National Drinking Water Database
National Drinking Water Database - Chemical Contaminants
Total haloacetic acids (HAAs)
Status: Regulated - EPA has established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant.
Total haloacetic acids refers to the sum of the concentrations of five related disinfection byproducts in a water sample: dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, monochloroacetic acid, monobromoacetic acid and dibromoacetic acid. [read more]
Detected |
Found above health guidelines |
Found above legal limit |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| States | 43 |
43 |
38 |
| Water utilities | 17,956 |
17,547 |
2,411 |
| People Served | 208,087,771 |
205,677,872 |
33,251,759 |
Total haloacetic acids (HAAs) Exposure by State
Water utilities in 43 states have reported detecting Total haloacetic acids (HAAs) in treated tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies.
| State | Water Suppliers with Total haloacetic acids (HAAs) contamination | Water suppliers reporting Total haloacetic acids (HAAs) above health-based limits | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Systems | Population | Systems | Population | |
| California | 422 | 34,007,091 | 418 | 33,966,183 |
| Florida | 1,551 | 18,233,842 | 1,530 | 18,190,845 |
| Texas | 1,739 | 16,000,265 | 1,710 | 15,878,134 |
| New York | 1,316 | 15,499,664 | 1,301 | 15,437,803 |
| Illinois | 1,345 | 12,319,906 | 1,345 | 12,319,906 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,241 | 10,449,397 | 1,212 | 10,398,523 |
| Ohio | 1,084 | 9,972,773 | 1,083 | 9,972,173 |
| New Jersey | 366 | 8,226,558 | 349 | 8,043,325 |
| North Carolina | 1,125 | 7,009,081 | 1,099 | 6,954,251 |
| Virginia | 494 | 6,676,941 | 489 | 6,668,931 |
| Massachusetts | 232 | 6,493,100 | 229 | 6,426,900 |
| Michigan | 298 | 5,090,500 | 293 | 5,021,919 |
| Maryland | 251 | 5,020,623 | 232 | 5,013,963 |
| Indiana | 539 | 4,441,557 | 539 | 4,441,557 |
| Arizona | 186 | 4,361,892 | 175 | 4,281,536 |
| Washington | 502 | 3,887,901 | 471 | 3,822,524 |
| Alabama | 243 | 4,001,566 | 215 | 3,785,786 |
| Kentucky | 211 | 3,616,711 | 211 | 3,616,711 |
| Utah | 164 | 3,373,447 | 159 | 3,309,597 |
| Wisconsin | 478 | 3,442,382 | 421 | 3,059,332 |
| Missouri | 418 | 3,034,819 | 411 | 3,030,354 |
| Oklahoma | 600 | 2,881,375 | 600 | 2,881,375 |
| Arkansas | 662 | 2,869,274 | 662 | 2,869,274 |
| Oregon | 357 | 2,857,494 | 352 | 2,837,289 |
| Iowa | 455 | 2,106,501 | 454 | 2,079,000 |
| Nevada | 14 | 2,071,848 | 12 | 2,051,313 |
| New Mexico | 269 | 1,284,495 | 237 | 1,243,482 |
| Nebraska | 108 | 1,028,320 | 96 | 1,013,227 |
| Delaware | 115 | 846,593 | 115 | 846,593 |
| Rhode Island | 20 | 784,836 | 20 | 784,836 |
| South Carolina | 62 | 672,308 | 61 | 669,001 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | 581,530 | 1 | 581,530 |
| Idaho | 149 | 644,199 | 142 | 571,327 |
| Montana | 214 | 568,674 | 192 | 553,372 |
| Alaska | 177 | 499,071 | 177 | 499,071 |
| North Dakota | 146 | 450,529 | 146 | 450,529 |
| Connecticut | 2 | 431,300 | 2 | 431,300 |
| Minnesota | 1 | 414,735 | 1 | 414,735 |
| Maine | 86 | 376,535 | 86 | 376,535 |
| Wyoming | 141 | 373,607 | 130 | 370,181 |
| Hawaii | 50 | 937,256 | 47 | 266,374 |
| Vermont | 113 | 214,812 | 113 | 214,812 |
| South Dakota | 9 | 32,463 | 9 | 32,463 |
| Total | 17,956 | 208,087,771 | 17,547 | 205,677,872 |
The Most Polluted Communities
17,956 water utilities reported detecting Total haloacetic acids (HAAs) in tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies
Ranked by highest average Total haloacetic acids (HAAs) level
| Rank | System | Population Served | Positive test results of total reported tests | Average Level (Range) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duchess Creek Mhp Checotah, OK | 140 | 1 of 1 | 168.12 ppb (168.12 ppb) |
| 2 | Gulkana Village Gakona, AK | 83 | 6 of 6 | 161.67 ppb (125 to 180 ppb) |
| 3 | Kusa Rwd #3 Henryetta, OK | 210 | 1 of 1 | 158 ppb (158 ppb) |
| 4 | Lake Caroline Wtp Ruther Glen, VA | 3,370 | 13 of 13 | 137.74 ppb (1.6 to 180 ppb) |
| 5 | LL Association Inc Checotah, OK | 200 | 1 of 1 | 137 ppb (137 ppb) |
| 6 | Glencoe Glencoe, OK | 478 | 1 of 1 | 132.03 ppb (132.03 ppb) |
| 7 | Thorne Bay Thorne Bay, AK | 957 | 12 of 12 | 129.64 ppb (4.7 to 176 ppb) |
| 8 | Conners Correctional Center Hominy, OK | 1,050 | 2 of 2 | 128.6 ppb (121.39 to 135.82 ppb) |
| 9 | Jones' Trailer Park Miami, FL | 120 | 8 of 8 | 127.68 ppb (10.81 to 180 ppb) |
| 10 | Deerfield Deerfield, MI | 1,006 | 6 of 6 | 124.85 ppb (61.67 to 171.75 ppb) |
Health Based Limits for Total haloacetic acids (HAAs)
| Standard | Description | Level |
|---|---|---|
| One in one million (10-6) Cancer Risk | The concentration of a chemical in drinking water corresponding to an excess estimated lifetime cancer risk of 1 in 1,000,000. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. | 0.7 ppb |
| Maximum Contaminant Limit (MCL) | The enforceable standard which defines the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to health-based limits (Maximum Contaminant Level Goals, or MCLGs) as feasible using the best available analytical and treatment technologies and taking cost into consideration. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. | 60 ppb |
| One in ten thousand (10-4) Cancer Risk | The concentration of a chemical in drinking water corresponding to an excess estimated lifetime cancer risk of 1 in 10,000. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. | 70 ppb |
| Lifetime health-based limit, non-cancer risk | Concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects for a lifetime of exposure. The Lifetime health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is based on exposure for a a 70-kg adult consuming 2 liters of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. | 70 ppb |
| Drinking Water Equivalent Level | A lifetime exposure concentration protective of adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects, that assumes all of the exposure to a contaminant is from drinking water. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. | 450 ppb |
| Children's health-based limit for 1-day exposure | Concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects for up to one day of exposure. The One-Day health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is typically set to protect a 10-kg child consuming 1 liter of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. | 5200 ppb |
| Children's health-based limit for 10-day exposure | Concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic effects for up to ten days of exposure. The Ten-Day health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is typically set to protect a 10-kg child consuming 1 liter of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. | 5200 ppb |
Testing Summary for Total haloacetic acids (HAAs)
| Are tests routinely required for Total haloacetic acids (HAAs) by federal law? | Yes |
| Water suppliers reporting tests for Total haloacetic acids (HAAs) (2004-2009): | 27,425 of 47,576 |
| Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (2004-2009): | 0.9 per year |
Violation Summary for Total haloacetic acids (HAAs)
Data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency includes the following violations of federal standards for Total haloacetic acids (HAAs) since 2004
| Maximum Contaminant Level Exceedance Violations | 6,001 |
| Monitoring Violations | 0 |
| Reporting Violations | 0 |