Chromium (total)

Westfield Water Department

Chromium is a naturally occurring metal, but industrial uses can elevate its levels in water. One form, hexavalent chromium, causes cancer. Total chromium is not a good indicator of the amount of hexavalent chromium in drinking water.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

Samples

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

Year	Average result	Samples taken	Detections	Range of results
2013	0.544 ppb	17	16	ND - 1.000 ppb
2014	0.118 ppb	9	2	ND - 0.540 ppb
2015	0.440 ppb	1	1	0.440 ppb
2016	ND	1	0	ND
2017	0.667 ppb	6	2	ND - 2.00 ppb
2018	ND	1	0	ND
2019	ND	2	0	ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 100 ppb

The legal limit for total chromium, established in 1991, was based on a 1958 toxicity study in laboratory animals, and applies to both the less-toxic trivalent chromium and the more-toxic hexavalent chromium forms of this compound. This limit does not protect against the risk of cancer from ingestion of hexavalent chromium.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date	Result
2013-02-27	1.000 ppb
2013-02-27	0.680 ppb
2013-02-27	0.550 ppb
2013-02-27	0.400 ppb
2013-02-27	0.240 ppb
2013-02-27	0.420 ppb
2013-02-27	0.310 ppb
2013-02-27	0.330 ppb
2013-02-27	ND
2013-02-27	0.590 ppb
2013-06-11	0.680 ppb
2013-06-11	0.590 ppb
2013-10-23	0.770 ppb
2013-10-23	0.580 ppb
2013-12-12	0.760 ppb
2013-12-12	0.840 ppb
2013-12-12	0.510 ppb
2014-02-26	0.520 ppb
2014-02-26	0.540 ppb
2014-11-20	ND
2014-11-20	ND
2014-11-20	ND
2014-11-20	ND
2014-11-20	ND
2014-11-20	ND
2014-11-20	ND
2015-11-20	0.440 ppb
2016-11-30	ND
2017-11-16	2.00 ppb
2017-11-16	ND
2017-11-16	ND
2017-11-16	2.00 ppb
2017-11-16	ND
2017-12-26	ND
2018-11-19	ND
2019-11-13	ND
2019-11-13	ND