Chromium (total)

Merrimack Village District

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
2014	0.311 ppb	14	14	0.210 ppb - 0.400 ppb
2015	0.0440 ppb	5	1	ND - 0.220 ppb
2016	ND	1	0	ND
2017	N/A	0	0	N/A
2018	ND	2	0	ND
2019	ND	1	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	Lab ID	Result
2014-04-14	35134213005AM	0.390 ppb
2014-04-14	35134213001AM	0.400 ppb
2014-04-14	35134213007AM	0.290 ppb
2014-04-14	35134213003AM	0.210 ppb
2014-05-05	35136907003AM	0.230 ppb
2014-05-05	35136907001AM	0.280 ppb
2014-07-14	35146449003AM	0.330 ppb
2014-07-21	35147204001AM	0.370 ppb
2014-10-07	35158589005AM	0.210 ppb
2014-10-07	35158589001AM	0.400 ppb
2014-10-07	35158589003AM	0.330 ppb
2014-10-07	35158589009AM	0.330 ppb
2014-10-07	35158589011AM	0.230 ppb
2014-10-07	35158589007AM	0.360 ppb
2015-04-07	15040059-002	ND
2015-04-14	15040142-001	ND
2015-04-14	15040142-002	ND
2015-06-15	35193367003AM	ND
2015-06-30	35196000001AM	0.220 ppb
2016-04-21	16040293-001	ND
2018-04-05	18040074-001	ND
2018-04-05	18040073-001	ND
2019-06-14	19060224-001	ND