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EWG Statement, 03/10/2008

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NATIONAL SUMMARY

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CONTAMINANTS DATABASE

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

Antimony (total) is a metal that enters water from petroleum refinery pollution, fire retandants, ceramics, electronics, solder. Potential health impacts associated with Antimony (total) include cardiovascular or blood toxicity, gastrointestinal or liver toxicity, neurotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, respiratory toxicity, and skin sensitivity. [read more]

Sources of Antimony (total):

	Sprawl and Urban Areas (road runoff, lawn pesticides, human waste)
	Industry

An Environmental Working Group analysis of Antimony (total) tests reported by 29,475 public water suppliers in 40 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 11.7 million people in 1,176 communities drank water contaminated with Antimony (total). In 44 of these communities, tap water was contaminated at levels above health-based thresholds.

Exposure Summary

11,707,436 People drinking water contaminated with Antimony (total) 1,176 Communities served water contaminated with Antimony (total) 419,071 People drinking water contaminated with Antimony (total) over health based limits 44 Communities served water with Antimony (total) above health based limits

Table. Antimony (total) Exposure by State

419 thousand Americans in 15 states were served tap water contaminated with Antimony (total) at levels above health-based limits between 1998 and 2003.

State	Water suppliers with Antimony (total) contamination		Water suppliers reporting Antimony (total) above health-based limits
	Systems	Population	Systems	Population
California	34	1,411,663	7	234,355
Florida	189	567,339	3	78,490
Alabama	2	53,550	2	53,550
Idaho	8	16,429	8	16,429
New York	14	72,685	2	10,285
Utah	41	897,780	4	7,198
New Hampshire	9	28,629	3	5,324
Nevada	31	91,521	2	4,700
Indiana	24	194,856	1	3,500
North Carolina	69	1,473,660	4	3,238
Pennsylvania	78	380,397	2	1,441
Maine	12	2,771	3	233
Wisconsin	57	1,026,479	1	209
South Carolina	4	38,617	1	84
Washington	9	1,702	1	35
Michigan	399	2,365,961	0	0
Arizona	11	1,240,888	0	0
Kentucky	39	534,898	0	0
Tennessee	7	450,096	0	0
Delaware	4	200,903	0	0
Illinois	10	199,351	0	0
Oregon	4	100,213	0	0
Minnesota	48	75,210	0	0
Arkansas	7	73,252	0	0
New Jersey	4	55,479	0	0
Texas	11	47,047	0	0
Missouri	4	34,001	0	0
Iowa	3	30,352	0	0
Nebraska	9	17,202	0	0
Ohio	10	12,429	0	0
New Mexico	8	5,294	0	0
Alaska	7	2,283	0	0
Virginia	3	2,059	0	0
Montana	3	1,310	0	0
Wyoming	4	1,130	0	0
Total	1,176	11,707,436	44	419,071

Table. The most polluted communities

419,000 Americans in 44 communities were served tap water contaminated with Antimony (total) above health based limits between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average Antimony (total) level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	Hazelton Housing Authority Hazelton, ID	150	1 of 1	100 ppb (100 to 100 ppb)
2	Rock Creek Mobile Manor Twin Falls, ID	95	1 of 1	100 ppb (100 to 100 ppb)
3	Arundel By The River A Mobile Home Commi Coeur D Alene, ID	125	1 of 1	100 ppb (100 to 100 ppb)
4	Craig Estates Corinth, ME	103	6 of 6	55.83 ppb (3 to 110 ppb)
5	Red Rock Land and Water Company Lewiston, ID	60	1 of 2	50 ppb (0 to 100 ppb)
6	Valhalla Hills Mhp Moscow, ID	75	1 of 2	50 ppb (0 to 100 ppb)
7	White Fence Farms Mwc No.3 Palmdale, CA	612	1 of 2	43.3 ppb (0 to 86.6 ppb)
8	City of Jerome Water Jerome, ID	7,300	1 of 4	25 ppb (0 to 100 ppb)
9	Hebron Water Department Hebron, IN	3,500	1 of 3	23.33 ppb (0 to 70 ppb)
10	Richland Village Mhp Asheboro, NC	235	1 of 1	21 ppb (21 to 21 ppb)

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Health based limits for Antimony (total)

Health Limit	Limit Value	Limit Description
Maximum Contaminant Limit (MCL)	6 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)	6 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	20 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	5.6 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	10 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	10 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	6 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	10 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 Antimony (total)

Water suppliers report an average of 0.4 Antimony (total) tests per year. 10,276 water suppliers failed to report any Antimony (total) tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for Antimony (total) by federal law? Yes Water suppliers reporting tests for Antimony (total) (1998-2003): 29,475 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): 0.4 per year

Antimony (total) Violations

Table. 2.9 percent of all water suppliers violated safe drinking water standards for Antimony (total) between 1998 and 2003

Violation Type	Violations	Systems
Any Violation (1998-2003)	2,072	1,666
	(2.9% of all suppliers)
Testing violations (1998-2003)	2,055	1,656
	(2.9% of all suppliers)
Violations of tap water pollution standards (1998-2003)	17	13
	(< 0.1% of all suppliers)