United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water
(4606)
EPA816-F-99-018
December 1999
National Primary Drinking Water Standards
Contaminant
Inorganic Chemicals
Antimony
Arsenic
Asbestos
(fibers >10 micrometers)
Barium
Beryllium
Cadmium
Chromium (total)
Copper
Cyanide
(as free cyanide)
Fluoride
Lead
Mercury (Inorganic)
Nitrate
(measured as Nitrogen)
Nitrite
(measured as Nitrogen)
Selenium
Thallium
MCLG1
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Potential Health Effects from Exposure
Above the MCL
1 f | » II1 f |"'l I
Common Sources of Contaminant in
Drinking Water
Nervous system or blood problems; increased risk of
cancer
Added to water during sewage/wastewater
treatment
Eye, liver, kidney or spleen problems; anemia;
increased risk of cancer
Runoff from herbicide used on row crops
Cardiovascular system or reproductive problems
Runofl'from herbicide used on row crops
0.005
Anemia; decrease in blood platelets; increased risk
ofcancer
Discharge from factories; leaching from gas storage
tanks and landfills
0.0002
Reproductive difficulties; increased risk of cancer
Leaching from linings of water storage tanks and
distribution lines
0.04
0.04
Problems with blood, nervous system, or
reproductive system
Leaching of soil fumigant used on rice and alfalfa
Carbon tctrachloridc
0.005
Liver problems; increased risk of cancer
Discharge from chemical plants and other
industrial activities
Chlordinc
0.002
Liver or nervous system problems; increased risk of
cancer
Residue of banned termiticide
Chloro benzene
0.1
0.1
Liver or kidney problems
Discharge from chemical and agricultural chemical
factories
2/-D
0.07
0.07
Kidney, liver, or adrenal gland problems
Runoff from herbicide used on row crops
Datapon
0.2
0.2
Minor kidney changes
Runoff from herbicide used on rights of way
0.0002
chloroproptne (DBCP)
Reproductive difficulties; increased risk of cancer
Runoff/leaching from soil fumigant used on
soybeans, cotton, pineapples, and orchards
o-Dichlorobcnzcne
0.6
0.6
Liver, kidney, or circulatory system problems
Discharge from industrial chemical factories
p-Dichlorobenzene
0.075
0.075
Anemia; liver, kidney or spleen damage; changes in
blood
Dischai-ge from industrial chemical factories
1,2-Dkhtorocthane
0.005
Increased risk of cancer
Discharge from industrial chemical factories
1 -1 -DJchlorocthy Icne
0.007
0.007
Liver problems
Discharge from industrial chemical factories
cis-1,
2-Dtchloroethylcne
0.07
0.07
Liver problems
Discharge from industrial chemical factories
ttans-1,2-
Dichloroethylene
0.1
0.1
Liver problems
Discharge from industrial chemical factories
Dichloromc thane
0.005
Liver problems; increased risk of cancer
Discharge from drug and chemical factories
1 -2-Dichloropropine
0.005
Increased risk of cancer
Discharge from industrial chemical factories
Di{2-cthylhcxyl)tdipttc
0.4
0.4
General toxic effects or reproductive difficulties
Discharge from chemical factories
D»(2-eihylhcxyl)phthal-
tte
0.006
Reproductive difficulties; liver problems; increased
risk of cancer
Discharge from rubber and chemical factories
0.007
0.007
Reproductive difficulties
Runoff from herbicide used on soybeans and
vegetables
0.00000003
Reproductive difficulties; increased risk of cancer
Emissions from waste incineration and other
combustion; discharge from chemical factories
0.02
0.02
Cataracts
Runoff from herbicide use
0.1
0.1
Stomach and intestinal problems
Runoff from herbicide use
0.002
0.002
Liver problems
Residue of banned insecticide
TT
Increased cancer risk, and over a long period of time,
stomach problems
Discharge from industrial chemical factories; an
impurity of some water treatment chemicals
0.7
Liver or kidneys problems
Discharge from petroleum refineries
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Contaminant
Ethylene dibromide
Glyphosate
Heptachlor
Heptachlor epoxide
Hexachlorobenzene
Hexachloro-
cyclopentadiene
Lindane
Methoxychlor
Oxamyl (Vydate)
Polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs)
Pentachlorophenol
Picloram
Simazme
Styrene
Tetrachloroethylene
Toluene
Total Trihalomethanes
(TTHMs)
Toxaphene
2,4,5-TP (Silvex)
1,2,4- Trichlorobenzene
1,1,1- Trichloroethane
1,1,2- Trichloroethane
Trichloroethylene
Vinyl chloride
Xylenes (total)
Radionuclides
Beta particles and
photon emitters
Gross alpha particle
activity
MC1LG1
(mg/L)"
zero
0.7
zero
zero
zero
0.05
0.0002
0.04
0.2
zero
zero
0.5
0.004
0.1
zero
1
none5
zero
0.05
0.07
0.20
0.003
zero
zero
10
none5
none5
MCL2or
TT3(mg/Ly
0.00005
0.7
0.0004
0.0002
0.001
0.05
0.0002
0.04
0.2
0.0005
0.001
0.5
0.004
0.1
0.005
1
0.10
0.003
0.05
0.07
0.2
0.005
0.005
0.002
10
4 millirems per
year (mrem/yr)
ISpicocuries
per Liter
(pCi/L)
Potential Health Effects from Exposure
Above the MCL
Problems with liver, stomach, reproductive system,
or kidneys; increased risk of cancer
Kidney problems; reproductive difficulties
Liver damage; increased risk of cancer
Liver damage; increased risk of cancer
Liver or kidney problems; reproductive difficulties;
increased risk of cancer
Kidney or stomach problems
Liver or kidney problems
Reproductive difficulties
Slight nervous system effects
Skin changes; thymus gland problems; immune
difficiencies; reproductive or nervous system
difficulties; increased risk of cancer
Liver or kidney problems; increased cancer risk
Liver problems
Problems with blood
Liver, kidney, or circulatory system problems
Liver problems; increased risk of cancer
Nervous system, kidney, or liver problems
Liver, kidney or central nervous system problems;
increased risk of cancer
Kidney, liver, or thyroid problems; increased risk of
cancer
Liver problems
Changes in adrenal glands
Liver, nervous system, or circulatory problems
-iver, kidney, or immune system problems
-Jver problems; increased risk of cancer
ncreased risk of cancer
Nervous system damage
ncreased risk of cancer
ncreased risk of cancer
Common Sources of Contaminant in
Drinking Water
Discharge from petroleum refineries
Runoff from herbicide use
Residue of banned termiticide
Breakdown of heptachlor
Discharge from metal refineries and agricultural
chemical factories
Discharge from chemical factories
Runoff/leaching from insecticide used on cattle,
lumber, gardens
Runoff/leaching from insecticide used on fruits,
vegetables, alfalfa, livestock
Runoff/leaching from insecticide used on apples,
potatoes, and tomatoes
Runoff from landfils; discharge of waste chemicals
Discharge from wood preserving factories
Herbicide runoff
Herbicide runoff
Discharge from rubber and plastic factories;
leaching from landfills
Discharge from factories and dry cleaners
Discharge from petroleum factories
Byproduct of drinking water disinfection
Runoff/leaching from insecticide used on cotton
and cattle
Residue of banned herbicide
Discharge from textile finishing factories
Discharge from metal degreasing sites and other
factories
Discharge from industrial chemical factories
Discharge from metal degreasing sites and other
factories
-caching from PVC pipes; discharge from plastic
actories
Discharge from petroleum factories; discharge
rom chemical factories
-
Decay of natural and man-made deposits of
ertain minerals that are radioactive and may emit
brms of radiation known as photons and beta
adiation
Erosion of natural deposits of certain minerals that
are radioactive and may emit a form of radiation
mown as alpha radiation
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Contaminant
Radium 226 and Radium
Sf'tconiSffiei)
Mlcroorginisms
Ciardia lambtta
Heferotrophic plate
oO*)nt(HPC)
Legionella
Tot*! Coliforms
(including fecal coliform
and £ coif)
Turbidity
Viruses (enteric)
.Jii; , !,! i! :
MCLG1
(mg/L)<
none5
zero
N/A
zero
zero
N/A
zero
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MCL'or
TT3(mg/L)4
5pCi/L
XT'
TT8
TT8
5.0%10
TT8
TT»
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Potential Health Effects from Exposure
Above the MCL
Increased risk of cancer
-
Gastrointestinal illness (e.g., diarrhea, vomiting,
cramps)
HFC has no health effects; it is an analytic method
used to measure the variety of bacteria that are
common in water. The lower the concentration of
bacteria in drinking water, the better maintained the
water system is.
Legionnaire's Disease, a type of pneumonia9
Not a health threat in itself; it is used to indicate
whether other potentially harmful bacteria may be
present"
Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of water. It
is used to indicate water quality and filtration
effectiveness (e.g., whether disease- causing
organisms are present). Higher turbidity levels are
often associated with higher levels of disease-causing
microorganisms such as viruses, parasites and some
bacteria. These organisms can cause symptoms such
headaches.
Gastrointestinal illness (e.g., diarrhea, vomiting,
cramps)
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Common Sources of Contaminant in
Drinking Water
Erosion of natural deposits
" , ',
Human and animal fecal waste
HPC measures a range of bacteria that are naturally
present in the environment
Found naturally in water; multiplies in heating
systems
Total coliforms are naturally present in the
environment; fecal coliforms and E. coli come
from human and animal fecal waste.
Soil runoff
Human and animal fecal waste
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m'qoptemnant Level ^"(MCLG)' - The 'level of a contaminant m" drinking water below wlich there is no known 'or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a
$f safety' HXJ 'are ndn-enforceable'public health' goals! ....... ...... .
ji,g^d^jg.|,,gji,g|g^ ji.|jie Inchest 'level of "a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water.
SragcosTmto'''consideration'. MCLs are enforceable standards.
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are in milligrams per Liter (mg/L) unless otherwise noted.
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16s were not established before the" 1^86 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act. The standard for this contaminant was set prior to 1986. Therefore, there is no
this" contaminant'
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