Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Perchlorate

Northbrook Village I / Berlin Ret.

Perchlorate, a component of rocket fuel, occurs both naturally and as a synthetic chemical. Ingested perchlorate interferes with thyroid function. Exposure to perchlorate during pregnancy and childhood can impair cognitive development. Read More.

According to the EPA, perchlorate likely contaminates the water of more than 16 million Americans. Perchlorate interferes with iodine uptake in the thyroid, which can result in reduced thyroid hormones and an impact on metabolism, physical development and cognitive development. Children and developing fetuses are the most at risk from perchlorate contamination.

Perchlorate is the only unregulated contaminant for which the EPA has attempted to set a federal drinking water standard since 1996. However, the agency has yet to propose a draft limit for this contaminant. Perchlorate in drinking water is regulated in Arizona, California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Texas. California set a public health goal of 1 part per billion for perchlorate in 2015.

Click here to read more about perchlorate.

 

110

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

67

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.170 ppb110.170 ppb
20192.45 ppb14140.360 ppb - 4.80 ppb
20202.40 ppb36360.400 ppb - 5.10 ppb
20211.35 ppb31310.380 ppb - 2.70 ppb
20220.253 ppb18180.142 ppb - 0.331 ppb
20230.0270 ppb102ND - 0.140 ppb

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 1 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 1 ppb for perchlorate 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 hormone disruption.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Result
2018-09-100.170 ppb
2019-08-052.90 ppb
2019-08-152.70 ppb
2019-08-292.70 ppb
2019-08-294.80 ppb
2019-08-293.10 ppb
2019-10-231.50 ppb
2019-10-232.70 ppb
2019-10-231.40 ppb
2019-11-211.70 ppb
2019-11-214.20 ppb
2019-11-210.930 ppb
2019-12-101.70 ppb
2019-12-103.60 ppb
2019-12-100.360 ppb
2020-01-061.90 ppb
2020-01-064.10 ppb
2020-01-061.000 ppb
2020-02-244.90 ppb
2020-02-242.50 ppb
2020-02-241.50 ppb
2020-03-035.10 ppb
2020-03-032.40 ppb
2020-03-031.30 ppb
2020-04-214.40 ppb
2020-04-212.00 ppb
2020-04-212.40 ppb
2020-05-261.80 ppb
2020-05-264.70 ppb
2020-05-262.20 ppb
2020-06-221.80 ppb
2020-06-222.00 ppb
2020-06-224.60 ppb
2020-07-131.60 ppb
2020-07-131.90 ppb
2020-07-133.50 ppb
2020-08-101.90 ppb
2020-08-101.60 ppb
2020-08-103.60 ppb
2020-09-302.50 ppb
2020-09-301.90 ppb
2020-09-301.50 ppb
2020-10-271.50 ppb
2020-10-271.80 ppb
2020-10-272.50 ppb
2020-11-101.40 ppb
2020-11-102.40 ppb
2020-11-101.90 ppb
2020-12-081.30 ppb
2020-12-082.70 ppb
2020-12-080.400 ppb
2021-01-121.70 ppb
2021-01-122.40 ppb
2021-01-121.40 ppb
2021-02-021.50 ppb
2021-02-022.70 ppb
2021-02-021.40 ppb
2021-03-022.70 ppb
2021-03-021.50 ppb
2021-03-020.680 ppb
2021-04-062.40 ppb
2021-04-061.60 ppb
2021-04-061.50 ppb
2021-05-111.30 ppb
2021-05-112.30 ppb
2021-05-111.50 ppb
2021-06-231.40 ppb
2021-06-232.00 ppb
2021-06-231.20 ppb
2021-07-191.80 ppb
2021-07-191.40 ppb
2021-07-191.10 ppb
2021-08-171.000 ppb
2021-08-171.70 ppb
2021-09-070.540 ppb
2021-09-070.650 ppb
2021-10-190.420 ppb
2021-10-190.420 ppb
2021-11-080.380 ppb
2021-11-080.402 ppb
2021-12-130.479 ppb
2021-12-130.383 ppb
2022-01-250.266 ppb
2022-01-250.324 ppb
2022-02-080.299 ppb
2022-02-080.320 ppb
2022-03-080.331 ppb
2022-03-080.258 ppb
2022-04-040.282 ppb
2022-04-040.260 ppb
2022-05-030.233 ppb
2022-05-030.262 ppb
2022-06-280.268 ppb
2022-06-280.256 ppb
2022-07-190.248 ppb
2022-07-190.267 ppb
2022-11-150.210 ppb
2022-11-150.167 ppb
2022-12-120.142 ppb
2022-12-120.164 ppb
2023-01-16ND
2023-01-16ND
2023-02-01ND
2023-02-01ND
2023-04-05ND
2023-04-05ND
2023-08-30ND
2023-08-30ND
2023-12-180.130 ppb
2023-12-180.140 ppb