EWG INVESTIGATION

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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.

Alpha particle activity is a from mining waste polluants and natural sources. No information on potential health impacts for Alpha particle activity was identified in standard government and academic sources. [read more]

Sources of Alpha particle activity:

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

An Environmental Working Group analysis of Alpha particle activity tests reported by 10,689 public water suppliers in 18 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 69.4 million people in 6,786 communities drank water contaminated with Alpha particle activity. In 319 of these communities, tap water was contaminated at levels above health-based thresholds.

Exposure Summary

69,386,619 People drinking water contaminated with Alpha particle activity 6,786 Communities served water contaminated with Alpha particle activity 691,892 People drinking water contaminated with Alpha particle activity over health based limits 319 Communities served water with Alpha particle activity above health based limits

Table. Alpha particle activity Exposure by State

692 thousand Americans in 13 states were served tap water contaminated with Alpha particle activity at levels above health-based limits between 1998 and 2003.

State	Water suppliers with Alpha particle activity contamination		Water suppliers reporting Alpha particle activity above health-based limits
	Systems	Population	Systems	Population
Wisconsin	881	2,461,120	42	271,300
Utah	287	2,357,700	5	107,020
Texas	1,127	3,785,884	96	104,327
Nebraska	444	807,638	30	70,689
Minnesota	524	2,428,505	22	38,494
Illinois	253	1,301,939	31	38,223
California	1,851	47,950,762	43	30,129
Missouri	481	563,438	17	16,662
Oklahoma	323	1,635,581	7	5,571
Nevada	208	2,175,162	8	5,422
Massachusetts	79	669,880	3	1,700
Maine	35	20,256	10	1,547
New York	139	230,639	5	808
Virginia	4	1,590,314	0	0
Florida	2	576,303	0	0
Ohio	99	559,791	0	0
Rhode Island	49	271,707	0	0
Total	6,786	69,386,619	319	691,892

Table. The most polluted communities

692,000 Americans in 319 communities were served tap water contaminated with Alpha particle activity above health based limits between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average Alpha particle activity level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	Crystal Forest Subdivision Pflugerville, TX	444	1 of 1	233.4 pCi/L (233.4 to 233.4 pCi/L)
2	Millersview Doole Water Supply Commissio Millersview, TX	3,958	1 of 1	105.4 pCi/L (105.4 to 105.4 pCi/L)
3	Council Creek Village Austin, TX	327	2 of 2	105.15 pCi/L (98.6 to 111.7 pCi/L)
4	Village of Clarks Water Clarks, NE	391	2 of 2	103.7 pCi/L (81.5 to 125.9 pCi/L)
5	Kimball Lake Shores Water Coop Intervale, NH	135	1 of 1	103 pCi/L (103 to 103 pCi/L)
6	Tow Village Property Owners Association Tow, TX	102	2 of 2	101.3 pCi/L (93.5 to 109.1 pCi/L)
7	Pike Ranch Mutual Water Company Oakhurst, CA	60	6 of 6	99.18 pCi/L (63.3 to 154 pCi/L)
8	Gerlach Gid Gerlach, NV	191	6 of 6	97.83 pCi/L (84 to 135 pCi/L)
9	Suburban Mobile Home Park 2 Houston, TX	120	1 of 1	82.6 pCi/L (82.6 to 82.6 pCi/L)
10	Bellevue Tn Sanitary District #1 Green Bay, WI	8,600	4 of 4	75.5 pCi/L (21 to 116 pCi/L)

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Health based limits for Alpha particle activity

Health Limit	Limit Value	Limit Description
Maximum Contaminant Limit (MCL)	15 pCi/L	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 pCi/L	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	15 pCi/L	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.

Testing Summary for Alpha particle activity

Water suppliers report an average of 0.5 Alpha particle activity tests per year. 29,062 water suppliers failed to report any Alpha particle activity tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for Alpha particle activity by federal law? Yes Water suppliers reporting tests for Alpha particle activity (1998-2003): 10,689 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): 0.5 per year

Alpha particle activity Violations

Table. 0.3 percent of all water suppliers violated safe drinking water standards for Alpha particle activity between 1998 and 2003

Violation Type	Violations	Systems
Any Violation (1998-2003)	453	188
	(0.3% of all suppliers)
Testing violations (1998-2003)	180	141
	(0.2% of all suppliers)
Violations of tap water pollution standards (1998-2003)	273	68
	(0.1% of all suppliers)