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EWG Statement, 03/10/2008

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NATIONAL SUMMARY

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

Beryllium (total) is a metal from metal refineries and coal burning; pollution from electrical, aerospace and defense industries. Potential health impacts associated with Beryllium (total) include cancer, cardiovascular or blood toxicity, gastrointestinal or liver toxicity, immunotoxicity, kidney toxicity, reproductive toxicity, respiratory toxicity, and skin sensitivity. [read more]

Sources of Beryllium (total):

Industry

An Environmental Working Group analysis of Beryllium (total) tests reported by 29,913 public water suppliers in 41 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 6.9 million people in 720 communities drank water contaminated with Beryllium (total). In 86 of these communities, tap water was contaminated at levels above health-based thresholds.

Exposure Summary

6,921,689 People drinking water contaminated with Beryllium (total) 720 Communities served water contaminated with Beryllium (total) 88,216 People drinking water contaminated with Beryllium (total) over health based limits 86 Communities served water with Beryllium (total) above health based limits

Table. Beryllium (total) Exposure by State

88 thousand Americans in 21 states were served tap water contaminated with Beryllium (total) at levels above health-based limits between 1998 and 2003.

State	Water suppliers with Beryllium (total) contamination		Water suppliers reporting Beryllium (total) above health-based limits
	Systems	Population	Systems	Population
Idaho	21	31,510	21	31,510
Florida	199	535,424	8	20,102
Indiana	14	238,237	3	12,759
Pennsylvania	79	447,818	4	6,230
Washington	2	5,606	1	4,100
California	32	2,327,353	4	2,608
Illinois	19	60,022	4	2,161
New Hampshire	15	1,963	15	1,963
North Dakota	3	1,881	3	1,881
North Carolina	59	362,144	5	1,523
Alaska	12	39,785	3	1,065
Arizona	2	7,335	1	640
Kentucky	6	160,869	1	450
Virginia	4	2,112	3	448
New York	5	12,201	3	400
Missouri	5	6,712	2	92
Rhode Island	4	90,341	1	77
Texas	2	165	1	63
Nevada	5	1,544	1	54
Wisconsin	89	88,684	1	50
New Mexico	4	459,720	1	40
Colorado	20	523,441	0	0
Tennessee	25	408,605	0	0
New Jersey	9	402,710	0	0
Michigan	52	338,538	0	0
Utah	2	314,450	0	0
Maine	14	16,401	0	0
Wyoming	6	13,400	0	0
Delaware	6	11,585	0	0
Ohio	5	11,133	0	0
Total	720	6,921,689	86	88,216

Table. The most polluted communities

88,000 Americans in 86 communities were served tap water contaminated with Beryllium (total) above health based limits between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average Beryllium (total) level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	Howe Townsite Howe, ID	60	1 of 1	80 ppb (80 to 80 ppb)
2	City of Malad Water Malad, ID	2,200	1 of 2	40 ppb (0 to 80 ppb)
3	Trout Creek Water Company Grace, ID	78	1 of 1	40 ppb (40 to 40 ppb)
4	City of Butte Water Arco, ID	59	1 of 2	30 ppb (0 to 60 ppb)
5	Sunset Heights Water District Salmon, ID	65	1 of 1	30 ppb (30 to 30 ppb)
6	Goose Creek Trailer Court New Meadows, ID	24	1 of 1	30 ppb (30 to 30 ppb)
7	Canyon Creek Mobile Home Park Mountain Home, ID	243	1 of 1	30 ppb (30 to 30 ppb)
8	City of Montpelier Water Montpelier, ID	3,000	1 of 3	26.67 ppb (0 to 80 ppb)
9	Fish Haven Pipeline Company Fish Haven, ID	200	1 of 2	25 ppb (0 to 50 ppb)
10	City of Ammon Water Idaho Falls, ID	6,187	1 of 2	25 ppb (0 to 50 ppb)

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Health based limits for Beryllium (total)

Health Limit	Limit Value	Limit Description
Maximum Contaminant Limit (MCL)	4 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)	4 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	1 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.
Children's health-based limit for 1-day exposure	30000 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	30000 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.
Drinking Water Equivalent Level	70 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 Beryllium (total)

Water suppliers report an average of 0.4 Beryllium (total) tests per year. 9,838 water suppliers failed to report any Beryllium (total) tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for Beryllium (total) by federal law? Yes Water suppliers reporting tests for Beryllium (total) (1998-2003): 29,913 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): 0.4 per year

Beryllium (total) Violations

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

Violation Type	Violations	Systems
Any Violation (1998-2003)	2,144	1,652
	(2.9% of all suppliers)
Testing violations (1998-2003)	2,134	1,647
	(2.9% of all suppliers)
Violations of tap water pollution standards (1998-2003)	10	8
	(< 0.1% of all suppliers)