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Status: Regulated - EPA has established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant.

Barium (total) is a mineral from drilling and mining waste runoff; erosion of natrual deposits. Potential health impacts associated with Barium (total) include developmental toxicity, neurotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, and respiratory toxicity. [read more]

Sources of Barium (total):

Industry

An Environmental Working Group analysis of Barium (total) tests reported by 29,280 public water suppliers in 41 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 147 million people in 20,626 communities drank water contaminated with Barium (total). In 177 of these communities, tap water was contaminated at levels above health-based thresholds.

Exposure Summary

147,101,048 People drinking water contaminated with Barium (total) 20,626 Communities served water contaminated with Barium (total) 827,080 People drinking water contaminated with Barium (total) over health based limits 177 Communities served water with Barium (total) above health based limits

Table. Barium (total) Exposure by State

827 thousand Americans in 29 states were served tap water contaminated with Barium (total) at levels above health-based limits between 1998 and 2003.

State	Water suppliers with Barium (total) contamination		Water suppliers reporting Barium (total) above health-based limits
	Systems	Population	Systems	Population
Illinois	1,179	7,461,681	38	291,127
Delaware	16	216,750	1	200,000
Utah	360	2,687,027	3	106,430
Pennsylvania	1,354	7,280,876	37	78,176
California	866	37,712,627	5	41,631
Florida	1,246	9,262,747	1	25,333
Wisconsin	966	3,406,289	9	15,774
Missouri	1,085	2,302,286	5	12,119
Arizona	653	4,593,598	12	11,630
New York	269	550,418	17	8,514
Ohio	303	3,497,109	9	8,362
New Jersey	289	5,455,974	1	4,835
Tennessee	318	4,546,818	3	4,101
Nebraska	429	1,276,635	1	3,660
Iowa	193	843,685	3	2,844
Kentucky	247	4,236,855	3	2,735
Minnesota	464	1,828,029	2	2,566
Texas	3,893	19,210,829	7	2,442
Maine	327	584,052	1	1,868
Michigan	1,076	3,326,745	5	1,041
Indiana	661	4,093,121	3	553
Arkansas	441	2,641,084	1	275
Alaska	222	358,629	2	267
Wyoming	73	162,781	1	256
North Carolina	692	4,565,359	2	177
Idaho	347	680,835	2	140
North Dakota	196	365,235	1	134
New Mexico	339	1,141,528	1	60
New Hampshire	331	551,811	1	30
Colorado	683	4,346,183	0	0
Nevada	219	2,196,927	0	0
Virginia	30	1,790,764	0	0
Alabama	55	1,321,574	0	0
Washington	411	1,118,094	0	0
Oregon	147	854,018	0	0
Montana	188	239,007	0	0
Rhode Island	9	199,098	0	0
South Carolina	49	193,970	0	0
Total	20,626	147,101,048	177	827,080

Table. The most polluted communities

827,000 Americans in 177 communities were served tap water contaminated with Barium (total) above health based limits between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average Barium (total) level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	Standish Water District Saranac, NY	110	1 of 1	23000 ppb (23000 to 23000 ppb)
2	Vista Village Mhp Morrisonville, NY	43	1 of 1	19000 ppb (19000 to 19000 ppb)
3	Peru Water Department Peru, NY	2,572	1 of 1	19000 ppb (19000 to 19000 ppb)
4	Shircliff Court Grand Isle, VT	186	1 of 2	7500 ppb (0 to 15000 ppb)
5	Saranac Water Department Saranac, NY	75	1 of 1	7000 ppb (7000 to 7000 ppb)
6	Redford Water District Saranac, NY	500	1 of 1	7000 ppb (7000 to 7000 ppb)
7	Cadyville Water District Plattsburgh, NY	660	2 of 2	4507 ppb (14 to 9000 ppb)
8	Forest Hills Mhp Saratoga Springs, NY	532	4 of 4	3932.5 ppb (3700 to 4210 ppb)
9	Rouses Point Village Rouses Point, NY	2,500	1 of 2	3500 ppb (0 to 7000 ppb)
10	South Acres Mobile Home Park Plattsburgh, NY	147	1 of 2	3500 ppb (0 to 7000 ppb)

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Health based limits for Barium (total)

Health Limit	Limit Value	Limit Description
Maximum Contaminant Limit (MCL)	2000 ppb	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.
Maximum Contaminant Limit Goal (MCLG)	2000 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	2000 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	1000 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.
Children's health-based limit for 1-day exposure	700 ppb	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.
Children's health-based limit for 10-day exposure	700 ppb	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.
Lifetime health-based limit, non-cancer risk	2000 ppb	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.
Drinking Water Equivalent Level	2000 ppb	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.

Testing Summary for Barium (total)

Water suppliers report an average of 0.4 Barium (total) tests per year. 10,471 water suppliers failed to report any Barium (total) tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for Barium (total) by federal law? Yes Water suppliers reporting tests for Barium (total) (1998-2003): 29,280 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): 0.4 per year

Barium (total) Violations

Table. 2.5 percent of all water suppliers violated safe drinking water standards for Barium (total) between 1998 and 2003

Violation Type	Violations	Systems
Any Violation (1998-2003)	1,809	1,401
	(2.5% of all suppliers)
Testing violations (1998-2003)	1,723	1,392
	(2.4% of all suppliers)
Reporting violations (1998-2003)	1	1
	(< 0.1% of all suppliers)
Violations of tap water pollution standards (1998-2003)	85	14
	(< 0.1% of all suppliers)