CITY REPORT CA

Santa Barbara, CA: 2 Violations - Home Safety 58/100

17 ZIP codes · 8 water systems · Updated

ZipCheckup grade for Santa Barbara: C.

A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.

Santa Barbara lands in the middle of the grade scale in CA; EPA records can differ from one service area to the next.

How Santa Barbara Compares

Santa Barbara58/100
California avg76/100
National avg73/100

Data: EPA SDWIS

17
ZIP Codes
8
Water Systems
4
ZIPs Linked to Systems with Violations
C · 58
Avg Safety Score
Zone 1
County Radon Potential (High)
$1.5M
Median Home Value
$500
Est. Remediation (0.0% of home value)

Water Quality Map: Santa Barbara, CA

Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.

A B C D F

Score Distribution

Distribution of Home Safety grades across Santa Barbara.

A
0
B
0
C
7
D
0
F
0

Santa Barbara Water: The Quick Version

  • Your city's water systems recorded 2 violations since 2021.
  • Average of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 0.0008 mg/L.
  • Estimated remediation: $500 per household.
  • Health risk index (ZipCheckup composite of CDC data): 10.9.

Water Systems Serving Santa Barbara

The 3 largest of 8 systems connected with Santa Barbara, CA are listed below.

Overview

We track home safety data for 17 ZIP codes in Santa Barbara, California (population ~138,319), covering 8 community water systems serving approximately 217,424 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 8 of 17 ZIP codes.

4 of 8 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (50%) have recorded EPA violations. The available record reports no health-based violations for this measured scope.

Home Safety Score

Average Home Safety Score for Santa Barbara: C (58/100)

Model 4.0.0 uses four measured components across three equally weighted domains. If a required domain is unavailable, no score is published:

Factor What It Measures
Water Quality EPA violations and compliance history
PFAS MCL Screen UCMR 5 testing against the covered federal MCLs
Radon Risk EPA radon zone classification
Annual AQI EPA AirData county-year median with at least 90 observed days

Water Sources

Santa Barbara water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.

Lead & Copper

  • Average of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 0.0008 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
  • 0 of 8 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level

Radon Risk

17 of 17 ZIP records with known zones are in EPA Radon Zone 1.

The EPA recommends testing all homes regardless of radon zone. County radon zones cannot replace an in-home radon test.

Top Contaminants

Contaminant Category Violations ZIPs Affected
Surface Water Treatment Rule Treatment Technique 4 3
Nitrate Inorganic 3 2

Areas with Most Violations

ZIP Code Safety Score Violations Health-Based System
93105 C 2 0 City of Santa Barbara Water Department
93103 C 1 0 City of Santa Barbara Water Department
93108 C 1 0 Montecito Water District
93109 C 1 0 City of Santa Barbara Water Department

Areas with No Violations

ZIP Code Safety Score System Population
93101 C City of Santa Barbara Water Department 99,323
93106 — Goleta Water District 84,462
93110 C Goleta Water District 84,462
93111 C Goleta Water District 84,462

All ZIP Codes in Santa Barbara

Data Sources

Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.

CDC Health Data for Santa Barbara

9.7%
Asthma (US: 9.8%)
10.8%
Diabetes (US: 10.4%)
17.2%
Poor Mental Health (US: 14.8%)

Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). County health indicators are shown for context only and are not linked to this area's water records.

Compared to National Average

Asthma 9.7% ↓
Diabetes 10.8% ↑
Mental Health 17.2% ↑

Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national

Key Contaminants Detected in Santa Barbara

Surface Water Treatment Rule 4 violations
Treatment Technique
Pathogens may not be adequately removed
Nitrate 3 violations
Inorganic · EPA regulatory level for the contaminant named above: 10 mg/L
Blue baby syndrome in infants

Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.

Santa Barbara: Remediation Cost in Perspective

The remediation-to-value ratio for Santa Barbara sits at the bottom of the scale.

Median Home Value
$1.5M
Est. Remediation
$500
Remediation as % of home value 0.0%

Estimated remediation costs in Santa Barbara can be compared with local home values. The $300–$800 estimated range can be set against the median property value; actual costs vary by home. Home values are 103% above the California average.

Protecting Children from Lead in Santa Barbara

0.0008
mg/L average of reported water-system 90th-percentile lead results (the 0.015 action level applies to each system's result, not to this average)

Why children are most at risk: The CDC states that no safe blood lead level in children has been identified. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.

Available area-level lead records for Santa Barbara do not determine the lead level at an individual tap. Testing is the only way to confirm your water's lead content.

Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.

Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Santa Barbara

924
Total FEMA Flood Claims
$45,140
Avg Reported Sum With Payment Data
29%
A/V Share of Claim-Record ZIPs

Historical NFIP data for Santa Barbara contains 924 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $45,140. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 29% have an A- or V-family dominant rated zone recorded in those historical claims. This is not a complete current FEMA property-map inventory.

How flooding affects water quality: Flood events can introduce sewage, agricultural runoff, and industrial chemicals into water supplies. Even after floodwaters recede, contamination can persist in wells and aging infrastructure. The $500 remediation estimate shown here excludes flood insurance and is not derived from NFIP claim count.

Claim count does not establish current property risk. Check the exact address in FEMA's current map and obtain a property-specific insurance quote when relevant.

Source: historical FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claim records. No current FEMA property-map designation is asserted.

What You Can Do in Santa Barbara

  1. Test your water at home. City-level data shows averages - your tap may differ. Check the certification, price and turnaround time of any water test kit or lab service.
  2. Install a certified water filter. For Surface Water Treatment Rule, listed in the water-quality records for Santa Barbara: if it is a rule or reporting requirement rather than a contaminant, ask your utility what the record involved; for bacteria, follow any boil-water notice from your utility; for a specific chemical contaminant, check whether a filter is certified to reduce it. Not every contaminant has a consumer filter certification.
  3. Check your home's plumbing. Homes built before 1986 may have lead solder in pipes. A licensed plumber can assess your risk.

Deep Dive Reports

Detailed analysis for Santa Barbara, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Home Safety Score mean for Santa Barbara, CA?
Santa Barbara has an average Home Safety Score of 58/100 (Grade C) under ZipCheckup model 4.0.0, an area-level model that draws on EPA water compliance records, PFAS screening, EPA radon zones, and annual EPA air quality data; see the methodology page for how inputs and coverage are handled. 2 violations appear in EPA records for water systems mapped to these ZIP codes. Check individual ZIP code reports for component details.
How many violations are on record for water systems serving Santa Barbara?
EPA records list 2 EPA violations for Santa Barbara water systems. These water-system violations are shown for 17 mapped ZIP codes.
Does Santa Barbara water have lead?
The average of the reported 90th-percentile lead results across the ZIP codes of Santa Barbara is 0.0008 mg/L. The EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L applies to each water system's own 90th percentile, not to this average. EPA's health goal for lead is zero. Lead levels can vary by home - testing is recommended especially in older properties.
How does Santa Barbara compare to California average?
Santa Barbara has an average Home Safety Score of 58/100, which is below the California state average of 76/100 for the same model series.
How many water systems serve Santa Barbara?
Our records map 8 water systems to 17 ZIP codes in Santa Barbara. The related population figure in our data is approximately 138,319 people; it is not a count of people served citywide.
How much does it cost to fix water issues in Santa Barbara?
Estimated remediation cost per household in Santa Barbara: $500; modeled range $300 to $800. Estimated costs may include filtration, pipe replacement, radon mitigation, or flood protection where applicable.
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How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (2026). Santa Barbara, CA: 2 Violations - Home Safety 58/100. https://zipcheckup.com/cities/ca/santa-barbara/
BibTeX 
@misc{zipcheckup-cities-ca-santa-barbara,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Santa Barbara, CA: 2 Violations - Home Safety 58/100}},
  year   = {2026},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/cities/ca/santa-barbara/}
}

Page version: October 2026.

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