Thallium
Status: National drinking water standard exists
Thalium is a naturally occurring metal released into the environment from metal smelting and coal burning. Exposure to too much thalium can cause hair loss, liver damage, reduced sperm motility and nervous system impairment.
2015-2017:
FOUND
FOUND ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES
FOUND ABOVE LEGAL LIMIT
38
states detected
671
utilities detected
10 million
people served
36
states over health guideline
385
utilities over health guideline
2.1 million
people served over health guideline
3
states over legal limit
4
utilities over legal limit
3,999
people served over legal limit
Health concerns for thallium
Hair loss
Harm to the liver
Harm to the central nervous system
Harm to the brain and nervous system
Harm to the male reproductive system
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 0.1 ppb
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.1 ppb for thallium 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 internal organs.
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 2 ppb
The legal limit for thallium, established in 1992, was based on analytical detection limits at the time that the standard was set.
ppb = parts per billion
States reporting thallium in drinking water
| UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES | UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Utilities | People Served | Utilities | People Served | |||
| Florida | 58 | 168,023 | 122 | 2,769,687 | |||
| Colorado | 20 | 75,845 | 52 | 1,542,632 | |||
| North Carolina | 9 | 558,445 | 17 | 1,425,776 | |||
| California | 15 | 10,491 | 35 | 924,702 | |||
| New York | 22 | 154,941 | 54 | 789,942 | |||
| Wisconsin | 38 | 171,600 | 72 | 579,222 | |||
| Utah | 6 | 34,035 | 15 | 488,321 | |||
| Texas | 26 | 149,543 | 47 | 349,111 | |||
| New Jersey | 16 | 101,992 | 35 | 320,403 | |||
| Alabama | 3 | 10,659 | 6 | 263,973 | |||
| Kentucky | 11 | 58,653 | 32 | 232,398 | |||
| Washington | 77 | 209,153 | 84 | 215,272 | |||
| Virginia | 0 | 0 | 9 | 159,946 | |||
| Massachusetts | 7 | 146,335 | 7 | 146,335 | |||
| Pennsylvania | 12 | 49,857 | 12 | 49,857 | |||
| Arizona | 2 | 17,169 | 3 | 44,969 | |||
| Louisiana | 6 | 36,594 | 6 | 36,594 | |||
| Delaware | 1 | 32,700 | 1 | 32,700 | |||
| Indiana | 10 | 30,403 | 10 | 30,403 | |||
| South Carolina | 5 | 12,262 | 6 | 21,332 | |||
| Maryland | 4 | 16,317 | 4 | 16,317 | |||
| Missouri | 1 | 14,300 | 1 | 14,300 | |||
| Illinois | 3 | 12,183 | 3 | 12,183 | |||
| Wyoming | 14 | 5,195 | 14 | 5,195 | |||
| Arkansas | 3 | 3,756 | 5 | 4,079 | |||
| Connecticut | 1 | 2,567 | 1 | 2,567 | |||
| Iowa | 2 | 2,409 | 2 | 2,409 | |||
| Montana | 2 | 1,984 | 4 | 2,107 | |||
| Georgia | 1 | 1,635 | 1 | 1,635 | |||
| New Mexico | 2 | 1,253 | 2 | 1,253 | |||
| Idaho | 2 | 592 | 2 | 592 | |||
| Ohio | 1 | 481 | 1 | 481 | |||
| Oregon | 1 | 325 | 1 | 325 | |||
| Nevada | 1 | 300 | 1 | 300 | |||
| Minnesota | 1 | 200 | 1 | 200 | |||
| South Dakota | 1 | 200 | 1 | 200 | |||
| West Virginia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 60 | |||
| New Hampshire | 1 | 27 | 1 | 27 | |||
MORE
LESS
Filtering technologies that reduce thallium
Reverse Osmosis
Ion Exchange
Utilities with the highest amounts of thallium, 2015-2017
ALL UTILITIES
LARGE UTILITIES
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine Acres Community Association | Leavenworth, WA | 2 of 2 | 3.10 ppb | 46 |
| Kathleen Oaks Mobile Home Park | Lakeland, FL | 1 of 1 | 3.00 ppb | 35 |
| Davenport Mob Est | Haines City, FL | 1 of 1 | 3.00 ppb | 390 |
| Sandy Hook Water District | Sandy Hook, KY | 1 of 1 | 2.40 ppb | 3,528 |
| White Haven Center | White Haven, PA | 1 of 1 | 2.00 ppb | 659 |
| Cedar Acres Mobile Home Park | Nassau, NY | 1 of 1 | 2.00 ppb | 276 |
| Yuma West Mobile Home Park | Yuma, AZ | 1 of 1 | 1.90 ppb | 30 |
| Independence Municipal Utilities Authority Highlnd | Great Meadows, NJ | 1 of 1 | 1.71 ppb | 350 |
| Hidden Village Condo Association | Hambrug, NJ | 1 of 1 | 1.70 ppb | 175 |
| Lake Ridge Water System | Austin, TX | 1 of 1 | 1.70 ppb | 966 |
| Arlinghaus Property | Burlington, KY | 1 of 1 | 1.70 ppb | 49 |
| Lake Stockholm Inc. | Stockholm, NJ | 1 of 1 | 1.66 ppb | 300 |
| Independence Municipal Utilities Authority Valley View | Great Meadows, NJ | 1 of 1 | 1.56 ppb | 110 |
| Rough & Ready Mobilehome Village | Chowchilla, CA | 1 of 1 | 1.53 ppb | 200 |
| Freedom Water & Sewer Distr | Thayne, WY | 1 of 1 | 1.50 ppb | 300 |
| Sunnyside Estates | Beaver Dam, WI | 2 of 2 | 1.44 ppb | 130 |
| Pioneer Estates Of Delavan | Delavan, WI | 2 of 2 | 1.41 ppb | 400 |
| Caernarvon Township Authority | Morgantown, PA | 3 of 3 | 1.33 ppb | 4,139 |
| Clinton Waterworks | Clinton, WI | 12 of 12 | 1.31 ppb | 2,119 |
| Peru | Peru, IL | 1 of 2 | 1.30 ppb | 11,000 |
| Toppenish Water Department | Toppenish, WA | 4 of 5 | 1.26 ppb | 8,950 |
| Canyon Hills Mutual Domestic Water Consumers Association | Alamogordo, NM | 2 of 2 | 1.18 ppb | 53 |
| Concordia Waterworks District 1 | Ferriday, LA | 2 of 12 | 1.17 ppb | 6,921 |
| Pine Country Estates | Knightdale, NC | 1 of 1 | 1.16 ppb | 44 |
| Palms River Resort | Hemet, CA | 1 of 2 | 1.15 ppb | 200 |
| Rivermeadows Water District | Jackson, WY | 1 of 3 | 1.13 ppb | 100 |
| Hopatcong Water Department | Hopatcong, NJ | 7 of 7 | 1.13 ppb | 7,224 |
| Hunt Farms S/d | Garner, NC | 1 of 1 | 1.12 ppb | 88 |
| Inwood Estates | Plymouth, IN | 1 of 1 | 1.10 ppb | 20 |
| Yellowstone Np Old Faithful | Yellowstone National Park, WY | 2 of 4 | 1.10 ppb | 150 |
| Birchwood Terrace | Wyoming, MN | 1 of 1 | 1.05 ppb | 200 |
| Snell Isle Realty LLC | Auburndale, FL | 1 of 1 | 1.000 ppb | 200 |
| Martins Community Lp Mobile Home Park | Cochranville, PA | 1 of 1 | 1.000 ppb | 180 |
| Wrentham Developmental Center | Wrentham, MA | 1 of 1 | 1.000 ppb | 1,309 |
| Twin Pines Health Care Center | West Grove, PA | 1 of 1 | 1.000 ppb | 120 |
| Arbor Arms Apartments | Poughkeepsie, NY | 1 of 1 | 1.000 ppb | 70 |
| Cheswick Borough Water Department | Cheswick, PA | 1 of 1 | 1.000 ppb | 1,769 |
| Harmar Township Muni Authority* | Cheswick, PA | 1 of 1 | 1.000 ppb | 2,921 |
| Melody Lake Acres | Monticello, NY | 1 of 1 | 1.000 ppb | 150 |
| Dillon Farms | Monticello, NY | 1 of 1 | 1.000 ppb | 50 |
| Bingen Water Department | Bingen, WA | 1 of 1 | 1.000 ppb | 735 |
| Magnolia | Magnolia, IL | 1 of 2 | 1.000 ppb | 279 |
| Riverbend Estates | American Falls, ID | 1 of 1 | 1.000 ppb | 92 |
| De Chenne Water System | East Wenatchee, WA | 1 of 1 | 1.000 ppb | 34 |
| Gulf Correctional Institution | Wewahitchka, FL | 1 of 1 | 1.000 ppb | 3,500 |
| Regal Mobile Estates | Yakima, WA | 1 of 1 | 1.000 ppb | 127 |
| Lebanon | Lebanon, MO | 4 of 16 | 0.998 ppb | 14,300 |
| Broken Wrench Llc | Casper, WY | 1 of 3 | 0.900 ppb | 30 |
| Sunrise Water Association | Moses Lake, WA | 1 of 1 | 0.900 ppb | 250 |
| Quail Run Mobile Home Park | Coeur Dalene, WA | 1 of 1 | 0.900 ppb | 165 |
* 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 Thallium, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peru | Peru, IL | 1 of 2 | 1.30 ppb | 11,000 |
| Lebanon | Lebanon, MO | 4 of 16 | 0.998 ppb | 14,300 |
| Eagle Mountain City | Eagle Mountain, UT | 24 of 38 | 0.774 ppb | 24,000 |
| City of Grandview | Grandview, WA | 3 of 3 | 0.567 ppb | 10,922 |
| Winter Garden Water Department* | Winter Garden, FL | 3 of 3 | 0.567 ppb | 69,738 |
| City of Moses Lake | Moses Lake, WA | 5 of 5 | 0.520 ppb | 22,930 |
| City of Mount Dora | Mount Dora, FL | 2 of 2 | 0.450 ppb | 29,996 |
| City of Yakima Water Division* | Yakima, WA | 7 of 7 | 0.429 ppb | 65,238 |
| Atascosa Rural WSC | Atascosa, TX | 2 of 4 | 0.413 ppb | 10,482 |
| Rehoboth District | Dover, DE | 2 of 13 | 0.354 ppb | 32,700 |
| Gardner Water Department | Gardner, MA | 1 of 4 | 0.350 ppb | 19,133 |
| Windermere Community | Pflugerville, TX | 4 of 6 | 0.337 ppb | 20,091 |
| City of Havre De Grace* | Havre De Grace, MD | 1 of 3 | 0.333 ppb | 14,000 |
| City of Fort Stockton | Fort Stockton, TX | 1 of 2 | 0.330 ppb | 12,502 |
| Onalaska Waterworks | Onalaska, WI | 3 of 5 | 0.320 ppb | 18,000 |
| Nob Hill Water Association | Yakima, WA | 3 of 3 | 0.300 ppb | 28,827 |
| City of Show Low | Show Low, AZ | 2 of 9 | 0.256 ppb | 17,139 |
| Paw Penn District | Birdsboro, PA | 1 of 8 | 0.238 ppb | 29,525 |
| Lake Asbury WTP | Orange Park, FL | 1 of 1 | 0.200 ppb | 10,294 |
| Fair Lawn Water Department | Fair Lawn Boro, NJ | 3 of 10 | 0.192 ppb | 31,000 |
| Town of Hempstead Water Department | East Meadow, NY | 9 of 66 | 0.176 ppb | 110,000 |
| Ogdensburg City | Ogdensburg, NY | 1 of 3 | 0.173 ppb | 11,128 |
| Greenup Water System* | Greenup, KY | 1 of 3 | 0.167 ppb | 12,193 |
| City of Raleigh* | Raleigh, NC | 1 of 6 | 0.167 ppb | 521,839 |
| Jackson County Water Association* | Tyner, KY | 1 of 3 | 0.167 ppb | 13,629 |
| Williamson Town WD* | Williamson, NY | 1 of 3 | 0.167 ppb | 12,000 |
| Lackland Air Force Base | Jbsa Lackland, TX | 1 of 5 | 0.162 ppb | 20,907 |
| Mcguire Air Force Base | Joint Base Mdl, NJ | 2 of 6 | 0.150 ppb | 12,227 |
| Brockton Water Commission* | Brockton, MA | 1 of 7 | 0.143 ppb | 93,810 |
| Whitman Water System* | Whitman, MA | 1 of 7 | 0.143 ppb | 14,574 |
| Manitowoc Waterworks* | Manitowoc, WI | 1 of 4 | 0.141 ppb | 34,500 |
| Grafton Waterworks | Grafton, WI | 5 of 5 | 0.138 ppb | 11,745 |
| Minden Water System | Minden, LA | 2 of 20 | 0.120 ppb | 16,950 |
| Tri SUD | Mount Pleasant, TX | 1 of 3 | 0.120 ppb | 16,734 |
| City of Mount Pleasant* | Mount Pleasant, TX | 1 of 3 | 0.120 ppb | 16,113 |
| City of Rio Grande City* | Rio Grande City, TX | 1 of 6 | 0.118 ppb | 17,901 |
| Garfield Water Department | Garfield, NJ | 1 of 3 | 0.113 ppb | 30,487 |
| University of South Florida | Tampa, FL | 1 of 1 | 0.1000 ppb | 46,237 |
| Clermont East Water System | Clermont, FL | 2 of 2 | 0.1000 ppb | 33,162 |
| City of Temple Terrace Utility | Temple Terrace, FL | 1 of 2 | 0.1000 ppb | 31,062 |
| Platteville Waterworks | Platteville, WI | 1 of 2 | 0.1000 ppb | 12,268 |
| Pike County Water Authority* | Troy, AL | 3 of 7 | 0.0986 ppb | 10,590 |
| New York American Water - Merrick | Merrick, NY | 38 of 132 | 0.0974 ppb | 177,000 |
| City of San Luis | San Luis, AZ | 6 of 6 | 0.0933 ppb | 27,800 |
| City of Mansfield* | Mansfield, TX | 1 of 3 | 0.0900 ppb | 68,612 |
| Miramar (East & West) Plants | Miramar, FL | 1 of 6 | 0.0833 ppb | 128,729 |
| Hempstead | Hempstead, NY | 5 of 25 | 0.0808 ppb | 56,000 |
| Tarpon Springs Water System* | Tarpon Springs, FL | 1 of 4 | 0.0750 ppb | 30,415 |
| Montgomery Water Works* | Montgomery, AL | 1 of 17 | 0.0706 ppb | 240,840 |
| City of Deland | Deland, FL | 1 of 10 | 0.0700 ppb | 48,420 |
* 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 Thallium, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.