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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Chlorate

Enterprise Water Works

Chlorate forms in drinking water as a byproduct of disinfection. Chlorate impairs thyroid function, making chlorate exposure most harmful during pregnancy and childhood. Read More.

In 2002, California scientists proposed an advisory value, called an action level, for chlorate at 200 parts per billion. Between 2013 and 2015, the EPA collected data through the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule program and found that over 15 percent of water tests from 38 percent of utilities had chlorate levels above a health-protective concentration, which federal scientists defined as 210 parts per billion, nearly equivalent to the California advisory value.

Click here to read more about disinfection byproducts.

 

50

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND250ND
2015ND250ND
2016N/A00N/A
2017N/A00N/A
2018N/A00N/A
2019N/A00N/A

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 210 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 210 ppb for chlorate was defined by the Environmental Protection Agency as a benchmark for testing under the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule program. This health guideline protects against hormone disruption.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-09-2535157120010AMND
2014-09-2535157120006AMND
2014-09-2535157120016AMND
2014-09-2535157120020AMND
2014-09-2535157120046AMND
2014-09-2535157120040AMND
2014-09-2535157120048AMND
2014-09-2535157120044AMND
2014-09-2535157120050AMND
2014-09-2535157120001AMND
2014-09-2535157120018AMND
2014-09-2535157120042AMND
2014-09-2535157120032AMND
2014-09-2535157120028AMND
2014-09-2535157120024AMND
2014-09-2535157120014AMND
2014-09-2535157120036AMND
2014-09-2535157120038AMND
2014-09-2635157120026AMND
2014-09-2635157120012AMND
2014-09-2635157120022AMND
2014-09-2635157120030AMND
2014-09-2635157120034AMND
2014-09-2635157120008AMND
2014-09-2635157120003AMND
2015-03-0935178873033AMND
2015-03-0935178873025AMND
2015-03-0935178873019AMND
2015-03-0935178873015AMND
2015-03-0935178873013AMND
2015-03-0935178873005AMND
2015-03-0935178873017AMND
2015-03-0935178873031AMND
2015-03-0935178873009AMND
2015-03-0935178873001AMND
2015-03-0935178873023AMND
2015-03-0935178873029AMND
2015-03-0935178873003AMND
2015-03-0935178873021AMND
2015-03-0935178873011AMND
2015-03-0935178873027AMND
2015-03-0935178873007AMND
2015-03-1035179328009AMND
2015-03-1035179328001AMND
2015-03-1035179328015AMND
2015-03-1035179328007AMND
2015-03-1035179328003AMND
2015-03-1035179328005AMND
2015-03-1035179328013AMND
2015-03-1035179328011AMND