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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Chromium (total)

Philadelphia 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.

 

57

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20130.740 ppb18180.440 ppb - 1.10 ppb
20140.640 ppb1814ND - 2.00 ppb
2015ND90ND
20160.333 ppb31ND - 1.000 ppb
2017ND30ND
2018ND30ND
20191.33 ppb331.000 ppb - 2.00 ppb

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
2013-06-1710329960110.530 ppb
2013-06-1710329960070.600 ppb
2013-06-1710329960010.570 ppb
2013-06-2710343650030.990 ppb
2013-06-2710343650010.440 ppb
2013-06-2710343650050.930 ppb
2013-08-0510409090130.680 ppb
2013-08-0510409090070.580 ppb
2013-08-0510409090051.10 ppb
2013-08-0510409090030.620 ppb
2013-08-0510409090010.760 ppb
2013-08-0510409090101.000 ppb
2013-11-0510573350101.10 ppb
2013-11-0510573350130.580 ppb
2013-11-0510573350031.000 ppb
2013-11-0510573350070.710 ppb
2013-12-2310650060010.530 ppb
2013-12-2310650060030.600 ppb
2014-01-07DW140107-0011.000 ppb
2014-01-07DW140107-0021.000 ppb
2014-01-07DW140107-003ND
2014-02-04201402060401AM0.420 ppb
2014-02-04201402060425AM0.440 ppb
2014-02-04201402060429AM0.420 ppb
2014-02-24201402250500AM0.440 ppb
2014-02-24201402250496AM0.350 ppb
2014-02-24201402250498AM0.450 ppb
2014-04-08DW140408-0011.000 ppb
2014-04-08DW140408-0021.000 ppb
2014-04-08DW140408-0031.000 ppb
2014-07-08DW140708-004ND
2014-07-08DW140708-0021.000 ppb
2014-07-08DW140708-001ND
2014-10-07DW141007-040ND
2014-10-07DW141007-0212.00 ppb
2014-10-07DW141007-0131.000 ppb
2015-01-0612291985ND
2015-01-0612291986ND
2015-01-0612291987ND
2015-04-0712637812ND
2015-04-0712637810ND
2015-04-0712637811ND
2015-10-0613394051ND
2015-10-0613394050ND
2015-10-0613394049ND
2016-10-0415082291ND
2016-10-04150822921.000 ppb
2016-10-0415082293ND
2017-10-0316886146ND
2017-10-0316886147ND
2017-10-0316886148ND
2018-10-16DW181016-041ND
2018-10-16DW181016-020ND
2018-10-16DW181016-011ND
2019-10-08DW191008-0111.000 ppb
2019-10-08DW191008-0391.000 ppb
2019-10-08DW191008-0202.00 ppb