EWG INVESTIGATION

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EWG Statement, 03/10/2008

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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.)

Aluminum is a metal from metal refineries and mining operations. Potential health impacts associated with Aluminum include cardiovascular or blood toxicity, neurotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, and respiratory toxicity.

Sources of Aluminum:

	Industry
	Naturally Occurring (naturally present but increased for lands denuded by sprawl, agriculture, or industrial development)

An Environmental Working Group analysis of Aluminum tests reported by 10,611 public water suppliers in 28 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 48.9 million people in 2,635 communities drank water contaminated with Aluminum. In 89 of these communities, tap water was contaminated at levels above health-based thresholds.

Exposure Summary

48,942,386 People drinking water contaminated with Aluminum 2,635 Communities served water contaminated with Aluminum 695,255 People drinking water contaminated with Aluminum over health based limits 89 Communities served water with Aluminum above health based limits

Table. Aluminum Exposure by State

695 thousand Americans in 13 states were served tap water contaminated with Aluminum at levels above health-based limits between 1998 and 2003.

State	Water suppliers with Aluminum contamination		Water suppliers reporting Aluminum above health-based limits
	Systems	Population	Systems	Population
California	662	24,189,379	25	396,181
New Jersey	230	5,070,124	8	65,790
Arkansas	274	2,205,166	12	51,369
Tennessee	67	1,446,382	3	44,680
Texas	735	10,139,828	21	43,956
Missouri	273	963,666	9	28,267
Alabama	31	942,164	3	27,837
Virginia	25	101,167	3	21,544
Ohio	4	60,915	1	9,000
Maine	2	20,575	1	5,825
North Dakota	26	25,509	1	657
Wisconsin	224	1,514,723	1	83
Nevada	17	480,954	1	66
Florida	1	416,303	0	0
Pennsylvania	10	327,694	0	0
Idaho	12	283,607	0	0
Delaware	10	203,363	0	0
New York	12	190,708	0	0
New Hampshire	9	185,369	0	0
Montana	5	123,760	0	0
Michigan	2	34,650	0	0
Minnesota	1	15,000	0	0
Alaska	3	1,380	0	0
Total	2,635	48,942,386	89	695,255

Table. The most polluted communities

695,000 Americans in 89 communities were served tap water contaminated with Aluminum above health based limits between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average Aluminum level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	Lisbon Water Association El Dorado, AR	400	1 of 1	12800 ppb (12800 to 12800 ppb)
2	West Cape May Water Department West Cape May, NJ	1,100	1 of 1	9400 ppb (9400 to 9400 ppb)
3	Wayne Co Pwsd #2 Patterson, MO	950	1 of 2	8700 ppb (0 to 17400 ppb)
4	Howell - Oregon Co Public Water Supply D West Plains, MO	1,524	1 of 2	5750 ppb (0 to 11500 ppb)
5	East Brunswick Water Utility East Brunswick, NJ	47,000	1 of 4	4700 ppb (0 to 18800 ppb)
6	Cindy Lake Mobile Home Park Chippewa Falls, WI	83	1 of 1	4700 ppb (4700 to 4700 ppb)
7	Sunrise Shore Mutual Water Company Lower Lake, CA	45	13 of 13	4298.46 ppb (250 to 12000 ppb)
8	Glenwood Mobile Home Subdivision Baytown, TX	108	1 of 1	4280 ppb (4280 to 4280 ppb)
9	Presque Isle Water District Presque Isle, ME	5,825	35 of 35	4000.74 ppb (243 to 15580 ppb)
10	Copco Lake Mwc Montague, CA	200	2 of 2	3805 ppb (2380 to 5230 ppb)

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Health based limits for Aluminum

Health Limit	Limit Value	Limit Description
California Public Health Goals	600 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.
National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations	200 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 Aluminum

Water suppliers report an average of 0.4 Aluminum tests per year. 29,140 water suppliers failed to report any Aluminum tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for Aluminum by federal law? Yes Water suppliers reporting tests for Aluminum (1998-2003): 10,611 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): 0.4 per year

Aluminum Violations

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

Violation Type	Violations	Systems
Any Violation (1998-2003)	70	65
	(0.1% of all suppliers)
Testing violations (1998-2003)	69	64
	(0.1% of all suppliers)
Violations of tap water pollution standards (1998-2003)	1	1
	(< 0.1% of all suppliers)