Chromium (total)
City of Idalou
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.
Samples
Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)
Samples exceeding
health guidelines
Testing results - average by year
| Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 2.70 ppb | 1 | 1 | 2.70 ppb |
| 2019 | 2.33 ppb | 3 | 3 | 1.80 ppb - 3.20 ppb |
| 2020 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2021 | 7.10 ppb | 1 | 1 | 7.10 ppb |
| 2022 | 3.23 ppb | 3 | 3 | 2.20 ppb - 3.90 ppb |
| 2023 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-03-21 | Q1811486003 | 2.70 ppb |
| 2019-01-30 | Q1904476002 | 1.80 ppb |
| 2019-04-10 | Q1914418010 | 2.00 ppb |
| 2019-09-11 | Q1963950008 | 3.20 ppb |
| 2021-06-03 | Q2114442006 | 7.10 ppb |
| 2022-02-16 | Q2205704002 | 3.90 ppb |
| 2022-02-16 | Q2205704004 | 3.60 ppb |
| 2022-04-28 | Q2212815001 | 2.20 ppb |