| Contaminants |
MCLG |
MCL |
Potential Health Effects
from Ingestion of Water |
Sources of Contaminant in
Drinking Water |
| Antimony |
0.006 mg/L |
0.006 mg/L |
Cancer |
Fire retardants Ceramics Electronics Fireworks Solder |
| Arsenic (+3) |
0.05 mg/L |
0.05 mg/L interim standard |
Skin damage Nervous system toxicity |
Natural deposits Smelters Glass Electronic wastes Orchards |
Asbestos
(fibers > 10µm) |
7 MFL |
7 MFP (million fibers per liter,
>10µm) |
Cancer |
Natural deposits Asbestos cement in water systems |
| Barium |
2.0 mg/L |
2.0 mg/L |
Circulatory system effects |
Natural deposits Pigments Epoxy sealants Spent coal |
| Beryllium |
0.004 mg/L |
0.004 mg/L |
Bone damage Lung damage |
Electrical, aerospace, defense
industries |
| Cadmium |
0.005 mg/L |
0.005 mg/L |
Kidney effects |
Galvanized pipe corrosion Natural deposits Batteries Paints |
| Chromium (+3) |
0.1 mg/L |
0.1 mg/L total chromium |
Liver disorders Kidney disorders Circulatory
disorders |
Natural deposits Mining Electroplating Pigments |
| Copper |
1.3 mg/L |
1.3 mg/L (action level) |
Gastrointestinal irritation |
Natural/industrial deposits Wood preservatives Plumbing |
| Cyanide |
0.2 mg/L |
0.2 mg/L |
Thyroid damage Nervous system damage |
Electroplating Steel Plastics Mining Fertilizer
|
| Fluoride |
4.0 mg/L |
4.0 mg/L |
Skeletal & dental fluorosis
|
Natural deposits Fertilizer Aluminum industries
Water additive |
| Lead |
zero |
0.015 mg/L (action level) |
Kidney damage Nervous system damage |
Natural/industrial deposits Plumbing Solder Brass alloy faucets |
| Mercury (+2) |
0.002 mg/L |
0.002 mg/L (total mercury) |
Kidney disorders Nervous system disorders |
Crop runoff Natural deposits Batteries Electrical switches |
| Nickel |
0.1 mg/L |
0.1 mg/L |
Heart damage Liver damage |
Metal alloys Electroplating Batteries Chemical production |
Nitrate
(as nitrogen) |
10 mg/L |
10 mg/L |
Methemoglobulinemia |
Animal waste Fertilizer Natural deposits Septic tanks Sewage |
Nitrite
(as nitrogen) |
1 mg/L |
1 mg/L |
Methemoglobulinemia |
Same as nitrate; rapidly converted
to nitrate. |
| Selenium (+4) |
0.05 mg/L |
0.05 mg/L (total selenium) |
Liver damage |
Natural deposits Mining Smelting Coal/Oil combustion |
| Sulfate |
500 mg/L (proposed standard) |
500 mg/L (proposed standard) |
Diarrhea |
Natural deposits |
| Thallium |
0.0005 mg/L |
0.002 mg/L |
Kidney, liver, brain, intestinal
damage |
Electronics Drugs Alloys Glass |
