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Status: Regulated - EPA has established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant. Bromate is a disinfection by-product of ozonation. Potential health impacts associated with Bromate include cancer and kidney toxicity. [read more] Sources of Bromate:  | Water Treatment and Distribution Byproducts (pipes and fixtures, treatment chemicals and byproducts) |
An Environmental Working Group analysis of Bromate tests reported by 73 public water suppliers in 16 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 3.9 million people in 20 communities drank water contaminated with Bromate. In 11 of these communities, tap water was contaminated at levels above health-based thresholds. Exposure Summary 3,909,764 | People drinking water contaminated with Bromate | 20 | Communities served water contaminated with Bromate | 1,878,890 | People drinking water contaminated with Bromate over health based limits | 11 | Communities served water with Bromate above health based limits |
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Table. Bromate Exposure by State1.9 million Americans in 7 states were served tap water contaminated with Bromate at levels above health-based limits between 1998 and 2003. | State | Water suppliers with Bromate contamination | Water suppliers reporting Bromate above health-based limits |
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| Systems | Population | Systems | Population |
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| California | 8 | 1,904,036 | 4 | 1,522,000 | | Arkansas | 2 | 125,247 | 2 | 125,247 | | Wisconsin | 2 | 785,350 | 1 | 103,018 | | Arizona | 1 | 86,000 | 1 | 86,000 | | Minnesota | 1 | 34,500 | 1 | 34,500 | | Nevada | 1 | 8,100 | 1 | 8,100 | | Wyoming | 1 | 25 | 1 | 25 | | Florida | 2 | 540,025 | 0 | 0 | | North Carolina | 2 | 426,481 | 0 | 0 | | Total | 20 | 3,909,764 | 11 | 1,878,890 |
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Table. The most polluted communities1.9 million Americans in 11 communities were served tap water contaminated with Bromate above health based limits between 1998 and 2003 Ranked by highest average Bromate level | Rank | System
| Population Served
| Positive test results of total reported tests
| Average Level
(Range) |
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| 1 | Central WY Reg Water Sys Jpb
Casper, WY | 25 | 1 of 1 | 19 ppb
(19 to 19 ppb) | | 2 | Moorhead Water Department
Moorhead, MN | 34,500 | 7 of 9 | 11 ppb
(0 to 18.5 ppb) | | 3 | Texarkana Water Utilities
Texarkana, TX | 101,624 | 1 of 1 | 10 ppb
(10 to 10 ppb) | | 4 | Big Bend Water District
Laughlin, NV | 8,100 | 15 of 35 | 8.77 ppb
(0 to 40 ppb) | | 5 | randall-bold water treatment plant
Concord, CA | 0 | 3 of 3 | 5.67 ppb
(2 to 9 ppb) | | 6 | Diablo Water District
Oakley, CA | 22,000 | 16 of 37 | 4.13 ppb
(0 to 16 ppb) | | 7 | City of Peoria Water
Peoria, AZ | 86,000 | 2 of 8 | 3.55 ppb
(0 to 19 ppb) | | 8 | Contra Costa Water District
Concord, CA | 200,000 | 13 of 27 | 2.89 ppb
(0 to 14 ppb) | | 9 | Clarksville Waterworks
Clarksville, AR | 23,623 | 3 of 25 | 2.62 ppb
(0 to 46.7 ppb) | | 10 | East Bay Municipal Utility District (MUD
Oakland, CA | 1,300,000 | 1 of 4 | 2.5 ppb
(0 to 10 ppb) |
Next --> Health based limits for Bromate
| Health Limit | Limit Value | Limit Description |
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| Maximum Contaminant Limit (MCL) | 10 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) | 0 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. | | One in ten thousand (10-4) Cancer Risk | 2 ppb | 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. | | Children's health-based limit for 1-day exposure | 200 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. | | Drinking Water Equivalent Level | 140 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 Bromate Water suppliers report an average of 1.7 Bromate tests per year. 39,678 water suppliers failed to report
any Bromate tests at all. | Are tests routinely required for Bromate by federal law? | Yes | | Water suppliers reporting tests for Bromate (1998-2003): | 73 of 39,751 | | Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): | 1.7 per year |
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Bromate Violations Table. < 0.1 percent of all water suppliers violated safe drinking water standards for Bromate between 1998 and 2003 | Violation Type | Violations | Systems |
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