Public water system · CA4200578
ActivePainted Cave
At a glance
Painted Cave (PWSID CA4200578) is an active community water system in Santa Barbara County, California. It reports serving 160 people through 91 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as privately owned. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 9 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2021.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
160
Service connections
91
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Painted Cave compare with other water systems in Santa Barbara County?
By EPA's size categories, Painted Cave is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Santa Barbara County has 150 active public water systems. Its population served is well below the county average of 3,255 people per system, and accounts for less than 0.1% 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 Painted Cave is well below 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. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 6,179 California systems (83%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Painted Cave?
EPA lists Painted Cave as privately owned. 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. 121 of the 150 active systems in Santa Barbara County (81%) are also privately owned.
Does Painted Cave have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 9 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2021. The violations listed here began between October 1996 and January 2021. By type: 9 contaminant level above the legal limit, 2 public notice, recordkeeping or other and 1 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (9 of them). EPA lists 12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-08-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2007-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2006-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2006-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2004-12-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2004-11-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2003-12-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2003-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2002-11-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1996-11-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1996-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
The 12 most recent 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.
Painted Cave: frequently asked questions
Who runs Painted Cave?
Painted Cave (PWSID CA4200578) is a community water system privately owned. It is regulated by the CA state drinking water program.
How many people does Painted Cave serve?
Painted Cave reports serving 160 people through 91 service connections in Santa Barbara County, California.
Where does Painted Cave get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as groundwater. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers.
Does Painted Cave have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 9 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2021. 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 Painted Cave'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. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 9 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2021. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the CA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Painted Cave's water quality report?
As a community water system, Painted Cave 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 Maria Utilities Department | Santa Barbara | 109,477 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| 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 |
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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, “Painted Cave, PWSID CA4200578, California”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/california/painted-cave-ca4200578 (data as of October 1, 2026).