South Bend, IN Water Quality (ZIP 46614)
EPA-tested PFAS, lead, and regulated contaminants for ZIP 46614 in South Bend, IN, served by SOUTH BEND WATER WORKS.
Quick Answers
Is ZIP 46614 tap water safe to drink? PFAS compounds have been detected in 46614's water at an average of 0.01 ppt across 8 compounds. A certified pitcher filter or reverse osmosis system is recommended, especially for sensitive populations.
What filter should I use in 46614? Match the filter to the data: reverse osmosis handles PFAS, lead, and arsenic together; NSF-53 pitchers cover the taps you drink from. A basic Brita pitcher will not remove PFAS.
ZIP 46614 Water Quality Summary
EPA testing has detected PFAS "forever chemicals" in the water system serving ZIP 46614 (South Bend, IN). Monitoring found a peak of 0.04 ppt across 1 system, averaging 0.01 ppt over 8 detected compounds.
Contamination Level: LOW – Low contamination – PFAS detected but at lower levels; monitoring continues.
Top Detected Compounds in ZIP 46614
- PFPEA: 0.04 ppt
- PFHXS: 0.03 ppt
- PFHXA: 0.02 ppt
- PFBA: 0.02 ppt
- PFOA: 0.01 ppt
Lead in ZIP 46614 Water
EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing recorded 8 lead samples for the system serving 46614, with a 90th-percentile high of 0.071 mg/L (above the EPA 0.015 mg/L action level). There is no safe level of lead for children; homes built before 1986 should use a certified NSF/ANSI 53 lead filter.
EPA Violations Affecting ZIP 46614
The water system serving 46614 have 2 health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record, including 5000, 5200. A health-based violation means a contaminant exceeded its federal limit or required treatment was not applied.
About the Data
These figures come from EPA UCMR5 (2023-2025) plus Lead and Copper Rule and SDWIS records for the public water system serving ZIP 46614. UCMR5 is the most comprehensive national drinking water survey in US history.
Beyond water: other exposures in South Bend, IN
Drinking water is one exposure route. These are the other federal datasets that cover ZIP 46614 and St. Joseph County, IN.
Radon risk in St. Joseph County, IN
The EPA places St. Joseph County, IN in Zone 1 - the EPA's highest-risk category, where the predicted average indoor radon level is above 4 pCi/L. Zone maps predict the radon potential of an area from geology and existing indoor readings - they do not describe any individual home. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among people who have never smoked, and the only way to know your own level is a test kit.
Lead paint risk in St. Joseph County, IN
Census figures show 65% of homes in St. Joseph County, IN were built before 1980, and 26% before 1950. Lead-based paint was banned for residential use in 1978, so older housing stock is the strongest available proxy for lead-paint exposure. This is a statistic about the county's housing, not a test of any particular property - if your home predates 1980, a lead swab test is the way to check.
Air quality in St. Joseph County, IN
Modelled annual fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) for St. Joseph County, IN averages 9.1 µg/m³, above the EPA's annual PM2.5 standard of 9 µg/m³. PM2.5 is the pollution fraction small enough to reach deep into the lungs. These are CDC modelled estimates for the county as a whole, not a reading taken at this ZIP code.
Industrial releases near 46614
EPA Toxics Release Inventory data for 2023 records 3 reporting facilities within about five miles of 46614, together reporting roughly 69,305 pounds of on-site chemical releases that year. TRI covers facilities above federal reporting thresholds, so smaller sources are not included, and a reported release is not the same as a measured concentration in air or water.