EWG INVESTIGATION

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EWG Statement, 03/10/2008

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NATIONAL SUMMARY

Quality Varies Across the U.S.

CONTAMINANTS DATABASE

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Status: Unregulated - EPA has not established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant.

Potassium-40 (total) is a pollutant from natural deposits, nuclear testing, and industrial and medical instruments . Potential health impacts associated with Potassium-40 (total) include cancer.

Sources of Potassium-40 (total):

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

An Environmental Working Group analysis of Potassium-40 (total) tests reported by 1 public water suppliers in 1 states shows that between 2000 and 2000, 1.5 million people in 1 communities drank water contaminated with Potassium-40 (total). No health-based limit has been established by the federal government.Potassium-40 (total) remains unregulated in tap water, without a maximum legal limit.

Exposure Summary

1,500,000 People drinking water contaminated with Potassium-40 (total) 1 Community served water contaminated with Potassium-40 (total)

Table. Potassium-40 (total) Exposure by State

1.5 million Americans in 1 states were served tap water contaminated with Potassium-40 (total) between 2000 and 2000.

State	Water suppliers with Potassium-40 (total) contamination
	Systems	Population
Ohio	1	1,500,000
Total	1	1,500,000

Table. The most polluted communities

1.5 million Americans in 1 communities were served tap water contaminated with Potassium-40 (total) between 2000 and 2000

Ranked by highest average Potassium-40 (total) level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	Cleveland Public Water System Cleveland, OH	1,500,000	3 of 3	43.2 pCi/L (39 to 45.6 pCi/L)

Testing Summary for Potassium-40 (total)

Water suppliers report an average of 3.0 Potassium-40 (total) tests per year. 39,750 water suppliers failed to report any Potassium-40 (total) tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for Potassium-40 (total) by federal law? No Water suppliers reporting tests for Potassium-40 (total) (2000-2000): 1 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (2000-2000): 3.0 per year

Potassium-40 (total) Violations

Because Potassium-40 (total) is unregulated in tap water, no violations are recorded in EPA's violations database, the Safe Drinking Water Information System. Under the federal tap water law, water suppliers are not required to routinely test for Potassium-40 (total), and any level is legal in tap water.