Kern Valley State Prison
EPA ID: CA1510802 · 5,000 people served · 2 ZIP codes
Water monitoring for Kern Valley State Prison: clean, five years, 5,000 residents.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Kern Valley State Prison Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary
Service Area Demographics
The Kern Valley State Prison serves a community with a median household income of $61,329 and an estimated 53,627 residents across its service area. Approximately 51% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
Environmental Justice Note: 67% of the population in this service area is classified as disadvantaged under EPA's EJScreen criteria. Communities with higher disadvantaged populations often face disproportionate environmental and health burdens, including aging water infrastructure and limited resources for remediation.
💧 Where Does Your Water Come From?
Kern Valley State Prison's water is pumped from underground aquifers. Groundwater is naturally filtered through rock and soil, but it can be vulnerable to PFAS contamination, nitrates from agriculture, and industrial chemicals that seep into the water table.
About 1% of homes in Kern County, California rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.
Infrastructure Risk
Comparable Water Systems
Similar-sized systems in California
Estimated Remediation Costs
Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system
Based on national averages for common remediation projects. Actual costs vary by property. Only issues flagged by EPA, FEMA, or state data for each ZIP code are included.
System Overview
Kern Valley State Prison (EPA ID: CA1510802) is a community water system in California that serves approximately 5,000 people from groundwater sources.
This system provides water to 2 ZIP codes across 1 community.
Violation History
Lead & Copper
No Lead and Copper Rule sampling data available for this water system.
Need help with your water quality?
Typical cost: Water test: typically $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400
Find the Right Water FilterFree tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.
ZIP Codes Served
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Kern Valley State Prison (CA1510802) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kern Valley State Prison water safe to drink?
Based on EPA records, Kern Valley State Prison has no recorded violations in the past 5 years — a positive indicator of water quality management.
How many people does Kern Valley State Prison serve?
Kern Valley State Prison serves approximately 5,000 people across 2 ZIP codes in California.
Where does Kern Valley State Prison get its water?
The primary water source is groundwater.
Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Tested Clean
This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). No PFAS compounds were detected.
Current MCL reflects the lowest state-enforceable limit (NYS 10 ppt for PFOA/PFOS, effective August 2020). The federal final MCL of 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS (EPA April 2024 rule) is not enforceable until April 2029. Detections above 4 ppt but below 10 ppt are below current MCL but above the future federal limit.
Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) — per-system federal sampling, 2023–2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program →
Lead Service Line Inventory
Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:
This system reports zero confirmed lead service lines in its inventory. Unknown-material counts may still warrant verification.
Federal LCRI rule (effective October 2024) requires every public water system to inventory its service lines and complete lead-line replacement within 10 years.
Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Service Line Inventory (Phase 2) · Submitted 2026
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with the utility or state agency. Inventory figures render verbatim from the public LCRI submission cited above; ZipCheckup does not perform inspections or replacements.