NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER STANDARDS

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Contaminants
MCLG
(mg/L)
MCL (mg/L)
Potential Health Effects from
Ingestion of Water		 Source of Contaminant in Drinking Water

Volatile Organics
Flouride 4.0 4.0 Skeletal and dental flourosis Natural deposits; fertilizer, aluminum industries; water additive
Benzene zero 0.005 Cancer Some foods; gas, drugs, pesticide, paint, plastic industries
Carbon Tetrachloride zero 0.005 Cancer Solvents and their degradation products
p-Dichlorobenzene 0.075 0.075 Cancer Room and water deodorants, and "mothballs"
1,2-Dichloroethane zero 0.005 Cancer Leaded gasoline, fumigants, paints
1,1-Dichloroethylene  0.007 0.007 Cancer Plastics, dyes, perfumes, paints
Trichloroethylene zero 0.005 Cancer Textiles, adhesics, and metal degreasers
1,1,1-Trichloroethane 0.2 0.2 Liver, Nervous system effects Adhesives, aerosols, textiles, paints, inks, metal degreasers
Vinyl Chloride zero 0.002 Cancer May leach from PVC pipe; formed by solvent breakdown

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Coliform and Surface Water Treatment
Giardia Lamblia zero TT Gastroenteric disease Human and animal fecal waste
Legionella N/A TT Legionnaire's disease Indigenous to natural waters; can grow in water heating systems
Standard Plate Count N/A TT Indicates water quality, effectiveness of treatment
Total Coliform* zero <5%+ Indicates gastroenteric pathogens Human and animal fecal waste
Turbidity* N/A TT Interferes with disinfection, filtration Soil runoff
Viruses zero TT Gastroenteric disease Human and animal fecal waste                  
Inorganics
Anitomy zero 0.006 Cancer Fire retardants, ceramics, electronics, fireworks, solder
Asbestos (>10um) 7MFL 7 MFL Cancer Natural deposits; asbestos cement in water systems
Barium* 2 2 Circulatory system effects Natural deposits; pigments, epoxy sealants, spent coal
Beryllium 0.004 0.004 Bone, lung damage Electrical, aerospace, defense industries
Cadmium* 0.005 0.005 Kidney effects Galvanized pipe corrosion; natural deposits; batteries, paints
Chromium*(total) 0.1 0.1 Liver, kidney, circulatory disorders Natural deposits; mining, electroplating, pigments
Cyanide 0.2 0.2 Thyroid, nervous system damage Electroplating, steel, plastics, mining, fertilizer

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Mercury*(inorganic) 0.002 0.002 Kidney, nervous system disorders Crop runoff; natural deposits; batteries, electrical switches
Nitrate* 10 10 Methemoglobulinemia Animal waste, fertilizer, natural deposits, septic tanks, sewage
Nitrite 1 1 Methemoglobulinemia Same as nitrate; rapidly converted to nitrate
Selenium* 0.05 0.05 Liver damage Natural deposits; mining, smelting, coal/oil combustion
Thallium 0.0005 0.002 Kidney, liver, brain, intestinal Electronic drugs, alloys, glass 
Organics
Acrylamide zero TT Cancer, nervous systems effects Polymers used in sewage/wastewater treatment
Adipate 0.4 0.4 Decreased body weight Synthetic rubber, food packaging, cosmetics
Alachlor zero 0.002 Cancer Runoff from herbicide on corn, soybeans, other crops
Atrazine 0.003 0.003 Mammary gland tumors Runoff from use as herbicide on corn and non-cropland
Carbofuran 0.04 0.04 Nervous, reproductive system effects Soil fumigant on corn and cotton; restricted in some areas
Chlordane* zero 0.002 Cancer Leaching from soil treatment for termites
Chlorobenzene 0.1 0.1 Nervous system and liver effects Waste solvent from metal degreasing processes
Dalapon 0.2 0.2 Liver and kidney effects Herbicide on orchards, beans, coffee, lawns, roads

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Dibromochloropropane zero 0.0002 Cancer Soil fumigant on soybean, cotton, pineapple, orchards
o-Dichlorobenzene 0.6 0.6 Liver, kidney, blood cell damage Paints, engine cleaning compounds, dyes, chemical wastes
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene 0.07 0.07 Liver, kidney, nervous, circulatory Waste industrial extraction solvents
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene 0.1 0.1 Liver, kidney, nervous, circulatory Waste industrial extraction solvents
Dichloromethane zero 0.005 Cancer Paint stripper, metal degreaser, propellant, extraction
1,2-Dichloropropane zero 0.005 Liver, kidney effects; Cancer Soil fumigane; waste industrial solvents
Dinoseb 0.007 0.007 Thyroid, reproductive organ damage Runoff of herbicide from crop and non-crop applications
Dioxin zero 3e-8 Cancer Chemical production by-product; impurity in herbicides
Diquat 0.02 0.02 Liver, kidney, eye effects Runoff of herbicide on land and aquatic weeds
2,4-D* 0.07 0.07 Liver and kidney damage Runoff from herbicide on wheat, corn, rangelands, lawns
Endothall 0.1 0.1 Liver, kidney, gastrointestinal Herbicide on crops, land/aquatic weeds; rapidly degraded
Endrin 0.002 0.002 Liver, kidney, heart damage Pesticide on insects, rodents, birds; restricted sine 1980
Epichlorohydrin zero TT Cancer Water treatment chemicals; waste epoxy resins, coatings
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Ethylbenzene 0.7 0.7 Liver, kidney, nervous system Gasoline; insecticides; chemical manufacturing wastes
Ethylene dibromide zero 0.00005 Cancer Leaded gasoline additives; leaching of soil fumigants
Glyphosate 0.7 0.7 Liver, kidney damage Herbicide on grasses, weed, brush
Heptachlor zero 0.0004 Cancer Leaching of insecticide for termites, very few crops                                        
Heptachlor epoxide zero 0.0002 Cancer Biodegradation of heptachlor
Hexachlorobenzene zero 0.001 Cancer Pesticide production waste by-product  
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene 0.05 0.05 Kidney, stomach damage Pesticide production intermediate 
Lindane 0.0002 0.0002 Liver, kidney, nerve, immune, circulatory. Insecticide on cattle, lumber, gardens; restricted since 1983
Methoxychlor 0.04 0.04 Growth, liver, kidney, nerve effects Insecticide for fruits, vegetables, alfalfa, livestock, pets
Oxamyl (Vydate) 0.2 0.2 Kidney damage Insecticide on apples, potatoes, tomatoes
PAHs zero 0.0002 Cancer Coal tar coatings; burning organic matter; volcanoes, fossil fuels
PCBs zero 0.0005 Cancer Coolant oils from electrical transformers; plasticizers
Pentachlorophenol zero 0.001 Liver and kidney effects, and cancer Wood preservatives, herbicide, cooling tower wastes
Phthalate zero 0.006 Cancer PVC and other plastics
Picloram 0.5 0.5 Kidney, liver damage Herbicide on broadleaf and woody plants
Simazine 0.004 0.004 Cancer Herbicide on grass sod, some crops, aquatic algae
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Styrene 0.1 0.1 Liver, nervous system damage Plastics, rubber, resin, drug industries; leachate from landfills
Tetrachloroethylene zero 0.005 Cancer Improper disposal of dry cleaning and other solvents
Toluene 1 1 Liver, kidney, nervous, circulatory Gasoline additive; manufacturing and solvent operations
Toxaphene zero 0.003 Cancer Insecticide on cattle, cotton, soybeans; cancelled 1982
2,4,5-TP 0.05 0.05 Liver and kidney damage Herbicide on crops, right-of-way, golf courses; cancelled 1983
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene 0.07 0.07 Liver, kidney damage Herbicide production; dye carrier
1,1,2-Trichloroethane 0.003 0.005 Kidney, liver, nervous system Solvent in rubber, other organic products; chemical wastes
Xylenes (total) 10 10 Liver, kidney, nervous system By-product of gasoline refining; paints, inks, detergents
Lead and Copper
Lead* zero TTx Kidneys, nervous system damage Natural/Industrial deposits; plumbing, solder, brass alloy faucets
Copper 1.3 TT# Gastrointestinal irritation Natural/Industrial deposits; wood preservatives, plumbing
Other Interim Standards
Betal / photon emitters zero 4mrem/yr Cancer Decay of radionuclides in natural and man-made deposits
Alpha emitters zero 15 pCi/L Cancer Decay of radionuclides in natural deposits
Combined Radium 226/228 zero 5 pCi/L Bone cancer Natural deposits
Arsenic* 0.05 0.05 Skin, nervous system toxicity Natural deposits; Smelters, glass, electronics wastes; Orchards
Total Trihalomethanes zero 0.10 Cancer Drinking water chlorination by-products

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Notes: *= Contaminants with interim standards which have been revised
MFL = million fibers per liter
+ = less than 5% positive samples
x = Action Level 0.015 mg/L pCi = picocuries TT = Special Treatment techniques required # =Action level 1.3 mg/L

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