Public water system · CA4210011
ActiveCity of Santa Maria Utilities Department
At a glance
City of Santa Maria Utilities Department (PWSID CA4210011) is an active community water system in Santa Barbara County, California. It reports serving 109,477 people through 22,566 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 5 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in October 2016.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
109,477
Service connections
22,566
Primary source
SWP
Purchased surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does City of Santa Maria Utilities Department compare with other water systems in Santa Barbara County?
By EPA's size categories, City of Santa Maria Utilities Department is a very large system (more than 100,000 people). Santa Barbara County has 150 active public water systems, and City of Santa Maria Utilities Department is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 34 times the county average of 3,255 people per system, and accounts for 22% of the 488,317 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across California, the 7,479 active systems average 5,706 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so City of Santa Maria Utilities Department is about 16 times that figure.
What does “community water system” mean?
A community water system serves at least 15 connections used by year-round residents, or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents. Homes, apartments and mobile-home parks are served by these. California has 2,997 active community water systems, 40% of the state's 7,479 active systems. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own. 506 California systems (6.8%) list purchased surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates City of Santa Maria Utilities Department?
EPA lists City of Santa Maria Utilities Department as owned by a local government. The CA state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 24 of the 150 active systems in Santa Barbara County (16%) are also owned by a local government.
Does City of Santa Maria Utilities Department have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 5 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in October 2016. The violations listed here began between August 2014 and October 2016. By type: 5 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (2 of them). EPA lists 5 as resolved. Resolved means at least one resolving action is on record: the system returned to compliance, the rule no longer applies, or no further action was needed.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine (IDSE) · code 30 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2016-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine (IDSE) · code 30 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Source Water (GWR) · code 34 | E. colicode 3014 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-08-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-08-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Repeat Major (TCR) · code 25 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
All 5 violations in EPA's records, newest first.Labels and codes come from EPA's SDWIS reference tables. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found. "Health-based" marks violations of a legal limit or required treatment.
City of Santa Maria Utilities Department: frequently asked questions
Who runs City of Santa Maria Utilities Department?
City of Santa Maria Utilities Department (PWSID CA4210011) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the CA state drinking water program.
How many people does City of Santa Maria Utilities Department serve?
City of Santa Maria Utilities Department reports serving 109,477 people through 22,566 service connections in Santa Barbara County, California.
Where does City of Santa Maria Utilities Department get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as purchased surface water. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own.
Does City of Santa Maria Utilities Department have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 5 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in October 2016. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found.
Is City of Santa Maria Utilities Department's water safe to drink?
AquaCensus shows EPA compliance records, not current water test results, so it cannot say whether the water is safe at a given moment. EPA's records list 5 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in October 2016. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the CA state drinking water program.
Where can I find City of Santa Maria Utilities Department's water quality report?
As a community water system, City of Santa Maria Utilities Department must deliver an annual water quality report, called a Consumer Confidence Report, to its customers by July 1 each year, covering the previous calendar year. The system can provide a copy on request.
Other water systems in Santa Barbara County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Santa Barbara Water Department | Santa Barbara | 99,323 | Community | Surface water |
| Goleta Water District | Santa Barbara | 84,462 | Community | Surface water |
| Lompoc-City Water Utility Div | Santa Barbara | 40,473 | Community | Surface water |
| Golden State Water Company - Orcutt | Santa Barbara | 34,102 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Carpinteria Valley Water District | Santa Barbara | 15,996 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| American Water O&M, LLC - Vsfb | Santa Barbara | 14,971 | Community | Purchased surface water |
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About this data
Source: U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and SDWA violation records, via EPA ECHO, as published October 1, 2026 — AquaCensus refreshes it quarterly. See the methodology for how records are matched, cleaned and scored.
Cite as: AquaCensus, “City of Santa Maria Utilities Department, PWSID CA4210011, California”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/california/city-of-santa-maria-utilities-department-ca4210011 (data as of October 1, 2026).