Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Mercury (inorganic)

Lee County Criminal Justice Center

Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that also damages the kidneys and other internal organs. Mercury enters drinking water from industrial pollution, mining wastes and coal-fired power plants.

 

9

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND10ND
2019N/A00N/A
2020N/A00N/A
2021ND10ND
2022ND30ND
2023ND40ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 1.2 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 1.2 ppb for mercury (inorganic) 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 inorganic mercury, established in 1991, was based on toxicity studies conducted in laboratory animals in the 1970s and 1980s. This limit does not include any additional consideration of children’s health.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2018-09-17AK01314ND
2021-05-26AK75967ND
2022-04-20AK99442ND
2022-07-13AL05766ND
2022-10-26AL19145ND
2023-01-18AL23860ND
2023-04-04AL28719ND
2023-07-06AL35698ND
2023-10-03AL46349ND