Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Mercury (inorganic)

Polk City Water Supply

NOTE: Polk City Water Supply purchases water from Des Moines Water Works which is required to test for mercury (inorganic). Sample information shown below was taken by Des Moines Water Works.

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.

 

7

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND30ND
2019ND10ND
2020ND10ND
2021ND20ND
2022ND10ND
2023N/A00N/A

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

NOTE: Polk City Water Supply purchases water from Des Moines Water Works which is required to test for mercury (inorganic). Sample information shown below was taken by Des Moines Water Works.

Date Lab ID Result
2018-07-16OE683857ND
2018-07-16OE683858ND
2018-10-08OE724008ND
2019-07-16OE835739ND
2020-01-27OE921077ND
2021-04-05OE1648618ND
2021-04-05OE1648619ND