National Drinking Water Database
Westford Water Department Utilities - Cambridge, MA
Serves 15,853 people
Total haloacetic acids (HAAs)
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.Testing Summary
| Contaminant | Average/ Maximum Result | Health Limit Exceeded | Legal Limit Exceeded | Testing History -Tested  -Detected  -Over Health Guidelines  -Over Legal Limit* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total haloacetic acids (HAAs)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. | 21.14 ppb 34.46 ppb | Yes 0.7 ppb | No 60 ppb |  |
| NOTE: Each dot in the above graph represents one month. * Water utilities are noted as exceeding the legal limit if any test is above the maximum contaminant level (MCL). Most MCLs are based on annual averages so exceeding the MCL for one test does not necessarily indicate that the system is out of compliance. | ||||
Health Based and Legal Limits for Total haloacetic acids (HAAs)
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 Results
| Testing Date | Average Result | Samples taken that day | Number of Non-Detects | Range of Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-06-03 | 24.07 ppb | 8 | 0 | 3 to 54.2 ppb |
| 2009-04-07 | 14.39 ppb | 16 | 0 | 5.4 to 27.5 ppb |
| 2009-02-04 | 19.76 ppb | 8 | 0 | 4.66 to 42.4 ppb |
| 2009-01-13 | 26.29 ppb | 8 | 0 | 9.8 to 35.2 ppb |
| 2008-12-02 | 21.79 ppb | 8 | 0 | 10.2 to 34.7 ppb |
| 2008-10-09 | 27.26 ppb | 8 | 1 | 0 to 71 ppb |
| 2008-10-08 | 30.88 ppb | 8 | 0 | 6.7 to 87 ppb |
| 2008-07-01 | 12.89 ppb | 8 | 0 | 5.8 to 31.4 ppb |
| 2008-04-02 | 18.93 ppb | 8 | 0 | 4.7 to 24.1 ppb |
| 2008-01-07 | 16 ppb | 8 | 0 | 5 to 25.1 ppb |
| 2007-10-10 | 19.48 ppb | 16 | 0 | 9.3 to 26 ppb |
| 2007-07-16 | 34.46 ppb | 8 | 0 | 14.4 to 50.2 ppb |
| 2007-04-10 | 15.25 ppb | 8 | 0 | 7.9 to 22.7 ppb |
| 2007-01-09 | 17.65 ppb | 8 | 0 | 6.7 to 43.9 ppb |
| 2006-10-11 | 30.68 ppb | 8 | 0 | 16.5 to 44.7 ppb |
| 2006-07-12 | 28.9 ppb | 8 | 0 | 20 to 43 ppb |
| 2006-04-12 | 10.48 ppb | 8 | 0 | 8.5 to 13.1 ppb |
| 2006-01-11 | 22.1 ppb | 8 | 0 | 11.9 to 31.3 ppb |
| 2005-10-04 | 24.48 ppb | 8 | 0 | 11.1 to 59.9 ppb |
| 2005-07-07 | 28.05 ppb | 8 | 0 | 9.9 to 76.8 ppb |
| 2005-04-12 | 24.79 ppb | 8 | 0 | 13.6 to 43.2 ppb |
| 2005-01-04 | 31.41 ppb | 8 | 0 | 11.8 to 60.3 ppb |
| 2004-10-04 | 12.85 ppb | 8 | 0 | 2.9 to 32 ppb |
| 2004-07-07 | 13.99 ppb | 8 | 0 | 4.4 to 28 ppb |
| 2004-04-05 | 10.38 ppb | 8 | 0 | 5.4 to 28.8 ppb |
| 2004-01-12 | 12.59 ppb | 8 | 0 | 1.9 to 28.3 ppb |