Cyanide (free)
Status: No national drinking water standard exists
Cyanide is a toxic chemical that causes central nervous system and thyroid toxicity. Water contamination is generally the result of metal mining and chemical industry waste, runoff from agriculture and road salts used for melting ice.
2017-2019:
2
states detected
32
utilities detected
2.6 million
people served
0
states over health guideline
0
utilities over health guideline
0
people served over health guideline
Health concerns for cyanide (free)
Harm to the brain and nervous system
Harm to the thyroid
Harm to the central nervous system
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 150 ppb
The EWG Health Guideline of 150 ppb for cyanide (free) was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. This health guideline protects against harm to the brain and nervous system.
ppb = parts per billion
States reporting cyanide (free) in drinking water
| UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| State | Utilities | People Served | |
| Pennsylvania | 19 | 2,345,746 | |
| Texas | 13 | 234,627 | |
Filtering technologies that reduce cyanide (free)
Reverse Osmosis
Ion Exchange
Utilities with the highest amounts of cyanide (free), 2017-2019
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Granite Shoals | Granite Shoals, TX | 4 of 8 | 78.8 ppb | 6,795 |
| Texas State Technical College - Waco | Waco, TX | 5 of 8 | 52.5 ppb | 6,533 |
| City of Lacy Lakeview | Waco, TX | 5 of 8 | 52.5 ppb | 6,611 |
| City of Waco* | Waco, TX | 5 of 8 | 52.5 ppb | 130,194 |
| New Horizons Ranch & Center | Abilene, TX | 3 of 8 | 33.8 ppb | 120 |
| Fort Bend County WCID 2* | Houston, TX | 2 of 7 | 17.1 ppb | 40,506 |
| 5th Street Water System | Stafford, TX | 2 of 7 | 17.1 ppb | 1,593 |
| Harris County Municipal Utility District 122 | Houston, TX | 2 of 7 | 17.1 ppb | 1,227 |
| Fox Chapel Authority* | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 of 5 | 9.00 ppb | 18,500 |
| Reserve Township Water Department | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 of 5 | 9.00 ppb | 3,333 |
| Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority* | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 of 5 | 9.00 ppb | 520,000 |
| Conneautville Borough Water Department | Conneautville, PA | 1 of 1 | 8.00 ppb | 1,040 |
| Country Crest Mobile Home Park | Moscow, PA | 1 of 1 | 8.00 ppb | 150 |
| Peabody Water Department (MWRA) | Peabody, MA | 7 of 22 | 6.94 ppb | 52,474 |
| Philadelphia Water Department* | Philadelphia, PA | 2 of 9 | 6.56 ppb | 1,600,000 |
| Moon Twp Municipal Authority* | Coraopolis, PA | 2 of 3 | 6.33 ppb | 38,000 |
| Mitchell Lake Mobile Home Park | Cambridge Springs, PA | 1 of 1 | 6.00 ppb | 100 |
| Reynoldsville Water Authority | Reynoldsville, PA | 2 of 3 | 4.67 ppb | 2,908 |
| Emporium Water Company | Emporium, PA | 1 of 3 | 3.93 ppb | 3,300 |
| Wyomissing Borough Water System | Wyomissing, PA | 1 of 3 | 3.67 ppb | 8,500 |
| West Reading Borough Water | West Reading, PA | 1 of 3 | 3.67 ppb | 4,300 |
| Shillington Municipal Authority | Shillington, PA | 1 of 3 | 3.67 ppb | 11,709 |
| Western Berks Water Authority* | Sinking Spring, PA | 1 of 3 | 3.67 ppb | 0 |
| Regency Woods Mobile Home Park | Carlisle, PA | 1 of 2 | 3.50 ppb | 450 |
| Tarentum Borough Water Department* | Tarentum, PA | 2 of 3 | 2.67 ppb | 4,927 |
| Brook Haven Acres | Chambersburg, PA | 1 of 2 | 2.50 ppb | 75 |
| Municipal Authority of Washington Township | Belle Vernon, PA | 2 of 3 | 2.33 ppb | 9,100 |
| N Middleton Water Authority | Carlisle, PA | 1 of 3 | 2.00 ppb | 9,483 |
| Lykens Borough Authority | Lykens, PA | 1 of 4 | 2.00 ppb | 3,220 |
| Masontown Municipal Water Works | Masontown, PA | 1 of 3 | 2.00 ppb | 3,700 |
| New Kensington Municipal Authority | New Kensington, PA | 1 of 3 | 2.00 ppb | 47,800 |
| Marianna Municipal Water Works | Marianna, PA | 1 of 3 | 2.00 ppb | 450 |
| Southwestern Pennsylvania Water Authority* | Jefferson, PA | 1 of 3 | 2.00 ppb | 40,000 |
| Mount Morris Water & Sewage Authority | Mt Morris, PA | 1 of 3 | 2.00 ppb | 1,500 |
| Northampton Boro Municipal Authority* | Northampton, PA | 1 of 3 | 1.67 ppb | 40,000 |
| Village of Neshaminy Falls | North Wales, PA | 2 of 12 | 1.67 ppb | 1,300 |
| North Wales Water Authority* | North Wales, PA | 2 of 12 | 1.67 ppb | 72,496 |
| Dtma Cedar Crest Farms | Doylestown, PA | 2 of 12 | 1.67 ppb | 300 |
| Zelienople Borough | Zelienople, PA | 1 of 5 | 1.60 ppb | 4,123 |
| Beaver Falls Municipal Authority* | Beaver Falls, PA | 1 of 5 | 1.60 ppb | 50,000 |
| Highridge Water Authority* | Blairsville, PA | 1 of 6 | 1.17 ppb | 16,000 |
| Maplewood Mobile Home Park | Bowmansville, PA | 1 of 1 | 0.1000 ppb | 70 |
* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Cyanide (free), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Waco* | Waco, TX | 5 of 8 | 52.5 ppb | 130,194 |
| Fort Bend County WCID 2* | Houston, TX | 2 of 7 | 17.1 ppb | 40,506 |
| Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority* | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 of 5 | 9.00 ppb | 520,000 |
| Fox Chapel Authority* | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 of 5 | 9.00 ppb | 18,500 |
| Peabody Water Department (MWRA) | Peabody, MA | 7 of 22 | 6.94 ppb | 52,474 |
| Philadelphia Water Department* | Philadelphia, PA | 2 of 9 | 6.56 ppb | 1,600,000 |
| Moon Twp Municipal Authority* | Coraopolis, PA | 2 of 3 | 6.33 ppb | 38,000 |
| Shillington Municipal Authority | Shillington, PA | 1 of 3 | 3.67 ppb | 11,709 |
| Southwestern Pennsylvania Water Authority* | Jefferson, PA | 1 of 3 | 2.00 ppb | 40,000 |
| New Kensington Municipal Authority | New Kensington, PA | 1 of 3 | 2.00 ppb | 47,800 |
| North Wales Water Authority* | North Wales, PA | 2 of 12 | 1.67 ppb | 72,496 |
| Northampton Boro Municipal Authority* | Northampton, PA | 1 of 3 | 1.67 ppb | 40,000 |
| Beaver Falls Municipal Authority* | Beaver Falls, PA | 1 of 5 | 1.60 ppb | 50,000 |
| Highridge Water Authority* | Blairsville, PA | 1 of 6 | 1.17 ppb | 16,000 |
* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Cyanide (free), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.