Beryllium
Status: National drinking water standard exists
Beryllium is a toxic metal that is both naturally occurring and released into the environment from industrial pollution and incineration. Beryllium can damage lungs, bones and the digestive system.
2015:
22
states detected
222
utilities detected
1.8 million
people served
11
states over health guideline
25
utilities over health guideline
68,213
people served over health guideline
1
states over legal limit
1
utilities over legal limit
81
people served over legal limit
Health concerns for beryllium
Harm to the stomach and intestines
Harm to the lungs
Harm to bones
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
Health Guideline 1 ppb
The health guideline of 1 ppb for beryllium 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 stomach and intestines.
ppb = parts per billion.
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 4 ppb
The enforceable federal standard that defines the highest level of a contaminant allowed in drinking water.
ppb = parts per billion.
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level Goal (MCLG)4 ppb
A non-enforceable federal health guideline. For cancer-causing chemicals, these health goals are typically set to zero.
ppb = parts per billion.
States reporting beryllium in drinking water
| UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES | UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Utilities | People Served | Utilities | People Served | |||
| California | 2 | 1,240 | 22 | 978,260 | |||
| New York | 1 | 35,000 | 7 | 274,379 | |||
| New Jersey | 0 | 0 | 54 | 164,221 | |||
| Virginia | 1 | 53 | 14 | 158,351 | |||
| Connecticut | 0 | 0 | 17 | 48,698 | |||
| Florida | 0 | 0 | 65 | 47,791 | |||
| Pennsylvania | 8 | 3,946 | 10 | 26,021 | |||
| Utah | 2 | 25,750 | 2 | 25,750 | |||
| Colorado | 0 | 0 | 4 | 11,743 | |||
| Oklahoma | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3,746 | |||
| Indiana | 2 | 817 | 5 | 2,709 | |||
| Washington | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2,290 | |||
| Texas | 1 | 69 | 2 | 1,743 | |||
| New Hampshire | 5 | 787 | 6 | 1,537 | |||
| South Carolina | 0 | 0 | 1 | 983 | |||
| Wisconsin | 0 | 0 | 4 | 693 | |||
| Maine | 1 | 425 | 1 | 425 | |||
| Rhode Island | 0 | 0 | 2 | 370 | |||
| Mississippi | 0 | 0 | 1 | 220 | |||
| North Carolina | 1 | 81 | 1 | 81 | |||
| New Mexico | 1 | 45 | 1 | 45 | |||
| Delaware | 0 | 0 | 1 | 42 | |||
Utilities with the highest amounts of beryllium, 2015
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meadow View Trailer Court | Pelham, NC | 4 of 4 | 4.83 ppb | 81 |
| Hill Air Force Base | Layton, UT | 1 of 1 | 4.00 ppb | 25,000 |
| Bartlett Place | Intervale, NH | 4 of 4 | 3.88 ppb | 72 |
| Bluebonnet Cove Mobile Home Park | Austin, TX | 1 of 1 | 3.70 ppb | 69 |
| Dudley Carbon Coalmont Jm Authority | Dudley, PA | 1 of 1 | 3.59 ppb | 403 |
| Forest Park Village | North Conway, NH | 4 of 4 | 3.53 ppb | 45 |
| Culvers Hill - North Webster | Nappanee, IN | 5 of 5 | 3.36 ppb | 75 |
| Orbisonia Rockhill Jt Municipal Authority | Orbisonia, PA | 1 of 1 | 3.03 ppb | 1,200 |
| Lyons Water Utility | Lyons, IN | 1 of 1 | 3.00 ppb | 742 |
| Michaux Manor Living Center | Fayetteville, PA | 2 of 2 | 2.75 ppb | 73 |
| Buckfield Village Corporation | Buckfield, ME | 1 of 1 | 2.10 ppb | 425 |
| Ancones Mdwwca | La Madera, NM | 1 of 1 | 2.00 ppb | 45 |
| Mid Valley Estates | Cedar City, UT | 1 of 1 | 2.00 ppb | 750 |
| Bittners Mobile Home Park | Trout Run, PA | 1 of 1 | 1.87 ppb | 100 |
| Sunnybrook Subdivision | Rockville, VA | 1 of 1 | 1.80 ppb | 53 |
| Goodrich Property | Glen, NH | 4 of 4 | 1.75 ppb | 175 |
| California Water Service Co-lake Hughes | San Jose, CA | 1 of 2 | 1.75 ppb | 673 |
| Hales Location | Intervale, NH | 3 of 4 | 1.70 ppb | 385 |
| Grier Sch | Tyrone, PA | 3 of 3 | 1.54 ppb | 450 |
| North Ledge | Glen, NH | 3 of 4 | 1.50 ppb | 110 |
| Long Beach City | Long Beach, NY | 70 of 85 | 1.42 ppb | 35,000 |
| Broadtop City Water Authority | Broad Top City, PA | 1 of 1 | 1.24 ppb | 350 |
| Long Barn Property Owners | Long Barn, CA | 2 of 3 | 1.13 ppb | 567 |
| Country Estates Mobile Home Park | Kennerdell, PA | 1 of 1 | 1.10 ppb | 90 |
| Selinsgrove Center | Selinsgrove, PA | 1 of 2 | 1.07 ppb | 1,280 |
| Cedar Creek Mobile Home Park | Hebron, IN | 1 of 1 | 1.000 ppb | 150 |
| Spencer | Spencer, OK | 1 of 4 | 1.000 ppb | 3,746 |
| Lido-point Lookout Water District | East Meadow, NY | 69 of 81 | 0.904 ppb | 6,000 |
| Hillside Village | Colmar, NJ | 1 of 1 | 0.830 ppb | 75 |
| River Run Condos | Bartlett, NH | 3 of 4 | 0.750 ppb | 750 |
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hill Air Force Base | Layton, UT | 1 of 1 | 4.00 ppb | 25,000 |
| Long Beach City | Long Beach, NY | 70 of 85 | 1.42 ppb | 35,000 |
| Okeechobee Utility Authority | Okeechobee, FL | 1 of 1 | 0.500 ppb | 20,000 |
| Pawc Pocono District | Tobyhanna, PA | 1 of 9 | 0.1000 ppb | 19,875 |
| Wallingford Water Department | Wallingford, CT | 2 of 3 | 0.0667 ppb | 37,267 |
| Vineland Water & Sewer Utility | Vineland, NJ | 1 of 1 | 0.0400 ppb | 33,000 |
| Fair Lawn Water Department | Fair Lawn Boro, NJ | 2 of 7 | 0.0216 ppb | 31,000 |
| New York American Water - Lynbrook | Merrick, NY | 1 of 33 | 0.0152 ppb | 230,300 |
| Western Virginia Water Authority* | Roanoke, VA | 4 of 9 | 0.00778 ppb | 155,000 |
| California Water Service - Stockton | San Jose, CA | 19 of 37 | 0.00297 ppb | 185,346 |
| Cal-water Service Company - Marysville | Chico, CA | 12 of 33 | 0.00255 ppb | 12,017 |
| California Water Service - South San Francisco | San Jose, CA | 7 of 21 | 0.00195 ppb | 56,110 |
| California Water Service (CWS) - Salinas | San Jose, CA | 3 of 12 | 0.00142 ppb | 106,858 |
| California Water Service Company - East Los Angeles | San Jose, CA | 2 of 7 | 0.00129 ppb | 150,446 |
| City of Bakersfield | Bakersfield, CA | 14 of 57 | 0.00102 ppb | 138,309 |
| California Water Service - Livermore | Livermore, CA | 1 of 4 | 0.001000 ppb | 56,700 |
| California Water Service (CWS) - Bakersfield* | San Jose, CA | 6 of 40 | 0.000750 ppb | 246,371 |
* 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 Beryllium, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.