EWG INVESTIGATION

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EWG Statement, 03/10/2008

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NATIONAL SUMMARY

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Status: For this chemical EPA has established a non-enforceable guideline called a "secondary standard," regulating it for aesthetic or cosmetic concerns (taste, odor, tooth discoloration, etc.)

Copper is a contaminant that enters water by corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits. Potential health impacts associated with Copper include cardiovascular or blood toxicity, developmental toxicity, gastrointestinal or liver toxicity, kidney toxicity, reproductive toxicity, and respiratory toxicity. [read more]

Sources of Copper:

	Sprawl and Urban Areas (road runoff, lawn pesticides, human waste)
	Naturally Occurring (naturally present but increased for lands denuded by sprawl, agriculture, or industrial development)

An Environmental Working Group analysis of Copper tests reported by 20,340 public water suppliers in 37 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 77.9 million people in 12,210 communities drank water contaminated with Copper. In 1,402 of these communities, tap water was contaminated at levels above health-based thresholds.

Exposure Summary

77,892,155 People drinking water contaminated with Copper 12,210 Communities served water contaminated with Copper 4,398,112 People drinking water contaminated with Copper over health based limits 1,402 Communities served water with Copper above health based limits

Table. Copper Exposure by State

4.4 million Americans in 29 states were served tap water contaminated with Copper at levels above health-based limits between 1998 and 2003.

State	Water suppliers with Copper contamination		Water suppliers reporting Copper above health-based limits
	Systems	Population	Systems	Population
Wisconsin	1,038	3,764,611	400	1,104,399
Washington	1,373	3,348,635	237	660,996
Minnesota	5	497,149	4	494,187
Iowa	826	2,275,687	171	383,610
Nebraska	528	1,373,738	90	370,821
Ohio	230	2,514,350	30	205,929
New Mexico	136	927,719	10	182,202
New York	231	442,173	65	116,088
Michigan	749	2,552,386	63	108,861
Arizona	434	4,502,424	23	108,524
New Jersey	206	4,530,349	13	107,830
Illinois	175	1,278,413	31	103,099
Kentucky	340	4,716,030	11	102,479
Idaho	41	315,673	24	65,725
Texas	2,171	13,764,908	15	56,418
Tennessee	113	1,710,986	2	42,124
North Dakota	187	360,423	57	40,207
Maine	333	550,093	36	25,789
Arkansas	430	2,542,115	6	21,235
Virginia	193	211,428	31	19,906
Pennsylvania	64	296,567	13	15,711
Utah	62	939,093	6	15,225
Missouri	1,278	2,740,668	20	15,107
Oklahoma	181	294,490	11	12,541
Nevada	174	2,145,661	3	8,270
Colorado	351	3,367,655	10	5,538
Montana	17	105,145	5	3,304
New Hampshire	26	193,740	8	1,068
California	277	14,812,313	7	919
Florida	1	416,303	0	0
Alabama	18	156,045	0	0
Alaska	15	141,317	0	0
Delaware	3	100,123	0	0
South Carolina	2	3,105	0	0
Wyoming	2	640	0	0
Total	12,210	77,892,155	1,402	4,398,112

Table. The most polluted communities

4.4 million Americans in 1,402 communities were served tap water contaminated with Copper above health based limits between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average Copper level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	Altona Correctional Facility Altona, NY	880	1 of 1	9000 ppb (9000 to 9000 ppb)
2	Millbrook Village Millbrook, NY	2,100	2 of 2	7384.5 ppb (769 to 14000 ppb)
3	White Lake Estates Tamworth, NH	250	1 of 1	4890 ppb (4890 to 4890 ppb)
4	Fort Campbell Water System Ft Campbell, KY	40,000	1 of 2	3450 ppb (0 to 6900 ppb)
5	Fort Mc Coy South Post Fort Mccoy, WI	140	3 of 3	2417 ppb (34 to 7000 ppb)
6	Cullom Cullom, IL	570	1 of 1	2400 ppb (2400 to 2400 ppb)
7	Stockport Water Department #2 (consolida Hudson, NY	3,100	2 of 2	2395 ppb (1560 to 3230 ppb)
8	City of Wolf Point Water Wolf Point, MT	2,880	1 of 1	2330 ppb (2330 to 2330 ppb)
9	Cold Spring Water Company Lamoine, ME	138	8 of 8	2246.81 ppb (0.5 to 5900 ppb)
10	Basin County Water and Sewer District Basin, MT	200	1 of 1	1960 ppb (1960 to 1960 ppb)

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Health based limits for Copper

Health Limit	Limit Value	Limit Description
Maximum Contaminant Limit Goal (MCLG)	1300 ppb	A non-enforceable health goal that is set at a level at which no known or anticipated adverse effect on the health of persons occurs and which allows an adequate margin of safety. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
California Public Health Goals	170 ppb	Defined by the State of California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) as the level of contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. For acutely toxic substances, levels are set at which scientific evidence indicates that no known or anticipated adverse effects on health will occur, plus an adequate margin-of safety. PHGs for carcinogens or other substances which can cause chronic disease shall be based solely on health effects without regard to cost impacts and shall be set at levels which OEHHA has determined do not pose any significant risk to health.
EPA Human Health Water Quality Criteria	1300 ppb	Water quality criteria set by the US EPA provide guidance for states and tribes authorized to establish water quality standards under the Clean Water Act (CWA) to protect human health. These are non-enforceable standards based upon exposure by both drinking water and the contribution of water contamination to other consumed foods. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations	1000 ppb	A National Secondary Drinking Water Regulation is a non-enforceable guideline regarding contaminants that may cause cosmetic effects (such as taste, odor, or color). Some states choose to adopt them as enforceable standards. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Testing Summary for Copper

Water suppliers report an average of 0.6 Copper tests per year. 19,411 water suppliers failed to report any Copper tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for Copper by federal law? Yes Water suppliers reporting tests for Copper (1998-2003): 20,340 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): 0.6 per year

Copper Violations

Table. < 0.1 percent of all water suppliers violated safe drinking water standards for Copper between 1998 and 2003

Violation Type	Violations	Systems
Any Violation (1998-2003)	4	4
	(< 0.1% of all suppliers)
Testing violations (1998-2003)	4	4
	(< 0.1% of all suppliers)