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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Cobalt

Status: No national drinking water standard exists

 

Cobalt is a metal found throughout the environment; people may be exposed to cobalt in air, food and drinking water.

2013-2019:

FOUND
FOUND ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES

34

states detected

393

utilities detected

16 million

people served

0

states over health guideline

0

utilities over health guideline

0

people served over health guideline

Health concerns for cobalt

Harm to the heart

Change in blood chemistry

Harm to the stomach and intestines

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 70 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 70 ppb for cobalt was defined by the Environmental Protection Agency as a benchmark for testing under the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule program. This health guideline protects against change in blood chemistry.

ppb = parts per billion

States reporting cobalt in drinking water

UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION
State UtilitiesPeople Served
Texas794,803,896
New York352,449,778
New Jersey481,800,844
California271,206,454
Arizona10837,960
Louisiana6605,263
Florida15487,847
Delaware6379,608
Massachusetts19358,086
Wisconsin11344,555
North Carolina30343,266
Maryland5334,421
Pennsylvania11287,381
Illinois11274,934
Georgia11273,777
Idaho4245,105
Minnesota8204,070
Iowa6168,248
Alabama12167,511
Virginia3155,515
Colorado4131,175
Michigan286,234
Tennessee279,866
Missouri473,264
New Mexico372,805
South Carolina650,338
Oregon146,228
Kentucky339,705
Oklahoma237,070
Rhode Island227,993
New Hampshire225,955
Nebraska225,570
Mississippi217,408
Nevada115,830
MORE
LESS

Filtering technologies that reduce cobalt

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Reverse Osmosis

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Ion Exchange

Utilities with the highest amounts of cobalt, 2013-2019

ALL UTILITIES
LARGE UTILITIES
UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Fieldsboro Water DepartmentFieldsboro, NJ3 of 315.8 ppb650
Bordentown Water Departm*Bordentown, NJ3 of 315.8 ppb15,821
Cape GirardeauCape Girardeau, MO1 of 811.7 ppb39,628
Franklin Square WDFranklin Square, NY4 of 811.3 ppb20,000
South Brunswick Twp W*Rocky Hill, NJ4 of 166.71 ppb45,450
The Orchard DevelopmentSavannah, GA4 of 83.90 ppb639
South Huntington Water DepartmentSouth Huntington, NY9 of 243.84 ppb81,760
Hicksville WDHicksville, NY9 of 243.34 ppb48,000
Bridgewater Water DepartmentBridgewater, MA12 of 163.14 ppb26,563
Cottage GroveCottage Grove, MN6 of 83.03 ppb36,900
Whittier Water Department*Whittier, CA4 of 42.55 ppb49,954
Houston County - Feagin Mill*Warner Robbins, GA6 of 82.38 ppb73,592
Merchantville PennsaukenPennsauken, NJ2 of 182.16 ppb47,144
Bennettsville, City of*Bennettsville, SC6 of 121.97 ppb9,070
NJ American Water - Atlantic CountyEgg Harbor, NJ18 of 261.95 ppb120,146
Bethpage WDBethpage, NY9 of 121.92 ppb33,000
New York American Water - MerrickMerrick, NY13 of 201.88 ppb177,000
Town of Hempstead Water DepartmentEast Meadow, NY24 of 361.86 ppb110,000
Moscow Water DepartmentMoscow, ID2 of 201.86 ppb24,499
East Windsor MUAEast Windsor Township, NJ3 of 121.84 ppb25,000
New York American Water - LynbrookMerrick, NY31 of 501.83 ppb220,000
Glen Burnie-BroadneckMillersville, MD11 of 241.81 ppb290,606
Bridgeton City Water DepartmentBridgeton, NJ7 of 71.78 ppb22,770
Aqua NJ - Hamilton Square*Hamilton, NJ8 of 181.76 ppb39,128
Brookwood Comm. Water SystemHampstead, NC30 of 481.74 ppb15,665
Monroe Township Utility DepartmentMonroe Township, NJ3 of 81.65 ppb33,402
Suburban Water Systems - WhittierCovina, CA6 of 81.64 ppb59,169
Oatman Water CompanyScottsdale, AZ4 of 41.63 ppb280
Massapequa WDMassapequa, NY15 of 201.61 ppb43,000
Eagle Point S/dManning, SC6 of 61.60 ppb189
Plainview WDPlainview, NY8 of 151.59 ppb35,000
Scotland Co. Water - Barnes BridgeLaurinburg, NC2 of 41.46 ppb584
Scotland Co. Water - Gillis HillLaurinburg, NC2 of 41.46 ppb965
Scotland County Water-south*Laurinburg, NC2 of 41.46 ppb1,905
Scotland Co. Water - Malloy RdLaurinburg, NC2 of 41.46 ppb330
City of Laurinburg*Laurinburg, NC2 of 41.46 ppb18,288
City of BradentonBradenton, FL4 of 81.29 ppb54,409
Parker, City of Water SystemParker, FL1 of 81.18 ppb3,817
West Escambia Utilities Inc.Atmore, AL3 of 261.13 ppb12,060
Lexie Water Association Inc.Tylertown, MS1 of 21.10 ppb4,145
Willingboro MUA*Riverside, NJ2 of 81.08 ppb35,000
Millville Water DepartmentMillville, NJ6 of 121.06 ppb27,500
Moorestown Water DepartmentMoorestown, NJ2 of 111.04 ppb20,700
Aqua NJ - Eastern DivisionHamilton, NJ3 of 60.967 ppb12,000
Carrollton Water WorksCarrollton, AL3 of 280.950 ppb1,404
Pickens County Water and F. P. Authority*Carrollton, AL3 of 280.950 ppb14,364
RockfordRockford, IL14 of 540.940 ppb147,051
PerryPerry, GA2 of 30.933 ppb28,132
RosemountRosemount, MN4 of 80.925 ppb22,445
Vineland Water & Sewer UtilityVineland, NJ15 of 300.917 ppb36,250

* 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 Cobalt, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Bordentown Water Departm*Bordentown, NJ3 of 315.8 ppb15,821
Cape GirardeauCape Girardeau, MO1 of 811.7 ppb39,628
Franklin Square WDFranklin Square, NY4 of 811.3 ppb20,000
South Brunswick Twp W*Rocky Hill, NJ4 of 166.71 ppb45,450
South Huntington Water DepartmentSouth Huntington, NY9 of 243.84 ppb81,760
Hicksville WDHicksville, NY9 of 243.34 ppb48,000
Bridgewater Water DepartmentBridgewater, MA12 of 163.14 ppb26,563
Cottage GroveCottage Grove, MN6 of 83.03 ppb36,900
Whittier Water Department*Whittier, CA4 of 42.55 ppb49,954
Houston County - Feagin Mill*Warner Robbins, GA6 of 82.38 ppb73,592
Merchantville PennsaukenPennsauken, NJ2 of 182.16 ppb47,144
NJ American Water - Atlantic CountyEgg Harbor, NJ18 of 261.95 ppb120,146
Bethpage WDBethpage, NY9 of 121.92 ppb33,000
New York American Water - MerrickMerrick, NY13 of 201.88 ppb177,000
Town of Hempstead Water DepartmentEast Meadow, NY24 of 361.86 ppb110,000
Moscow Water DepartmentMoscow, ID2 of 201.86 ppb24,499
East Windsor MUAEast Windsor Township, NJ3 of 121.84 ppb25,000
New York American Water - LynbrookMerrick, NY31 of 501.83 ppb220,000
Glen Burnie-BroadneckMillersville, MD11 of 241.81 ppb290,606
Bridgeton City Water DepartmentBridgeton, NJ7 of 71.78 ppb22,770
Aqua NJ - Hamilton Square*Hamilton, NJ8 of 181.76 ppb39,128
Brookwood Comm. Water SystemHampstead, NC30 of 481.74 ppb15,665
Monroe Township Utility DepartmentMonroe Township, NJ3 of 81.65 ppb33,402
Suburban Water Systems - WhittierCovina, CA6 of 81.64 ppb59,169
Massapequa WDMassapequa, NY15 of 201.61 ppb43,000
Plainview WDPlainview, NY8 of 151.59 ppb35,000
City of Laurinburg*Laurinburg, NC2 of 41.46 ppb18,288
City of BradentonBradenton, FL4 of 81.29 ppb54,409
West Escambia Utilities Inc.Atmore, AL3 of 261.13 ppb12,060
Willingboro MUA*Riverside, NJ2 of 81.08 ppb35,000
Millville Water DepartmentMillville, NJ6 of 121.06 ppb27,500
Moorestown Water DepartmentMoorestown, NJ2 of 111.04 ppb20,700
Aqua NJ - Eastern DivisionHamilton, NJ3 of 60.967 ppb12,000
Pickens County Water and F. P. Authority*Carrollton, AL3 of 280.950 ppb14,364
RockfordRockford, IL14 of 540.940 ppb147,051
PerryPerry, GA2 of 30.933 ppb28,132
RosemountRosemount, MN4 of 80.925 ppb22,445
Vineland Water & Sewer UtilityVineland, NJ15 of 300.917 ppb36,250
Acton MUD*Granbury, TX16 of 680.891 ppb19,125
Norton Water DepartmentNorton, MA8 of 200.880 ppb19,031
Garden CityGarden City, NY5 of 140.879 ppb46,000
Rockville CentreRockville Centre, NY5 of 100.830 ppb24,700
Barnegat Twp Water SewerBarnegat, NJ4 of 100.820 ppb20,000
Holley-Navarre Water System*Navarre, FL3 of 160.819 ppb41,567
Perth Amboy Water DepartmentPerth Amboy, NJ4 of 80.813 ppb52,328
Town of Mooresville*Mooresville, NC1 of 120.783 ppb42,611
City of AberdeenAberdeen, MD5 of 120.775 ppb16,200
Pico Rivera Water DepartmentPico Rivera, CA17 of 400.775 ppb39,000
Roslyn WD*Roslyn, NY2 of 150.773 ppb18,000
Lincoln County Board of Public Utilities #1Fayetteville, TN3 of 320.753 ppb22,196

* 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 Cobalt, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.