Is Lake Isabella, CA tap water safe?
The short answer
6 of the 10 utilities serving Lake Isabella have a result above a legal limit or action level, or a health-based violation since 2016, in EPA’s and California’s records: Cws Southlake System, Kernvale Mutual Water Co, Clark Street Community Well and 3 more.
Lake Isabella Community Services Dist, which serves the most people here, has 1 result above the health goal. The worst: Lead at 10 ppb, above the health goal. Health goals are stricter than legal limits and are not enforced.
A town can be served by more than one utility, and some homes are on private wells. The name on your water bill tells you which is yours, and your ZIP code narrows it down. They are listed by how many people each serves in Lake Isabella’s ZIP codes, from EPA’s estimates.
- Open report
Lake Isabella Community Services Dist
California · serves 500 people · nearly all in Lake Isabella
1 result above the health goal. The worst: Lead at 10 ppb, above the health goal.
No health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Erskine Creek WC
California · serves 2,500 people · about 280 in Lake Isabella
3 results above the health goal. The worst: Arsenic at 8.5 ppb, above the health goal. Hardness: hard to very hard depending on the source, 160 to 190 mg/L (9.4 to 11.1 grains per gallon).
No health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Mountain Mesa WC
California · serves 777 people · about 260 in Lake Isabella
1 result above the limit’s level with no violation recorded and 3 results above the health goal. The worst: Arsenic at 13.3 ppb, above the limit’s level, no violation. Hardness: very hard, typically 335 mg/L (19.6 grains per gallon).
No health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Cws Southlake System
California · serves 1,015 people · about 160 in Lake Isabella
1 result above the action level and 2 results above the health goal. The worst: Copper at 1.5 ppm, above the action level. Hardness: very hard, typically 252 mg/L (14.7 grains per gallon).
No health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Cws - Lakeland
California · serves 263 people · under 100 in Lake Isabella
4 results above the health goal. The worst: Nitrate at 27 ppm, above the health goal.
No health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Kernvale Mutual Water Co
California · serves 75 people · under 100 in Lake Isabella
1 result above the legal limit, 1 result above the limit’s level with no violation recorded and 1 result above the health goal. The worst: Arsenic at 25 ppb, above the legal limit.
No health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Clark Street Community Well
California · serves 90 people · under 100 in Lake Isabella
1 result above the health goal. The worst: Arsenic at 8.0 ppb, above the health goal. Hardness: very hard, 200 mg/L (11.7 grains per gallon).
2 health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Oak Knolls Mutual Water Company
California · serves 123 people · under 100 in Lake Isabella
1 result above the legal limit and 2 results above the health goal. The worst: Nitrate at 23 ppm, above the legal limit. Hardness: very hard, typically 330 mg/L (19.3 grains per gallon).
6 health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Hungry Gulch MWC
California · serves 36 people · under 100 in Lake Isabella
1 result above the legal limit and 3 results above the health goal. The worst: Arsenic at 27.8 ppb, above the legal limit. Hardness: moderately hard to hard depending on the source, 95 to 140 mg/L (5.6 to 8.2 grains per gallon).
39 health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Fourth Street Water System
California · serves 12 people · under 100 in Lake Isabella
1 result above the limit’s level with no violation recorded and 2 results above the health goal. The worst: Arsenic at 15 ppb, above the limit’s level, no violation. Hardness: moderately hard, 120 mg/L (7 grains per gallon).
3 health-based violations since 2016
What handles it
Each of these is certified, on a certifier’s listing, for a result above a line in Lake Isabella Community Services Dist’s water, which serves the most people here. Another utility’s report names what handles its own results.
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Brita Tahoe Pitcher with Elite Filter (OB60, OB06)
Pitcher
- WQA listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 13, 2026
- IAPMO listing:NSF/ANSI 53checked Oct. 13, 2026
Certified for: Lead
Brita Everyday Pitcher with Elite Filter (OB46, OB06)
Pitcher
- WQA listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 13, 2026
Certified for: Lead
PUR PLUS 11-Cup Pitcher (PPT111W)
Pitcher
- NSF listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 4, 2026
- WQA listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 4, 2026
- IAPMO listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 4, 2026
Certified for: Lead
Water testing near Lake Isabella
The 3 labs California certifies closest to Lake Isabella, in a straight line. Call first: certification is test by test, and not every lab takes samples from homeowners.
Pace Analytical Services, LLC dba BC Laboratories, Inc.
Bakersfield, CA · about 37 miles
Certified for bacteria, nitrate, lead and copper, metals, minerals and other inorganics, organic chemicals, disinfection byproducts, radioactivity
Zalco Laboratories, Inc.
Bakersfield, CA · about 37 miles
Certified for bacteria, nitrate, metals, minerals and other inorganics, organic chemicals, disinfection byproducts
BSK Associates - Bakersfield Analytical Laboratory
Bakersfield, CA · about 42 miles
Certified for bacteria
Which ZIP codes are in Lake Isabella: Census 2020 relationship files. Which utilities serve them, and how many people: EPA SDWIS and EPA’s service area map. Each utility’s results: EPA UCMR 5, EPA SDWIS, and EPA’s and the state’s compliance monitoring, as its report lists them. How they are measured: methodology. Certified labs: California State Water Resources Control Board, ELAP accredited laboratories and their fields of accreditation; distances from the Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation area gazetteer.
Near Lake Isabella
Other towns in Kern County with a page of their own.
What to do next
- Read Lake Isabella Community Services Dist’s full reportEvery result with its dates, the violations, and the certification claim that handles each finding.Open the report
- Filters for LeadRanked by certification and what they cost over five years.The best water filters for lead, ranked
- On a private well?No utility tests a well. A certified lab test is the first step.How to test well water