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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Barrelville

EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Maryland Department of the Environment, 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 serious violation federal health-based drinking water standards.

Utility Details

  • Allegany County, Maryland
  • Serves: 130
  • Data available: 2014-2019
  • Source: Groundwater

Contaminants Detected

1

EXCEED
EWG HEALTH
GUIDELINES

3 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

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Contaminants Detected

VIEW: EXCEED GUIDELINES OTHER DETECTED

Chloromethane

Potential Effect: cancer5.6x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINE
THIS UTILITY15.2 ppb
EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE2.69 ppb
NO LEGAL LIMIT
DETAILS
X

Chloromethane

more about
this contaminant

Chloromethane is an industrial solvent, aerosol propellant and a refrigerant. It also forms as a byproduct of water disinfection. The EPA classifies chloromethane as possibly carcinogenic to humans.

Chloromethane was found at 5.6 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

2.69 ppb or less

This Utility

15.2 ppb

National Average

0.0109 ppb

State Average

0.142 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 2.69 ppb for chloromethane was defined by the Environmental Protection Agency as a benchmark for testing under the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule program. This health guideline protects against cancer.

VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

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Industry

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Treatment Byproducts

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Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

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Activated Carbon

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Reverse Osmosis

Includes 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 , 1,2,3-Trichloropropane , 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 , Antimony , Arsenic , Barium , Benzene , Beryllium , Bromobenzene , Bromochloromethane , Bromodichloromethane , Bromoform , Cadmium , Carbon tetrachloride , Chloroethane , Chloroform , Chromium (total) , cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene , Dibromochloromethane , Dibromomethane , Dichlorodifluoromethane , Dichloromethane (methylene chloride) , Ethylbenzene , Haloacetic acids (HAA5) , Hexachlorobutadiene , Isopropylbenzene , m-Dichlorobenzene , Mercury (inorganic) , Monochlorobenzene (chlorobenzene) , MTBE , n-Butylbenzene , n-Propylbenzene , Naphthalene , Nitrate , Nitrate & nitrite , o-Chlorotoluene , o-Dichlorobenzene , p-Chlorotoluene , p-Dichlorobenzene , p-Isopropyltoluene , Radium, combined (-226 & -228) , sec-Butylbenzene , Selenium , Styrene , tert-Butylbenzene , Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene) , Thallium , Toluene , Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) , trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene , Trichloroethylene , Trichlorofluoromethane , Vinyl chloride , Xylenes (total)

Barrelville compliance with legally mandated federal standards:

  • From April 2019 to March 2021, Barrelville did not comply with health-based drinking water standards.
  • 12 QUARTERS
    in violation of any federal drinking water standard from April 2019 to March 2021
  • Over the last 3 years this water utility has spent
    2 QUARTERS
    in significant violation of federal drinking water standards

Information in this section on Barrelville 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
Chloromethane✔✔
OTHER CONTAMINANTS
DETECTED
Bromomethane✔✔
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.

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Filter Out Contaminants

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

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