Drinking water quality · 2024
· Verified
What's in South Bend, IN tap water
25 contaminants were measured in the South Bend, IN water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 25
- Over federal limit
- 0
- Approaching the limit
- 0
- Service area
- IN
PFAS — EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025)
2 PFAS compounds above EPA limits in South Bend, IN
The EPA finalized the first-ever federal drinking-water limits for six PFAS compounds in April 2024. These numbers come straight from EPA's UCMR5 lab dataset — every U.S. system serving more than 3,300 people tested every PFAS sample at an entry point to its distribution system. PFAS not listed below were either tested and not detected, or not yet sampled.
PFHxS (Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid)
● Over EPA limit (2.6×)PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic acid)
● Over EPA limit (2.5×)PFHxA
● Detected (no federal limit)PFHpA
● Detected (no federal limit)PFPeS
● Detected (no federal limit)PFBS
● Detected (no federal limit)PFBA
● Detected (no federal limit)PFPeA
● Detected (no federal limit)Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
South Bend, IN's drinking water comes from ground water, drawn from 29 sources.
Source
- WELL #36 - CLEVELAND NORTH
- WELL #35 - CLEVELAND NORTH
- WELL #34 - EDISON
- WELL #40 - SOUTH STATION
- + 25 more
Treatment
- TREATMENT PLANT #11 - CLEVELAND NORTH
- TREATMENT PLANT #10 - SOUTH
- TREATMENT PLANT #2 - CARRIAGE
- + 6 more
Distribution
Compliance history
Federal Safe Drinking Water Act violation & enforcement records (EPA SDWIS). A violation is a regulatory determination by the state or EPA — separate from the measured levels above.
- Treatment technique violationHealth-based3 violations on record · most recent Oct 1996resolved
- Maximum contaminant level exceededHealth-based1 violation on record · most recent May 2000resolved
Source: EPA SDWIS / ECHO. View the full federal record on EPA ECHO ↗
Disinfection byproducts
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TTHMTotal trihalomethanes — a group of four chemicals (including chloroform) formed when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter. | 29.8 ug/LRunning annual avgRolling Annual Average | None set | Within the limit |
+By source (3)— of Individual Results, of Rolling Annual Averages, Rolling Annual Average
| |||
| HAA5Haloacetic acids — a group of five disinfection byproducts formed when disinfectants react with organic matter. | 3.7 ug/LRunning annual avgRolling Annual Average | None set | Within the limit |
+By source (3)— of Individual Results, of Rolling Annual Averages, Rolling Annual Average
| |||
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| LeadA toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures. | 4.1 ug/L90th percentileOur | 0 ug/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| CopperA metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing. | 0.174 mg/L90th percentileOur | 1.3 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| BariumA metal from erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge. | 0.1 mg/LAverageSystem-wide | 2 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| ArsenicA naturally occurring element that also enters water from industry and agriculture. | Not detected ug/LAverageSystem-wide | 0 ug/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| NickelA metal from natural deposits and industrial discharge. | Not detected ug/LAverageSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Other
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorine Free | 1 mg/LRunning annual avgRolling Annual Average | 4 mg/LMRDLG | Within the limit |
+By source (3)— of Individual Results, of Rolling Annual Averages, Rolling Annual Average
| |||
| Cis Dichloroethylene 12 | 1.1 ug/LAverageSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
| Chromium | 1.3 ug/LAverageSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
Inorganic chemicals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| NitrateA compound from fertilizer runoff, septic systems, and erosion of natural deposits. | 2 mg/LAverageSystem-wide | 10 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| FluorideA mineral often added to drinking water to help prevent tooth decay. | 0.7 mg/LAverageSystem-wide | 4 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
Radionuclides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combined RadiumCombined radium-226 and radium-228 — naturally occurring radioactive elements. | 0.86 pCi/LAverageSystem-wide | 0 pCi/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| Gross AlphaGross alpha particle activity — a combined measure of alpha-emitting radioactive substances. | 1.36 pCi/LAverageSystem-wide | 0 pCi/LMCLG | Within the limit |
Microbial
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Escherichia coli (E. coli)Escherichia coli — bacteria found in the gut of humans and animals. | 0RangeSystem-wide | 0MCLG | None detected |
| Total ColiformA group of bacteria used as an indicator of overall water-system sanitation. | 5 %Reported levelSystem-wide | 0 %MCLG | Detected — no federal limit |
VOCs & pesticides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TrichloroethyleneAn industrial solvent (TCE) used in metal degreasing. | Not detected ug/LAverageSystem-wide | 5 ug/LMCLG | Within the limit |
People also ask about South Bend, IN's water
+Is South Bend, IN tap water safe to drink in 2024?
Every one of the 25 contaminants measured in South Bend, IN's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report is below its federal limit. "Safe" under the EPA's drinking-water standards is health-based, not aesthetic — but by those standards, no measured contaminant in this report exceeds its enforceable threshold. Individual health concerns (e.g. immunocompromised, infant, pregnancy) may warrant additional filtering regardless of compliance.
+What contaminants are in South Bend, IN tap water?
25 contaminants were measured in South Bend, IN's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning pfas ("forever chemicals"), metals, and other. 12 have an enforceable federal limit; the rest are detected but unregulated. Every measured value, in the utility's own units, is on this page.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from South Bend, IN's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. public water utility is required by federal law to publish. The original source document is archived and viewable on this site. A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
+How often is South Bend, IN's water quality data updated?
Each U.S. public water utility publishes one Consumer Confidence Report per year, covering the prior calendar year's measurements. This page reflects the 2024 report; a new report will replace it once the utility publishes its next annual update.