Toxic Water: A series about the worsening pollution in American waters and regulators' response
Examine whether contaminants in your water supply met two standards: the legal limits established by the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the typically stricter health guidelines. The data was collected by an advocacy organization, the Environmental Working Group, who shared it with The Times.
Packaging Corp Of America
- Chart
Key - 1 or more tests taken in the month
- 1 or more positive detections
- 1 or more tests above health limit
- 1 or more tests above legal limit
Racine County, Wisconsin. Serves 100 people.
1 contaminant below legal limits, but above health guidelines
In some states a small percentage of tests were performed before water was treated, and some contaminants were subsequently removed or diluted. As a result, some reported levels of contamination may be higher than were present at the tap.
| Number of Tests | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contaminant | Average result | Maximum result | Health limit | Legal limit | Total # |
Positive result | Above health | Above legal | Monthly Testing History Chart key at top of page | E.P.A. regulated |
| Lead (total) | 2.75 ppb | 11 | 0.20 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Yes | |
3 contaminants found within health guidelines and legal limits
| Number of Tests | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contaminant | Average result | Maximum result | Health limit | Legal limit | Total # |
Positive result | Above health | Above legal | Monthly Testing History Chart key at top of page | E.P.A. regulated |
| Arsenic (total) | 0.85 ppb | 1.70 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Yes | |
| Barium (total) | 270 ppb | 280 | 2000 | 2000 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Yes | |
| Copper | 75.85 ppb | 150 | 1300 | 1300 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Yes | |
Units: ppb: parts per billion, pCi/L: picocuries per liter, ppm: parts per million, mrem/yr: millirems per year, MFL: million fibers per litre
61 contaminants tested for but not found
1,1,1-Trichloroethane, 1,1,2-Trichloroethane, 1,1-Dichloroethylene, 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene, 1,2-Dichloroethane, 1,2-Dichloropropane, 2,4,5-TP (Silvex), 2,4-D, 3-Hydroxycarbofuran, Alachlor (Lasso), Aldicarb, Aldicarb sulfone, Aldicarb sulfoxide, Antimony (total), Atrazine, Benzene, Beryllium (total), Cadmium (total), Carbaryl, Carbofuran, Carbon tetrachloride, Chlordane, Chromium (total), cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene, Dalapon, Dichloromethane (methylene chloride), Dinoseb, Diquat, Endothall, Endrin, Ethylbenzene, Glyphosate, Heptachlor, Heptachlor epoxide, Hexachlorobenzene (HCB), Hexachlorocyclopentadiene, Lindane, Mercury (total inorganic), Methomyl, Methoxychlor, Monochlorobenzene (Chlorobenzene), Nitrate, Nitrate & nitrite, Nitrite, o-Dichlorobenzene, Oxamyl (Vydate), p-Dichlorobenzene, Pentachlorophenol, Picloram, Selenium (total), Simazine, Styrene, Tetrachloroethylene, Thallium (total), Toluene, Total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Toxaphene, trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene, Trichloroethylene, Vinyl chloride, Xylenes (total)
Additional Resources
Note: The Times’ analysis may differ from the Environmental Working Group (Learn More)