Molybdenum
Status: No national drinking water standard exists
Molybdenum is a metal that occurs naturally in soil, minerals and water. People who ingest large amounts can have increased levels of uric acid and gout-like symptoms.
2012-2017:
50
states detected
4,542
utilities detected
154 million
people served
7
states over health guideline
19
utilities over health guideline
299,000
people served over health guideline
Health concerns for molybdenum
Change in blood chemistry
Gout
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 40 ppb
The EWG Health Guideline of 40 ppb for molybdenum was defined by the Environmental Protection Agency as a benchmark for testing under the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule program. This health guideline protects against metabolic changes and excess formation of uric acid in the blood.
ppb = parts per billion
States reporting molybdenum in drinking water
UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES | UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
State | Utilities | People Served | Utilities | People Served | |||
California | 3 | 17,527 | 475 | 34,696,988 | |||
Texas | 0 | 0 | 668 | 19,531,125 | |||
Florida | 6 | 134,807 | 208 | 12,075,964 | |||
Illinois | 2 | 5,705 | 411 | 10,758,715 | |||
Ohio | 1 | 10,867 | 324 | 8,313,826 | |||
Arizona | 0 | 0 | 92 | 5,587,751 | |||
Pennsylvania | 0 | 0 | 111 | 5,304,024 | |||
New York | 0 | 0 | 106 | 5,291,155 | |||
Colorado | 0 | 0 | 141 | 4,275,791 | |||
Indiana | 3 | 31,028 | 141 | 3,681,336 | |||
Missouri | 0 | 0 | 128 | 3,466,203 | |||
Kentucky | 3 | 90,190 | 113 | 2,750,718 | |||
Virginia | 0 | 0 | 32 | 2,748,600 | |||
Minnesota | 0 | 0 | 80 | 2,684,026 | |||
New Jersey | 0 | 0 | 51 | 2,440,789 | |||
Nevada | 0 | 0 | 24 | 2,434,499 | |||
Utah | 0 | 0 | 69 | 2,400,518 | |||
Louisiana | 0 | 0 | 63 | 2,358,342 | |||
Oklahoma | 0 | 0 | 133 | 2,091,131 | |||
Kansas | 0 | 0 | 132 | 2,090,241 | |||
Michigan | 0 | 0 | 85 | 1,909,847 | |||
Wisconsin | 0 | 0 | 55 | 1,877,988 | |||
Alabama | 0 | 0 | 48 | 1,617,810 | |||
Iowa | 0 | 0 | 171 | 1,501,389 | |||
New Mexico | 0 | 0 | 44 | 1,395,576 | |||
Washington | 0 | 0 | 56 | 1,352,663 | |||
Nebraska | 0 | 0 | 35 | 1,177,279 | |||
South Carolina | 0 | 0 | 59 | 1,124,681 | |||
Georgia | 1 | 9,274 | 39 | 1,071,069 | |||
North Carolina | 0 | 0 | 76 | 887,376 | |||
Idaho | 0 | 0 | 20 | 704,685 | |||
District Of Columbia | 0 | 0 | 3 | 648,882 | |||
South Dakota | 0 | 0 | 102 | 455,560 | |||
North Dakota | 0 | 0 | 22 | 443,197 | |||
Montana | 0 | 0 | 41 | 367,988 | |||
West Virginia | 0 | 0 | 34 | 335,328 | |||
Oregon | 0 | 0 | 21 | 321,808 | |||
Connecticut | 0 | 0 | 10 | 256,414 | |||
Alaska | 0 | 0 | 5 | 241,409 | |||
Massachusetts | 0 | 0 | 15 | 229,221 | |||
Tennessee | 0 | 0 | 12 | 219,093 | |||
Rhode Island | 0 | 0 | 8 | 170,197 | |||
Wyoming | 0 | 0 | 39 | 169,791 | |||
Delaware | 0 | 0 | 5 | 155,861 | |||
Hawaii | 0 | 0 | 6 | 117,059 | |||
Maryland | 0 | 0 | 6 | 115,667 | |||
Mississippi | 0 | 0 | 6 | 86,173 | |||
Arkansas | 0 | 0 | 10 | 40,756 | |||
Maine | 0 | 0 | 1 | 31,440 | |||
Vermont | 0 | 0 | 5 | 11,056 | |||
New Hampshire | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11,000 |
Filtering technologies that reduce molybdenum

Reverse Osmosis

Ion Exchange
Utilities with the highest amounts of molybdenum, 2012-2017
Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
---|---|---|---|---|
Lake Gibson Estates | Lakeland, FL | 8 of 8 | 92.5 ppb | 1,897 |
City of California City | California City, CA | 24 of 24 | 84.9 ppb | 14,212 |
Broadview Terrace Mutual Water Company | Oakhurst, CA | 12 of 12 | 83.1 ppb | 510 |
Hillview Water Company-oakhurst/sierra Lakes* | Oakhurst, CA | 12 of 12 | 83.1 ppb | 2,805 |
Sheridan Water Works | Sheridan, IN | 4 of 4 | 62.3 ppb | 2,665 |
Grandwood Park Subdivision | Libertyville, IL | 5 of 5 | 59.9 ppb | 5,639 |
Arden Shores Estates Subdivision | Libertyville, IL | 1 of 1 | 55.5 ppb | 66 |
Bluffs Basin Utility Company | Marion, IN | 4 of 4 | 55.0 ppb | 36 |
Marion City Water Works* | Marion, IN | 4 of 4 | 55.0 ppb | 28,327 |
Owensboro Municipal Utilities* | Owensboro, KY | 6 of 6 | 54.6 ppb | 67,691 |
City of Punta Gorda | Punta Gorda, FL | 2 of 8 | 47.4 ppb | 29,561 |
Cairo | Cairo, GA | 4 of 4 | 45.8 ppb | 9,274 |
Ocud/partlow Acres(consec.) | Winter Garden, FL | 12 of 12 | 45.3 ppb | 102 |
Winter Garden Water Department* | Winter Garden, FL | 12 of 12 | 45.3 ppb | 69,738 |
Ocud/magnolia Woods Consecutive Water System | Ocoee, FL | 12 of 12 | 45.3 ppb | 347 |
Wapakoneta City | Wapakoneta, OH | 6 of 6 | 43.0 ppb | 10,867 |
Clermont East Water System | Clermont, FL | 8 of 8 | 42.1 ppb | 33,162 |
S E Daviess County Water District* | Owensboro, KY | 8 of 8 | 41.1 ppb | 18,827 |
Whitesville Water Works | Whitesville, KY | 8 of 8 | 41.1 ppb | 3,672 |
E Daviess County Water Assoc Inc* | Knottsville, KY | 4 of 4 | 39.0 ppb | 11,997 |
US Army Fort Irwin | Fort Irwin, CA | 8 of 8 | 35.9 ppb | 16,000 |
City of Mount Dora | Mount Dora, FL | 4 of 4 | 34.0 ppb | 29,996 |
Lindenhurst | Lindenhurst, IL | 12 of 12 | 33.2 ppb | 14,632 |
Lompoc Water Utility Division | Lompoc, CA | 12 of 12 | 33.0 ppb | 39,846 |
St Marys City | St. Marys, OH | 4 of 4 | 30.2 ppb | 10,001 |
Clarks Hill Water Works | Clarks Hill, IN | 2 of 2 | 30.0 ppb | 660 |
Highland Lake Subdivision | Libertyville, IL | 2 of 2 | 28.9 ppb | 303 |
Southwest Licking Community Water | Etna, OH | 4 of 4 | 28.3 ppb | 12,088 |
Buckingham | Buckingham, IL | 2 of 2 | 28.0 ppb | 300 |
Groveland Water Department | Groveland, FL | 12 of 12 | 27.6 ppb | 12,243 |
City of Auburndale | Auburndale, FL | 12 of 12 | 25.9 ppb | 30,761 |
Cws - Lakeland | San Jose, CA | 26 of 26 | 25.6 ppb | 686 |
Southwest/Polk County Utility | Lakeland, FL | 17 of 20 | 25.1 ppb | 39,209 |
Huntington Water Department | Huntington, IN | 4 of 4 | 24.8 ppb | 17,300 |
Lawrenceville | Lawrenceville, GA | 8 of 12 | 23.6 ppb | 30,000 |
City of Greenfield | Greenfield, CA | 6 of 6 | 23.3 ppb | 17,898 |
Xenia Rural Water District (woodward)* | Bouton, IA | 4 of 4 | 23.1 ppb | 3,350 |
Minburn Waterworks | Minburn, IA | 4 of 4 | 23.1 ppb | 365 |
Rockland Mobile Home Park | Lake Bluff, IL | 4 of 4 | 22.8 ppb | 74 |
Richton Park | Richton Park, IL | 8 of 8 | 22.7 ppb | 12,901 |
Brook Water Utility* | Brook, IN | 8 of 8 | 22.4 ppb | 986 |
Newton County Regional Water & Sewer | Morocco, IN | 8 of 8 | 22.4 ppb | 130 |
Lake Utility Services Inc North | Clermont, FL | 23 of 23 | 22.3 ppb | 21,518 |
Mission Springs WD | Desert Hot Springs, CA | 22 of 22 | 22.1 ppb | 34,626 |
Suburban Water Systems - La Mirada | Covina, CA | 16 of 16 | 22.1 ppb | 56,953 |
Meadowbrook Farm | Patterson, NY | 4 of 4 | 21.8 ppb | 55 |
Paso Robles Water Department | Paso Robles, CA | 36 of 37 | 21.5 ppb | 30,500 |
Bremen Water Department | Bremen, IN | 4 of 4 | 21.2 ppb | 4,516 |
Windermere Community | Pflugerville, TX | 24 of 24 | 20.0 ppb | 20,091 |
Nipomo Comm. Services District | Nipomo, CA | 19 of 20 | 19.7 ppb | 10,867 |
* 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 Molybdenum, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.
Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
---|---|---|---|---|
City of California City | California City, CA | 24 of 24 | 84.9 ppb | 14,212 |
Marion City Water Works* | Marion, IN | 4 of 4 | 55.0 ppb | 28,327 |
Owensboro Municipal Utilities* | Owensboro, KY | 6 of 6 | 54.6 ppb | 67,691 |
City of Punta Gorda | Punta Gorda, FL | 2 of 8 | 47.4 ppb | 29,561 |
Winter Garden Water Department* | Winter Garden, FL | 12 of 12 | 45.3 ppb | 69,738 |
Wapakoneta City | Wapakoneta, OH | 6 of 6 | 43.0 ppb | 10,867 |
Clermont East Water System | Clermont, FL | 8 of 8 | 42.1 ppb | 33,162 |
S E Daviess County Water District* | Owensboro, KY | 8 of 8 | 41.1 ppb | 18,827 |
E Daviess County Water Assoc Inc* | Knottsville, KY | 4 of 4 | 39.0 ppb | 11,997 |
US Army Fort Irwin | Fort Irwin, CA | 8 of 8 | 35.9 ppb | 16,000 |
City of Mount Dora | Mount Dora, FL | 4 of 4 | 34.0 ppb | 29,996 |
Lindenhurst | Lindenhurst, IL | 12 of 12 | 33.2 ppb | 14,632 |
Lompoc Water Utility Division | Lompoc, CA | 12 of 12 | 33.0 ppb | 39,846 |
St Marys City | St. Marys, OH | 4 of 4 | 30.2 ppb | 10,001 |
Southwest Licking Community Water | Etna, OH | 4 of 4 | 28.3 ppb | 12,088 |
Groveland Water Department | Groveland, FL | 12 of 12 | 27.6 ppb | 12,243 |
City of Auburndale | Auburndale, FL | 12 of 12 | 25.9 ppb | 30,761 |
Southwest/Polk County Utility | Lakeland, FL | 17 of 20 | 25.1 ppb | 39,209 |
Huntington Water Department | Huntington, IN | 4 of 4 | 24.8 ppb | 17,300 |
Lawrenceville | Lawrenceville, GA | 8 of 12 | 23.6 ppb | 30,000 |
City of Greenfield | Greenfield, CA | 6 of 6 | 23.3 ppb | 17,898 |
Richton Park | Richton Park, IL | 8 of 8 | 22.7 ppb | 12,901 |
Lake Utility Services Inc North | Clermont, FL | 23 of 23 | 22.3 ppb | 21,518 |
Mission Springs WD | Desert Hot Springs, CA | 22 of 22 | 22.1 ppb | 34,626 |
Suburban Water Systems - La Mirada | Covina, CA | 16 of 16 | 22.1 ppb | 56,953 |
Paso Robles Water Department | Paso Robles, CA | 36 of 37 | 21.5 ppb | 30,500 |
Windermere Community | Pflugerville, TX | 24 of 24 | 20.0 ppb | 20,091 |
Nipomo Comm. Services District | Nipomo, CA | 19 of 20 | 19.7 ppb | 10,867 |
Auburn Water Department | Auburn, IN | 8 of 8 | 18.8 ppb | 12,800 |
Antioch | Antioch, IL | 16 of 16 | 18.5 ppb | 13,724 |
Fairfield County Utilities PWS | Carroll, OH | 4 of 4 | 17.9 ppb | 12,882 |
West Daviess County Water District* | Owensboro, KY | 4 of 4 | 17.8 ppb | 13,264 |
City of Hays* | Hays, KS | 4 of 4 | 17.5 ppb | 21,044 |
Plainfield Water Works* | Plainfield, IN | 8 of 8 | 17.5 ppb | 18,857 |
City of Gillette* | Gillette, WY | 7 of 7 | 17.0 ppb | 30,121 |
Moultrie | Moultrie, GA | 6 of 6 | 16.8 ppb | 14,361 |
Marina Coast Water District | Marina, CA | 16 of 16 | 16.4 ppb | 31,218 |
Circleville City PWS | Circleville, OH | 4 of 4 | 16.3 ppb | 13,444 |
Coachella Water Authority | Coachella, CA | 24 of 24 | 16.1 ppb | 41,904 |
Military Highway WSC - Progreso | Progreso, TX | 8 of 8 | 16.0 ppb | 11,136 |
Grover Beach Water Department | Grover Beach, CA | 16 of 16 | 15.9 ppb | 13,156 |
Northwest | Lakeland, FL | 21 of 23 | 15.6 ppb | 27,904 |
City of Alamo | Alamo, TX | 8 of 8 | 15.5 ppb | 18,363 |
Lebanon Utilities | Lebanon, IN | 8 of 8 | 15.3 ppb | 16,098 |
City of Eustis | Eustis, FL | 12 of 12 | 15.3 ppb | 34,349 |
City of Mercedes* | Mercedes, TX | 8 of 8 | 14.7 ppb | 15,700 |
Park Forest | Park Forest, IL | 4 of 4 | 14.3 ppb | 23,462 |
Arvin Community Services District | Arvin, CA | 11 of 11 | 14.1 ppb | 19,000 |
Cape Girardeau | Cape Girardeau, MO | 8 of 8 | 13.9 ppb | 39,628 |
South Tahoe PUD - Main* | South Lake Tahoe, CA | 52 of 56 | 13.9 ppb | 29,500 |
* 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 Molybdenum, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.