023 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | July 1, 2019 to Sept. 30, 2019 | 0.022 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | April 1, 2019 to June 30, 2019 | 0.021 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | Jan. 1, 2019 to March 31, 2019 | 0.019 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | Oct. 1, 2018 to Dec. 31, 2018 | 0.018 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | July 1, 2018 to Sept. 30, 2018 | 0.019 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | April 1, 2018 to June 30, 2018 | 0.018 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | Jan. 1, 2018 to March 31, 2018 | 0.02 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | Oct. 1, 2017 to Dec. 31, 2017 | 0.02 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | July 1, 2017 to Sept. 30, 2017 | 0.019 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | April 1, 2017 to June 30, 2017 | 0.019 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | Jan. 1, 2017 to March 31, 2017 | 0.019 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | Oct. 1, 2016 to Dec. 31, 2016 | 0.019 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | July 1, 2016 to Sept. 30, 2016 | 0.019 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | April 1, 2016 to June 30, 2016 | 0.019 MG/L | Archived |
| Arsenic | The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average | Jan. 1, 2016 to March 31, 2016 | 0.02 MG/L | Archived |
| Health-based violations only. Resolved and archived mean the utility returned to compliance or the state closed the record. 8 monitoring or reporting violations not shown. | ||||
What this report can’t tell you
Everything else. Arsenic, uranium, nitrate, total trihalomethanes (TTHM), haloacetic acids (HAA5), fluoride and chromium (total) results here are California’s own from 2020 on, with EPA’s national file for 2012 to 2019. Rand Communities Water District’s own annual report, which it must send you every year, has the contaminants this page does not show.
Your own plumbing. Lead results are the 90th percentile across homes the utility samples. Your home’s service line, solder and fixtures decide yours. A certified lab test is the only way to know.
What it means for your health. This page reports what the records show and EPA’s limits and goals; it is not medical advice. If you are worried about a health effect, talk to a doctor or your local health department.
Anything after the latest data. SDWIS data is from 2026 Q3; UCMR 5 didn’t sample this utility; California’s results run from March 3, 2020 to May 5, 2026.
Testing your own tap
The lab California certifies closest to the area Rand Communities Water District serves, in a straight line. Call first: certification is test by test, and not every lab takes samples from homeowners.
Geo-Monitor, Inc
Hesperia, CA · about 68 miles
Certified for bacteria
Sources
- EPA UCMR 5 occurrence data, file of Oct. 15, 2026
- EPA SDWA bulk download (SDWIS federal data), 2026 Q3
- California State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, results from Jan. 1, 2020 to July 17, 2026, read Oct. 8, 2026
- EPA Six-Year Review 4 compliance monitoring data, 2012 to 2019, file of Feb. 5, 2024
- Certified labs: California State Water Resources Control Board, ELAP accredited laboratories and their fields of accreditation, read Oct. 17, 2026; distances from the Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation area gazetteer
- Hardness: California State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, results from March 19, 2019 to April 18, 2023, read Oct. 10, 2026
- Limits and goals: each contaminant’s page, with its EPA source.
- How this page is built: methodology.
PWSID CA1510016. Rebuilt from EPA data on Oct. 18, 2026.
What to do next
- Read up on the 2 results above a lineWhat each one does to health, where it comes from, and the certification claim that addresses it.Start with Arsenic
- Get the utility’s own reportRand Communities Water District must send you a water quality report every year. It covers contaminants this page does not show.How to read it
- Test your own tap for leadYour service line, solder and fixtures decide the lead at your faucet, not the utility’s average.Lead in your water: what to do
- Compare certified filtersWhat the filters certified for these results cost over five years, cartridges included.Compare five-year costs