EWG INVESTIGATION
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EWG Statement, 03/10/2008
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NATIONAL SUMMARY
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Tap Water Quality Report
National Summary Data from 42 states 39,751 Water Systems Serving 231 million People
An Environmental Working Group analysis of tap water tests from 1998 through 2003 for more than 39,000 communities nationwide shows that 260 pollutants were detected in the nation's drinking water.
Pollution Summary
260 Total Contaminants Detected 82 Agricultural Pollutants Ammonia, Chlorate, Nitrate & nitrite, Nitrate, Nitrite, Phosphate, Sulfate, Thallium (total), MBAS, Phosphorus, Endrin, Desethylatrazine, Desisopropylatrazine, Lindane, Methoxychlor, Toxaphene, Carbaryl, Methomyl, Baygon (Propoxur), Methiocarb, Acetochlor, Paraquat, Prometon (2,4-bis -6-(isopropylamino)), Dalapon, Diquat, Endothall, Glyphosate, Oxamyl (Vydate), Simazine, Picloram, Dinoseb, Aldicarb sulfoxide, Aldicarb sulfone, Metolachlor, Carbofuran, Aldicarb, Atrazine, Alachlor (Lasso), EPTC (Eptam), Butylate (Sutan), Cyanazine (Bladex), Trifluralin, Ethion, Heptachlor, 3-Hydroxycarbofuran, Heptachlor epoxide, Endosulfan I, Dieldrin, p,p'-DDT, Butachlor, Propachlor, Bromacil, Dacthal, Diuron, 2,4-D, 2,4-DB, 2,4,5-TP (Silvex), 2,4,5-T, Chloramben, Dichlorprop, Bromomethane, Isophorone, alpha-Lindane, beta-Lindane, Aldrin, 1,3-Dichloropropene, Dicamba, Iodomethane, Chloropicrin, Metribuzin, Bentazon (Basagran), Molinate (Ordram), Thiobencarb (Bolero), Foaming agents (surfactants), Phenols, 1,2 Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP), Ethylene dibromide (EDB), Chlordane, m-Dichlorobenzene, Ethylbenzene, Perchlorate, Total aldicarbs, Alpha Chlordane
58 Sprawl and Urban Pollutants Ammonia, Arsenic (total), Cadmium (total), Copper, Hydrogen sulfide, Lead (total), Mercury (total inorganic), Nitrate & nitrite, Nitrate, Nitrite, Phosphate, Antimony (total), Lithium, Molybdenum, Oil & Grease (total), Phosphorus, Lindane, Baygon (Propoxur), Paraquat, Glyphosate, Trifluralin, Isopropyl alcohol, Trichlorofluoromethane, Acetone, Naphthalene, MTBE, Fluorene, Phenanthrene, Anthracene, Dimethylphthalate, Diethylphthalate, Fluoranthene, Pyrene, Di-n-butylphthalate, Butyl Benzylphthalate, Benzo[a]anthracene, Benzo[b]fluoranthene, Benzo[k]fluoranthene, Benzo[a]pyrene, Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, Dibenz[a,h]anthracene, Benzo[g,h,i]perylene, alpha-Lindane, beta-Lindane, tert-Butylbenzene, sec-Butylbenzene, Chloropicrin, Trichlorotrifluoroethane, Phenols, Xylenes (total), p-Xylene, Tetrachloroethylene, Benzene, Bromobenzene, m-Xylene, o-Xylene, n-Propylbenzene, Ethyl-t-butyl ether (ETBE)
166 Industrial Pollutants Aluminum, Ammonia, Bromide, Arsenic (total), Chlorate, Barium (total), Cadmium (total), Chromium (total), Cyanide, Hydrogen sulfide, Lead (total), Manganese, Mercury (total inorganic), Nitrate & nitrite, Nitrate, Nitrite, Phosphate, Selenium (total), Silver (total), Strontium, Sulfate, Antimony (total), Beryllium (total), Chromium (hexavalent), Lithium, Molybdenum, Thallium (total), Vanadium, MBAS, Oil & Grease (total), Phosphorus, Carbon disulfide, Lindane, p-Isopropyltoluene, Di(2-Ethylhexyl) adipate, Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, Hexachlorocyclopentadiene, 1,4-Dioxane, Endosulfan I, Butyl Acetate, Ethyl ether, Isopropyl alcohol, Chloromethane, Dichlorodifluoromethane, Bromomethane, Chloroethane, Trichlorofluoromethane, n-Nitrosodiphenylamine, Aniline, 1,2-Dibromoethylene, Acrylonitrile, Acetone, Isopropyl ether, Hexachlorobutadiene, Methyl ethyl ketone, Naphthalene, Methyl isobutyl ketone, MTBE, Nitrobenzene, Acenaphthylene, Acenaphthene, Isophorone, Tetrahydrofuran, Fluorene, 2-Hexanone, 2,4-Dinitrotoluene, Hexachlorobenzene (HCB), Phenanthrene, Anthracene, Dimethylphthalate, Diethylphthalate, Fluoranthene, Pyrene, Di-n-butylphthalate, Butyl Benzylphthalate, Methyl methacrylate, Chrysene, Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, Dibenz[a,h]anthracene, Pentachlorophenol, n-Hexane, 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene, cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene, Total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Aroclor 1016, Aroclor 1221, Aroclor 1232, Aroclor 1242, Aroclor 1248, Aroclor 1254, Aroclor 1260, 1,1-Dichloropropene, 1,3-Dichloropropane, 1,2,3-Trichloropropane, 2,2-Dichloropropane, 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, 1,2,3-Trichlorobenzene, n-Butylbenzene, 1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene, tert-Butylbenzene, sec-Butylbenzene, Bromochloromethane, Chloropicrin, 2-Nitropropane, Glyoxal, Trichlorotrifluoroethane, Foaming agents (surfactants), Phenols, Ethylene dibromide (EDB), Xylenes (total), Formaldehyde, p-Xylene, Dichloromethane (methylene chloride), o-Chlorotoluene, p-Chlorotoluene, m-Dichlorobenzene, o-Dichlorobenzene, p-Dichlorobenzene, Vinyl chloride, 1,1-Dichloroethylene, 1,1-Dichloroethane, trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene, 1,2-Dichloroethane, 1,1,1-Trichloroethane, Carbon tetrachloride, 1,2-Dichloropropane, Trichloroethylene, 1,1,2-Trichloroethane, 1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane, Tetrachloroethylene, 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane, Monochlorobenzene (Chlorobenzene), Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Bromobenzene, Isopropylbenzene, m-Xylene, Styrene, o-Xylene, n-Propylbenzene, m- & p- Xylene, Alpha particle activity (excl radon and uranium), Alpha particle activity (incl. radon & uranium), Combined Uranium (mg/L), Uranium-234, Uranium-235, Uranium-238, Combined Radium (-226 & -228), Radium-226, Radium-228, Alpha particle activity (suspended), Gross beta particle activity (dissolved), Gross beta particle activity (suspended), Potassium-40 (total), Gross beta particle activity (mrem/yr), Gross beta particle & photon emitters (man-made), Tritium, Alpha particle activity, 25-Manganese-54, Strontium-90, Perchlorate, Ethyl-t-butyl ether (ETBE), Dichlorofluoromethane, Combined Uranium (pCi/L), Gross beta particle activity (pCi/L)
43 Water Treatment and Distribution Byproducts Chloramine, Chlorate, Chlorine dioxide, Chlorite, Bromate, Cadmium (total), Orthophosphate, Asbestos, Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, Chloromethane, Methyl ethyl ketone, 2-Hexanone, Fluoranthene, Benzo[a]anthracene, Benzo[b]fluoranthene, Benzo[k]fluoranthene, Benzo[a]pyrene, Benzo[g,h,i]perylene, Dibromomethane, Bromochloromethane, Monochloroacetic acid, Dichloroacetic acid, Trichloroacetic acid, Monobromoacetic acid, Dibromoacetic acid, Bromochloroacetic acid, Total haloacetic acids, Dichloroacetonitrile, 1,1-Dichloropropanone, Chloropicrin, Glyoxal, Chloroform, Bromoform, Bromodichloromethane, Dibromochloromethane, Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Formaldehyde, m-Dichlorobenzene, Dichloroiodomethane, Vinyl chloride, Bromodichloroacetic acid, Chlorodibromoacetic acid, Tribromoacetic acid
40 Naturally Occurring Aluminum, Ammonia, Bromide, Arsenic (total), Chromium (total), Copper, Hydrogen sulfide, Lead (total), Manganese, Mercury (total inorganic), Nitrate & nitrite, Nitrate, Nitrite, Phosphate, Selenium (total), Silver (total), Sulfate, Chromium (hexavalent), Lithium, Phosphorus, Chloromethane, Alpha particle activity (excl radon and uranium), Alpha particle activity (incl. radon & uranium), Radon, Combined Uranium (mg/L), Uranium-234, Uranium-235, Uranium-238, Combined Radium (-226 & -228), Radium-226, Radium-228, Alpha particle activity (suspended), Gross beta particle activity (dissolved), Gross beta particle activity (suspended), Potassium-40 (total), Gross beta particle activity (mrem/yr), Gross beta particle & photon emitters (man-made), Alpha particle activity, Combined Uranium (pCi/L), Gross beta particle activity (pCi/L)
142 Unregulated Contaminants Ammonia, Bromide, Chlorate, Hydrogen sulfide, Phosphate, Orthophosphate, Strontium, Lithium, Molybdenum, Vanadium, Oil & Grease (total), Phosphorus, Carbon disulfide, Desisopropylatrazine, Carbaryl, Methomyl, Baygon (Propoxur), Methiocarb, Acetochlor, Paraquat, Prometon (2,4-bis -6-(isopropylamino)), p-Isopropyltoluene, Aldicarb sulfoxide, Aldicarb sulfone, Metolachlor, Aldicarb, 1,4-Dioxane, EPTC (Eptam), Butylate (Sutan), Cyanazine (Bladex), Trifluralin, Ethion, 3-Hydroxycarbofuran, Endosulfan I, Dieldrin, p,p'-DDT, Butachlor, Propachlor, Butyl Acetate, Ethyl ether, Isopropyl alcohol, Bromacil, Dacthal, Diuron, 2,4-DB, 2,4,5-T, Chloramben, Dichlorprop, Chloromethane, Dichlorodifluoromethane, Bromomethane, Chloroethane, Trichlorofluoromethane, n-Nitrosodiphenylamine, Aniline, 1,2-Dibromoethylene, Acrylonitrile, Acetone, Isopropyl ether, Hexachlorobutadiene, Methyl ethyl ketone, Naphthalene, Methyl isobutyl ketone, MTBE, Nitrobenzene, Acenaphthylene, Acenaphthene, Isophorone, Tetrahydrofuran, Fluorene, 2-Hexanone, 2,4-Dinitrotoluene, Phenanthrene, Anthracene, Dimethylphthalate, Diethylphthalate, Fluoranthene, Pyrene, Di-n-butylphthalate, Butyl Benzylphthalate, Methyl methacrylate, Chrysene, Benzo[a]anthracene, Benzo[b]fluoranthene, Benzo[k]fluoranthene, Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, Dibenz[a,h]anthracene, Benzo[g,h,i]perylene, alpha-Lindane, beta-Lindane, Aldrin, n-Hexane, Dibromomethane, 1,1-Dichloropropene, 1,3-Dichloropropane, 1,3-Dichloropropene, 1,2,3-Trichloropropane, 2,2-Dichloropropane, 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, 1,2,3-Trichlorobenzene, n-Butylbenzene, 1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene, tert-Butylbenzene, sec-Butylbenzene, Bromochloromethane, Dicamba, Bromochloroacetic acid, Iodomethane, Dichloroacetonitrile, 1,1-Dichloropropanone, Chloropicrin, 2-Nitropropane, Glyoxal, Metribuzin, Bentazon (Basagran), Molinate (Ordram), Thiobencarb (Bolero), Trichlorotrifluoroethane, Phenols, Formaldehyde, o-Chlorotoluene, p-Chlorotoluene, m-Dichlorobenzene, Dichloroiodomethane, 1,1-Dichloroethane, 1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane, 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane, Bromobenzene, Isopropylbenzene, n-Propylbenzene, Radon, Potassium-40 (total), Tritium, 25-Manganese-54, Strontium-90, Perchlorate, Benzo[b]fluoranthene & Benzo[k]fluoranthene, Bromodichloroacetic acid, Chlorodibromoacetic acid, Tribromoacetic acid, Alpha Chlordane, Ethyl-t-butyl ether (ETBE), Dichlorofluoromethane
260 120
82 31
58 25
166 80
43 26
40 30
Total pollutants Agricultural pollutants Sprawl and Urban pollutants Industrial pollutants Water Treatment and Distribution Byproducts Naturally occurring pollutants
NOTE: Health based limits included in this analysis include enforceable drinking
water limits (called Maximum Contaminant Limits, or MCLs) as well as
governmental, non-enforceable health guidelines, such as Maximum Contaminant
Limit Goals (MCLGs), lifetime health advisory levels, one-day and ten-day
advisory levels to protect children from non-cancer health endpoints, and
other government-established health guidelines for tap water contaminants.
State Summary
Table: States with Biggest Pollution Concerns
Rank State Contams. detected Contams. over health limits Poplulation exposed to contams. Population exposed over health- based limits 1 California* 145
64 49,824,189 46,852,770 2 Wisconsin 118
60 3,768,113 3,575,284 3 North Carolina 107
56 6,501,832 6,179,490 4 Florida 107
59 16,562,089 15,538,094 5 Texas 105
56 19,588,430 17,486,112 6 New York 104
41 2,049,452 1,221,890 7 Nevada 100
41 2,214,147 2,173,655 8 Pennsylvania 96
44 10,397,815 9,339,157 9 Ohio 92
41 10,062,663 9,655,568 10 Illinois 90
58 11,198,631 10,614,995 National Total
260
120
223,409,898
195,257,315
* According to EPA, the actual number of individuals served is smaller,
because many Americans drank water from, and are counted as users by, more
than one public water system during the course of a year.
View Full Table
Health Effects Summary
Health effects or target organs of contaminants found: Cardiovascular or Blood Toxicity, Cancer, Developmental Toxicity, Endocrine Toxicity, Immunotoxicity, Kidney Toxicity, Gastrointestinal or Liver Toxicity, Musculoskeletal Toxicity, Neurotoxicity, Reproductive Toxicity, Respiratory Toxicity, and Skin Sensitivity.
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Contaminants of Concern
Rank Contaminant Name Population Exposed Number of Water Systems Number At Any Level Above Health Limits At Any Level Above Health Limits 1 Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Regulated 170,113,651 116,265,462 14,675 6,975 39 Measure of four disinfection by-products 2 Nitrate Regulated 164,806,730 12,390,279 22,363 657 31 Chemical that enters water from fertilizer runoff, leaching septic tanks, and erosion of natural deposits 3 Chloroform Regulated 153,506,945 78,454,760 11,369 4,134 38 Disinfection by-product 4 Bromodichloromethane Regulated 147,485,443 115,218,832 9,966 7,298 38 Disinfection by-product 5 Dibromochloromethane Regulated 139,104,583 100,373,485 9,443 7,005 38 Disinfection by-product 6 Barium (total) Regulated 134,841,413 827,080 18,835 177 29 Mineral from drilling and mining waste runoff; erosion of natrual deposits 7 Bromoform Regulated 99,694,236 4,363,943 6,140 726 34 Disinfection by-product 8 Arsenic (total) Regulated 90,097,384 90,096,056 9,957 9,956 38 Metal that enters water by erosion of natural deposits, runoff from glass and electronics processing 9 Copper Regulated 77,074,622 4,398,112 12,169 1,402 29 contaminant that enters water by corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits 10 Total haloacetic acids Regulated 69,077,841 20,251,582 2,791 935 27 Measure of disinfection by-products; refers to the sum of the concentrations of dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, monochloroacetic acid, monobromoacetic acid and dibromoacetic acid in a water sample. 11 Nitrate & nitrite Regulated 66,875,947 116,283 7,526 97 15 Chemical that enters water from fertilizer runoff, leaching septic tanks, and erosion of natural deposits 12 Alpha particle activity Regulated 66,388,504 691,892 6,632 319 13 From mining waste polluants and natural sources 13 Manganese Regulated 59,746,385 6,089,914 8,182 2,273 28 element from natural deposits as well as industrial use 14 Lead (total) Regulated 50,382,986 9,619,783 7,942 2,275 33 Metal that enters water by corrosion of household plumbing systems; industrial pollutant; erosion of natural deposits 15 Aluminum Regulated 47,160,552 695,255 2,570 89 13 Metal from metal refineries and mining operations 16 Alpha particle activity (excl radon and uranium) Regulated 36,052,637 296,169 6,296 219 15 From mining waste pollutants and natural sources 17 Trichloroacetic acid Regulated 35,501,045 2,023,732 1,689 253 15 Disinfection by-product 18 Radon Unregulated 34,833,416 12,434,478 1,215 879 16 natural (radioactive) breakdown product of uranium in soil, rock and water 19 Selenium (total) Regulated 32,638,423 2,184,722 2,431 39 7 Metal from mining or petrolum refining pollution; erosion of natural deposits 20 Nitrite Regulated 28,587,707 707,975 2,722 87 22 Chemical that enters water from fertilizer runoff, leaching septic tanks, and erosion of natural deposits
NOTE: Health based limits included in this analysis include enforceable drinking
water limits (called Maximum Contaminant Limits, or MCLs) as well as
governmental, non-enforceable health guidelines, such as Maximum Contaminant
Limit Goals (MCLGs), lifetime health advisory levels, one-day and ten-day
advisory levels to protect children from non-cancer health endpoints, and
other government-established health guidelines for tap water contaminants.
View Full Table
