Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Chromium (total)

Essex Fells 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.

 

7

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20182.23 ppb331.20 ppb - 3.00 ppb
2019ND80ND
2020ND120ND
20211.80 ppb330.742 ppb - 2.58 ppb
20221.95 ppb111.95 ppb
2023ND80ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

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
2018-08-2123339080012.50 ppb
2018-08-2123339080033.00 ppb
2018-08-2123339080021.20 ppb
2021-05-1821051741-0012.08 ppb
2021-05-1821051741-0032.58 ppb
2021-05-1821051741-0020.742 ppb
2022-05-17220516012-0011.95 ppb