Living in Old River, CA: what to set up and who to call
Old River Mutual Water Company reported 6 health-based violations to EPA in the last five years: uranium ×5, a bacteria testing requirement (Revised Total Coliform Rule). 77% of systems its size reported none. Old River has no town government of its own, so Kern County runs its elections and most services, and its children attend Kern High School District.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Old River, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in Old River.
Power comes from PG&E
PG&E (Pacific Gas & Electric Co.), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Old River. Its homes paid an average of 37.5¢ per kWh in 2025, about $174 a month (its average across California, for customers on its standard service). California lets you buy power from another supplier; 66% of PG&E’s home customers do, and PG&E still delivers it.
Start or move service: pgecorp.com
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from Old River Mutual Water Company
Old River Mutual Water Company supplies Old River: about 52% of residents live in its service area. About 48% of homes are outside any mapped community water system, most likely on private wells, which EPA doesn’t regulate. It draws ground water and serves 130 people in all.
6 health-based violations reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026: uranium ×5, a bacteria testing requirement (Revised Total Coliform Rule), the latest beginning Oct 2025. 77% of the 15,074 systems serving 101–500 people had none.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan 2024–Dec 2026, was 1.0 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. That’s higher than 52% of similar systems’ latest results.
The system’s full record: EPA ECHO report
EPA SDWIS via Envirofacts (violations pulled Oct 9, 2026) and ECHO (lead samples, 2026Q3); service area: EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3.0. Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. CA1500096.
6 home internet providers serve Old River
90% of 45 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 0% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum | Cable | 87% | 1,000/50 |
| AT&T | DSL, Fixed wireless | 4% | 100/20 |
| Applied Technology Group | Fixed wireless | 100% | 500/500 |
| unWired Broadband | Fixed wireless | 100% | 400/50 |
| T-Mobile | Fixed wireless | 78% | 25/3 |
| GeoLinks | Fixed wireless | 2% | 1,000/1,000 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Old River’s trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Old River.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Old River is in two districts that split the grades: Kern High School District and Lakeside Union School District.
Test scores and every school: see Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
No town hall: the county runs things
Old River is unincorporated, so Kern County is the local government.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Sep 2025; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Old River is in ZIP code 93311
ZIP codes where Old River residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Old River | ZIP’s residents in Old River |
|---|---|---|---|
| 93311 | Bakersfield, CA | 100% | 0% |
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in Old River
Who supplies Old River’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
Old River Mutual Water Company (EPA ID CA1500096). It reported 6 health-based violations to EPA in the five years to October 2026: uranium ×5, a bacteria testing requirement (Revised Total Coliform Rule). 77% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 1.0 ppb (Jan 2024–Dec 2026), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Old River?
PG&E (Pacific Gas & Electric Co.), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 37.5¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Old River?
Spectrum, AT&T, Applied Technology Group, unWired Broadband, T-Mobile, GeoLinks (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Old River?
93311. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Old River in?
Kern High School District and Lakeside Union School District.
How do I register to vote in Old River?
In California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before). Elections here are run by the Kern County Clerk - Elections Office. Check your registration at voterstatus.sos.ca.gov.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Water: EPA SDWIS (Envirofacts, pulled Oct 9, 2026), ECHO SDWA 2026Q3, EPA CWS Service Area Boundaries v3.0.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.