We read 27 results from Big Bear Lake Dwp - Big Bear System’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 3 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 26,132 people · Water system ID CA3610044 · Read the district’s 2025 report (opens in a new tab)
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Results from the 2025 report
Each number is copied from the district’s report and links to the page it’s printed on. Where the report lists several plants, wells or purchased water, the highest is shown.
| Contaminant | Result | Health goal | Legal limit | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenicaverage · range ND to 4.5 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report | 0.21 ppb | 0.004 ppb | 10 ppb | Above the health goal53x the health goal |
| Gross alpha (radioactivity)average · range ND to 4.9 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2021 · Wells · 2025 report | 0.36 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 15 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Lead90th percentile of 20 homes tested, 0 over the action level · printed as 0.0045 ppm · sampled 2023 · Customer taps · 2025 report | 4.5 ppb | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Above the health goal23x the health goal |
| Aluminumaverage · range ND to 0.17 · listed as a violation in the report · printed as 8.10 ppb · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report | 0.0081 ppm | — | 0.2 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Bariumaverage · range ND to 0.15 · listed as a violation in the report · printed as 13.81 ppb · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report | 0.01 ppm | 2 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Chlorideaverage · range 1.6 to 48 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report | 11.7 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Copper90th percentile of 20 homes tested, 0 over the action level · sampled 2023 · Customer taps · 2025 report | 0.22 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Below the health goal |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)average · range ND to 9.1 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2025 report | 4.55 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Fluorideaverage · range ND to 1.8 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report | 0.3 ppm | 1 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Ironaverage · range ND to 0.63 · listed as a violation in the report · printed as 61 ppb · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report | 0.06 ppm | — | 0.3 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Manganeseaverage · range ND to 0.04 · listed as a violation in the report · printed as 1.86 ppb · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report | 0.0019 ppm | — | 0.05 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Nitrate (as N)average · range ND to 2.4 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report | 0.88 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| PFHxS (a PFAS)average · range ND to 6.9 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report | Not detected | None set | 10 ppt from 2029 | Not detected |
| PFOA (a PFAS)average · range ND to 5.5 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report | Not detected | 0.007 ppt | 4 ppt from 2029 | Not detected |
| pHaverage · range 7.3 to 8 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report | 7.7 | — | — | Normal range |
| Sulfateaverage · range 0.63 to 110 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report | 26 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Total dissolved solidsaverage · range 140 to 470 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report | 307 ppm | — | 500 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Turbidity (cloudiness)average · range ND to 4.3 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report | 0.72 NTU | None set | 1 NTU | Below the legal limit |
| Alkalinityaverage · range 110 to 350 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report | 232 ppm | None set | None | No health limit |
| Calciumaverage · range 20 to 90 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report | 61.7 ppm | None set | None | No health limit |
| Conductivityaverage · range 210 to 810 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report | 519 µS/cm | None set | None | No health limit |
| Hardnessaverage · range 4.39 to 24 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report | 15 gpg (256 ppm) | — | — | Very hard |
| Magnesiumaverage · range 5.1 to 51 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report | 24.8 ppm | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFBS (a PFAS)average · range ND to 7.4 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report | Not detected | None set | None | No health limit |
| Potassiumaverage · range 1.1 to 4.8 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report | 2.85 ppm | None set | None | No health limit |
| Sodiumaverage · range 4.5 to 38 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report | 15.4 ppm | None set | None | No health limit |
| Vanadiumaverage · range ND to 9.6 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report | 2.4 ppb | None set | None | No health limit |
Utility results describe the whole system, measured where water enters the pipes, not your tap. Your home’s plumbing can add lead or copper.
EPA testing for PFAS and lithium
EPA’s own nationwide testing (UCMR 5) found these in Big Bear Lake Dwp - Big Bear System’s water between Nov 2023 and Apr 2024. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- PFOA5.5 pptFound in 1 of 40 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFOS6.1 pptFound in 1 of 40 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFHxS6.6 pptFound in 8 of 40 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
- PFBS9.6 pptFound in 10 of 40 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
- Lithium14.5 ppbFound in 5 of 40 samples · highest resultAbove EPA’s health reference level of 10 ppb (a guide, not a legal limit)
Source: EPA UCMR 5 occurrence data. The highest single result is shown; one high sample doesn’t mean every glass is that high.
What you can do
Nothing here is an emergency notice: if the district has a violation, it must tell customers directly. If you’d like to lower these at your tap, these are the treatments that remove them, and the catalog shows the models certified for each. Ranking is by certified removal; commissions never change the order.
Radium and uranium
Found: Gross alpha (radioactivity)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
Lead
Found: Lead
What removes it: Certified carbon block or RO.
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
Found: PFOA (EPA testing), PFOS (EPA testing)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
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