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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Elkhorn Rd. Ws #04

EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the California State Water Resources Control Board, as well as information from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History database (ECHO). For the latest quarter assessed by the U.S. EPA (January 2021 - March 2021), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.

Utility Details

  • Monterey County, California
  • Serves: 60
  • Data available: 2014-2019
  • Source: Groundwater

Contaminants Detected

5

EXCEED
EWG HEALTH
GUIDELINES

7 Total Contaminants

  • Legal does not necessarily equal safe. Getting a passing grade from the federal government does not mean the water meets the latest health guidelines.
  • Legal limits for contaminants in tap water have not been updated in almost 20 years.
  • The best way to ensure clean tap water is to keep pollution out of source water in the first place.

What To Do

Filter contaminants out Contact Your Local Official What About Lead?

Legal ≠ Safe

EWG Health Guidelines fill the gap in outdated government standards.

The federal government’s legal limits are not health-protective. The EPA has not set a new tap water standard in almost 20 years, and some standards are more than 40 years old.

Contaminants Detected

VIEW: EXCEED GUIDELINES OTHER DETECTED

1,2,3-Trichloropropane

Potential Effect: cancer408x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINE
THIS UTILITY0.286 ppb
EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE0.0007 ppb
NO LEGAL LIMIT
DETAILS
X

1,2,3-Trichloropropane

more about
this contaminant

1,2,3-Trichloropropane is a potent carcinogen that contaminates drinking water in agricultural regions where it was historically used as soil fumigant. Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

1,2,3-Trichloropropane was found at 408 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.0007 ppb or less

This Utility

0.286 ppb

National Average

0.00041 ppb

State Average

0.000697 ppb
NO LEGAL LIMIT
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2013-2019.
ppb = parts per billion

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.0007 ppb for 1,2,3-trichloropropane was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. This health guideline protects against cancer.

VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

industry icon

Industry

Filtering Options

carbon filter icon

Activated Carbon

reverse osmosis icon

Reverse Osmosis

Arsenic

Potential Effect: cancer125x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINE
THIS UTILITY0.500 ppb
EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE0.004 ppb
LEGAL LIMIT10 ppb
DETAILS
X

Arsenic

more about
this contaminant

Arsenic is a potent carcinogen and common contaminant in drinking water. Arsenic causes thousands of cases of cancer each year in the U.S. Click here to read more about arsenic.

Arsenic was found at 125 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.004 ppb or less

This Utility

0.5 ppb

Legal Limit

10 ppb

National Average

0.647 ppb

State Average

1.1 ppb
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2017-2019.
ppb = parts per billion

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.004 ppb for arsenic was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. This health guideline protects against cancer.

VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

agriculture icon

Agriculture

industry icon

Industry

naturally occuring icon

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

reverse osmosis icon

Reverse Osmosis

ion exchange icon

Ion Exchange

Chromium (hexavalent)

Potential Effect: cancer590x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINE
THIS UTILITY11.8 ppb
EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE0.02 ppb
NO LEGAL LIMIT
DETAILS
X

Chromium (hexavalent)

more about
this contaminant

Chromium (hexavalent) is a carcinogen that commonly contaminates American drinking water. Chromium (hexavalent) in drinking water may be due to industrial pollution or natural occurrences in mineral deposits and groundwater. Read more about chromium (hexavalent).

Chromium (hexavalent) was found at 590 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.02 ppb or less

This Utility

11.8 ppb

National Average

0.484 ppb

State Average

1.36 ppb
NO LEGAL LIMIT
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2013-2019.
ppb = parts per billion

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.02 ppb for chromium (hexavalent) was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. This health guideline protects against cancer.

VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

industry icon

Industry

naturally occuring icon

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

reverse osmosis icon

Reverse Osmosis

ion exchange icon

Ion Exchange

Nitrate

Potential Effect: cancer53x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINE
THIS UTILITY7.41 ppm
EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE0.14 ppm
LEGAL LIMIT10 ppm
DETAILS
X

Nitrate

more about
this contaminant

Nitrate, a fertilizer chemical, frequently contaminates drinking water due to agricultural and urban runoff, and discharges from municipal wastewater treatment plants and septic tanks. Excessive nitrate in water can cause oxygen deprivation in infants and increase the risk of cancer. Click here to read more about nitrate.

Nitrate was found at 53 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.14 ppm or less

This Utility

7.41 ppm

Legal Limit

10 ppm

National Average

0.935 ppm

State Average

1.9 ppm
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2017-2019.
ppm = parts per million

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.14 ppm for nitrate was defined by EWG . This health guideline protects against cancer and harm to fetal growth and development.

VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

agriculture icon

Agriculture

urban area icon

Runoff & Sprawl

naturally occuring icon

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

reverse osmosis icon

Reverse Osmosis

ion exchange icon

Ion Exchange

Nitrate and nitrite

Potential Effect: cancer50x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINE
THIS UTILITY7.00 ppm
EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE0.14 ppm
LEGAL LIMIT10 ppm
DETAILS
X

Nitrate and nitrite

more about
this contaminant

Nitrate and nitrite enter water from fertilizer runoff, septic tanks and urban runoff. These contaminants can cause oxygen deprivation for infants and increase the risk of cancer. Nitrite is significantly more toxic than nitrate. Click here to read more about nitrate.

Nitrate and nitrite was found at 50 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.14 ppm or less

This Utility

7 ppm

Legal Limit

10 ppm

National Average

0.888 ppm

State Average

1.76 ppm
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2017-2019.
ppm = parts per million

Health Risks

The health guideline of 0.14 parts per million, or ppm, for nitrate and nitrite is based on the equivalent health guideline for nitrate, as defined in a peer-reviewed scientific study by EWG. This guideline represents a one-in-one-million annual cancer risk level.
VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

agriculture icon

Agriculture

urban area icon

Runoff & Sprawl

naturally occuring icon

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

reverse osmosis icon

Reverse Osmosis

ion exchange icon

Ion Exchange

Includes chemicals detected in 2017-2019 for which annual utility averages exceeded an EWG-selected health guideline established by a federal or state public health authority; chemicals detected under the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 3) program in 2013 to 2015 (and subsequent testing when available), for which annual utility averages exceeded a health guideline established by a federal or state public health authority.

Other Contaminants Tested

✕

Chemicals tested for but not detected from 2014 to 2019:

1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane , 1,1,1-Trichloroethane , 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane , 1,1,2-Trichloroethane , 1,1-Dichloroethane , 1,1-Dichloroethylene , 1,1-Dichloropropene , 1,2,3-Trichlorobenzene , 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene , 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene , 1,2-Dichloroethane , 1,2-Dichloropropane , 1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene , 1,3-Dichloropropane , 1,3-Dichloropropene , 2,2-Dichloropropane , 2,4,5-TP (Silvex) , 2,4-D , 3-Hydroxycarbofuran , Acetone , Alachlor (Lasso) , Aldicarb , Aldicarb sulfone , Aldicarb sulfoxide , Aluminum , Antimony , Atrazine , Barium , Bentazon (Basagran) , Benzene , Beryllium , Bromacil , Bromobenzene , Bromochloromethane , Bromodichloromethane , Bromoform , Bromomethane , Butachlor , Cadmium , Carbaryl , Carbofuran , Carbon tetrachloride , Chloroethane , Chloroform , Chloromethane , cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene , cis-1,3-Dichloropropene , Combined uranium , Cyanide , Dalapon , Dibromochloromethane , Dibromomethane , Dicamba , Dichlorodifluoromethane , Dichloromethane (methylene chloride) , Dimethoate , Dinoseb , Diquat , Ethyl tert-butyl ether , Ethylbenzene , Hexachlorobutadiene , Isopropyl ether , Isopropylbenzene , m-Dichlorobenzene , Manganese , Mercury (inorganic) , Methomyl , Methyl ethyl ketone , Methyl isobutyl ketone , Metolachlor , Metribuzin , Molinate , Monochlorobenzene (chlorobenzene) , MTBE , n-Butylbenzene , n-Propylbenzene , Naphthalene , Nitrite , o-Chlorotoluene , o-Dichlorobenzene , Oxamyl (Vydate) , p-Chlorotoluene , p-Dichlorobenzene , p-Isopropyltoluene , Pentachlorophenol , Perchlorate , Picloram , Propachlor , sec-Butylbenzene , Selenium , Silver , Simazine , Styrene , tert-Amyl methyl ether , tert-Butyl alcohol , tert-Butylbenzene , Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene) , Thallium , Thiobencarb , Toluene , Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) , trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene , trans-1,3-Dichloropropene , Trichloroethylene , Trichlorofluoromethane , Trichlorotrifluoroethane , Vinyl chloride , Xylenes (total)

Elkhorn Rd. Ws #04 compliance with legally mandated federal standards:

  • From April 2019 to March 2021, Elkhorn Rd. Ws #04 complied with health-based drinking water standards.

Information in this section on Elkhorn Rd. Ws #04 comes from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History Online database (ECHO).

LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS UTILITY

Water Filters That Can Reduce Contaminant Levels

ContaminantActivated Carbonactivated carbonReverse Osmosisreverse osmosisIon Exchangeion exchange
CONTAMINANTS ABOVE
HEALTH GUIDELINES
1,2,3-Trichloropropane✔✔
Arsenic✔✔
Chromium (hexavalent)✔✔
Nitrate✔✔
Nitrate & nitrite✔✔
OTHER CONTAMINANTS
DETECTED
Chromium (total)✔✔
Fluoride✔

Take Action

Contact Your Local Official

One of the best ways to push for cleaner water is to hold accountable the elected officials who have a say in water quality – from city hall and the state legislature to Congress all the way to the Oval Office – by asking questions and demanding answers.

LEARN MORE

Filter Out Contaminants

Check out our recommendations for filters to protect your water against the detected contaminants.

EWG’S WATER FILTER GUIDE
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