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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Chlorate

Bayleaf Master

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.

 

235

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

30

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014175.3 ppb118100ND - 4,000.0 ppb
201589.8 ppb11788ND - 1,500.0 ppb
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
2014-09-08201409101000AM350.0 ppb
2014-09-08201409090419AM79.0 ppb
2014-09-08201409090404AM190.0 ppb
2014-09-08201409090438AM160.0 ppb
2014-09-08201409100867AMND
2014-09-08201409100785AMND
2014-09-08201409100862AMND
2014-09-08201409110309AM250.0 ppb
2014-09-08201409090509AM1,400.0 ppb
2014-09-08201409090398AM240.0 ppb
2014-09-08201409101010AM230.0 ppb
2014-09-10201409110641AMND
2014-09-10201409110842AMND
2014-09-10201409110623AM74.0 ppb
2014-09-10201409120792AM91.0 ppb
2014-09-10201409120786AM280.0 ppb
2014-09-10201409110611AM180.0 ppb
2014-09-10201409120849AM29.0 ppb
2014-09-10201409110733AM350.0 ppb
2014-09-10201409120846AM38.0 ppb
2014-09-11201409120824AM92.0 ppb
2014-09-11201409120556AM100.0 ppb
2014-09-11201409120586AMND
2014-09-11201409120566AM55.0 ppb
2014-09-11201409120561AMND
2014-09-15201409160528AM770.0 ppb
2014-09-15201409160508AM120.0 ppb
2014-09-15201409160512AM20.0 ppb
2014-09-15201409170402AM54.0 ppb
2014-09-15201409170392AM26.0 ppb
2014-09-15201409160530AM360.0 ppb
2014-09-15201409160641AM150.0 ppb
2014-09-15201409160280AMND
2014-09-15201409170400AM240.0 ppb
2014-09-15201409160643AM110.0 ppb
2014-09-15201409160517AM310.0 ppb
2014-09-15201409160409AM300.0 ppb
2014-09-15201409170410AM160.0 ppb
2014-09-15201409170404AM150.0 ppb
2014-09-16201409180294AM21.0 ppb
2014-09-16201409170796AM150.0 ppb
2014-09-16201409170851AM320.0 ppb
2014-09-16201409170769AM66.0 ppb
2014-09-16201409180308AM84.0 ppb
2014-09-16201409170773AM20.0 ppb
2014-09-16201409180359AM75.0 ppb
2014-09-16201409180283AM84.0 ppb
2014-09-16201409180287AM150.0 ppb
2014-09-16201409170859AMND
2014-09-17201409180747AM160.0 ppb
2014-09-17201409180597AM200.0 ppb
2014-09-17201409180629AM45.0 ppb
2014-09-17201409180637AM140.0 ppb
2014-09-17201409190189AM230.0 ppb
2014-09-17201409190240AM140.0 ppb
2014-09-17201409190298AM74.0 ppb
2014-09-17201409190322AM170.0 ppb
2014-09-17201409180613AM160.0 ppb
2014-09-17201409190302AM130.0 ppb
2014-09-17201409190308AM220.0 ppb
2014-09-17201409180617AM240.0 ppb
2014-09-17201409180745AM260.0 ppb
2014-09-17201409180731AM130.0 ppb
2014-09-17201409180622AM130.0 ppb
2014-09-17201409190305AM54.0 ppb
2014-09-18201409190439AM120.0 ppb
2014-09-18201409190447AM200.0 ppb
2014-09-18201409190441AM190.0 ppb
2014-09-18201409190454AM74.0 ppb
2014-09-18201409190437AMND
2014-09-18201409190425AM130.0 ppb
2014-09-18201409190422AM73.0 ppb
2014-09-18201409190468AMND
2014-09-18201409190435AM160.0 ppb
2014-09-18201409190451AM130.0 ppb
2014-09-18201409190443AM160.0 ppb
2014-09-18201409190449AM100.0 ppb
2014-09-18201409190433AM45.0 ppb
2014-09-18201409190431AM200.0 ppb
2014-09-18201409190460AM150.0 ppb
2014-09-22201409230403AM110.0 ppb
2014-09-22201409230393AM94.0 ppb
2014-09-22201409230171AM270.0 ppb
2014-09-22201409230540AM4,000.0 ppb
2014-09-22201409230391AM140.0 ppb
2014-09-22201409230411AM82.0 ppb
2014-09-22201409230358AM98.0 ppb
2014-09-22201409230408AM430.0 ppb
2014-09-22201409230330AM140.0 ppb
2014-09-22201409230349AM68.0 ppb
2014-09-22201409230206AM99.0 ppb
2014-09-22201409230354AM140.0 ppb
2014-09-23201409240562AM130.0 ppb
2014-09-23201409240435AMND
2014-09-23201409240549AMND
2014-09-23201409240366AM44.0 ppb
2014-09-23201409240473AMND
2014-09-23201409240461AM290.0 ppb
2014-09-23201409240383AM300.0 ppb
2014-09-23201409240424AM58.0 ppb
2014-09-23201409240488AM180.0 ppb
2014-09-23201409240422AM71.0 ppb
2014-09-23201409240506AM250.0 ppb
2014-09-24201409250539AM69.0 ppb
2014-09-24201409250492AMND
2014-09-24201409250594AM38.0 ppb
2014-09-24201409250589AM73.0 ppb
2014-09-24201409250494AMND
2014-09-24201409250629AMND
2014-09-24201409250601AMND
2014-09-24201409250487AM150.0 ppb
2014-09-24201409250599AM90.0 ppb
2014-09-24201409250506AM170.0 ppb
2014-09-24201409250623AM300.0 ppb
2014-09-24201409250619AM350.0 ppb
2014-09-24201409250633AM120.0 ppb
2014-09-24201409250587AM24.0 ppb
2014-09-24201409250627AM170.0 ppb
2015-03-02201503030745AMND
2015-03-02201503030747AM25.0 ppb
2015-03-02201503030260AMND
2015-03-02201503030753AM94.0 ppb
2015-03-02201503030313AM49.0 ppb
2015-03-02201503030262AM130.0 ppb
2015-03-02201503030398AM82.0 ppb
2015-03-02201503030421AM140.0 ppb
2015-03-03201503040340AM52.0 ppb
2015-03-03201503040347AM64.0 ppb
2015-03-03201503040447AM100.0 ppb
2015-03-03201503040312AM32.0 ppb
2015-03-03201503040385AM250.0 ppb
2015-03-03201503040382AM28.0 ppb
2015-03-03201503040756AM1,500.0 ppb
2015-03-03201503040753AMND
2015-03-03201503040772AM150.0 ppb
2015-03-03201503040768AM66.0 ppb
2015-03-03201503040430AM53.0 ppb
2015-03-03201503040468AM56.0 ppb
2015-03-04201503050520AMND
2015-03-04201503050466AMND
2015-03-04201503050451AMND
2015-03-04201503050468AM210.0 ppb
2015-03-04201503050481AM190.0 ppb
2015-03-04201503050555AM23.0 ppb
2015-03-04201503050477AM24.0 ppb
2015-03-04201503050479AM100.0 ppb
2015-03-05201503060133AM99.0 ppb
2015-03-05201503060336AM540.0 ppb
2015-03-05201503060180AM160.0 ppb
2015-03-05201503060339AMND
2015-03-05201503060334AMND
2015-03-05201503060186AM170.0 ppb
2015-03-05201503060315AM180.0 ppb
2015-03-05201503060182AM62.0 ppb
2015-03-09201503100534AMND
2015-03-09201503110233AM47.0 ppb
2015-03-09201503110200AM65.0 ppb
2015-03-09201503100899AM100.0 ppb
2015-03-09201503100583AM74.0 ppb
2015-03-09201503110239AM33.0 ppb
2015-03-09201503100581AMND
2015-03-09201503100585AM48.0 ppb
2015-03-09201503100601AM77.0 ppb
2015-03-09201503100901AM53.0 ppb
2015-03-09201503110210AM22.0 ppb
2015-03-09201503100919AM38.0 ppb
2015-03-10201503110880AM58.0 ppb
2015-03-10201503110874AM76.0 ppb
2015-03-10201503120188AM200.0 ppb
2015-03-10201503120191AMND
2015-03-10201503120234AM62.0 ppb
2015-03-10201503110945AM70.0 ppb
2015-03-10201503120240AMND
2015-03-10201503120185AM74.0 ppb
2015-03-10201503120238AM27.0 ppb
2015-03-10201503120242AM360.0 ppb
2015-03-10201503110872AM98.0 ppb
2015-03-10201503110931AM62.0 ppb
2015-03-11201503130171AMND
2015-03-11201503130153AM84.0 ppb
2015-03-11201503130173AM140.0 ppb
2015-03-11201503120554AM190.0 ppb
2015-03-11201503130131AM60.0 ppb
2015-03-11201503130148AMND
2015-03-11201503130143AM170.0 ppb
2015-03-11201503130166AM70.0 ppb
2015-03-11201503130164AM28.0 ppb
2015-03-12201503140176AM120.0 ppb
2015-03-12201503140206AM46.0 ppb
2015-03-12201503140179AM130.0 ppb
2015-03-12201503140204AMND
2015-03-12201503140187AMND
2015-03-12201503140191AM62.0 ppb
2015-03-12201503130169AM53.0 ppb
2015-03-12201503140202AMND
2015-03-12201503140172AM54.0 ppb
2015-03-12201503140189AMND
2015-03-12201503140197AM72.0 ppb
2015-03-16201503170673AM110.0 ppb
2015-03-16201503170670AM68.0 ppb
2015-03-16201503170735AM78.0 ppb
2015-03-16201503170561AM72.0 ppb
2015-03-16201503170490AM99.0 ppb
2015-03-16201503170715AMND
2015-03-16201503170717AM59.0 ppb
2015-03-16201503170675AMND
2015-03-16201503170679AM56.0 ppb
2015-03-16201503170540AM24.0 ppb
2015-03-16201503170719AMND
2015-03-16201503170523AMND
2015-03-17201503180515AM38.0 ppb
2015-03-17201503180738AM97.0 ppb
2015-03-17201503180830AMND
2015-03-17201503180484AM150.0 ppb
2015-03-17201503180528AMND
2015-03-17201503180548AM52.0 ppb
2015-03-17201503180446AMND
2015-03-17201503180461AM110.0 ppb
2015-03-17201503180467AM150.0 ppb
2015-03-17201503180736AM36.0 ppb
2015-03-17201503180819AM130.0 ppb
2015-03-17201503180519AMND
2015-03-18201503190491AM92.0 ppb
2015-03-18201503190562AM80.0 ppb
2015-03-18201503190489AM20.0 ppb
2015-03-18201503190548AM140.0 ppb
2015-03-18201503190524AM110.0 ppb
2015-03-18201503190508AM860.0 ppb
2015-03-24201503250413AMND
2015-03-24201503250599AMND
2015-03-24201503250532AMND
2015-03-30201503160248AM85.0 ppb
2015-03-30201503160246AM130.0 ppb
2015-03-30201503160250AM85.0 ppb
2015-03-30201503160249AM28.0 ppb