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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Chromium (total)

Southwestern Pennsylvania Water Authority

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.

 

15

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20130.0650 ppb82ND - 0.280 ppb
2014ND10ND
2015ND10ND
2016ND20ND
2017ND10ND
2018ND10ND
2019ND10ND

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
2013-03-04201303050105AM0.280 ppb
2013-03-04201303050103AMND
2013-06-17201306180192AMND
2013-06-17201306180194AM0.240 ppb
2013-09-09201309100247AMND
2013-09-09201309100245AMND
2013-12-12201312170229AMND
2013-12-16201312170286AMND
2014-03-0603140350ND
2015-03-1212578175ND
2016-03-1714048616ND
2016-09-2915004792ND
2017-07-2016497710ND
2018-11-0718K0895-01ND
2019-08-2119H2457-01ND