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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Asbestos

Status: National drinking water standard exists

 

Asbestos is a mineral fiber introduced into water by the dissolution of asbestos-containing minerals and from decay of asbestos cement in water mains. Asbestos causes cancer when ingested or inhaled.

2017-2019:

FOUND

13

states detected

64

utilities detected

461,000

people served

Health concerns for asbestos

Cancer

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 7 MFL

The legal limit for asbestos, established in 1991, was based on toxicity studies in laboratory animals conducted in the 1980s.

MFL = million fibers per liter

States reporting asbestos in drinking water

UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION
State UtilitiesPeople Served
Washington11135,576
California1193,045
New York1065,529
Louisiana1043,415
Oklahoma432,594
Florida130,761
New Jersey117,628
Oregon313,583
Texas313,281
Iowa69,161
Maine14,095
Kansas22,531
Wyoming176
MORE
LESS

Filtering technologies that reduce asbestos

Activated Carbon

Reverse Osmosis

Utilities with the highest amounts of asbestos, 2017-2019

ALL UTILITIES
LARGE UTILITIES
UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
City of ArpArp, TX22 of 2218.95 MFL1,407
Carmel Water District 7Mahopac, NY1 of 16.40 MFL300
Ashford Highlands Mutual Water CompanyHollister, CA3 of 66.15 MFL85
North Ridge Water CorpArlington, WA1 of 36.00 MFL135
South Bainbridge*Poulsbo, WA1 of 15.86 MFL2,863
Fcwwd #41/shaver LakeFresno, CA120 of 2113.48 MFL2,170
Sunriver Water LLC/sunriver UtilitiesSunriver, OR1 of 12.71 MFL4,323
Union Parish Waterworks District 1Farmerville, LA4 of 162.41 MFL1,626
Tuttle*Tuttle, OK1 of 12.40 MFL4,500
City of DevineDevine, TX91 of 1142.30 MFL4,350
Village of Dry Prong Water SystemDry Prong, LA2 of 42.30 MFL905
Athena Terrace Mutual Water CompanySanta Rosa, CA1 of 12.10 MFL74
Town Of Geneseo District 3Geneseo, NY1 of 12.00 MFL180
Germantown Water DepartmentGermantown, TN1 of 11.60 MFL37,897
Elk Creek Community Services DistrictElk Creek, CA2 of 31.33 MFL300
Jefferson County Rural Water District 15Grantville, KS23 of 471.33 MFL228
Jefferson County Rural Water District 1*Meriden, KS23 of 471.33 MFL2,303
Fairview Road Water SystemHollister, CA2 of 101.21 MFL40
Greenbush Water DistrictPoughkeepsie, NY1 of 11.20 MFL805
Arbors Condominiums Water DistrictPoughkeepsie, NY1 of 11.20 MFL450
Poughkeepsie Townwide Water District*Poughkeepsie, NY1 of 11.20 MFL52,277
Hoquiam Water DepartmentHoquiam, WA1 of 11.11 MFL8,726
Camp Dodge Water SupplyJohnston, IA1 of 11.00 MFL895
Green Acres Mutual WaterMorgan Hill, CA30 of 960.94 MFL53
Central Water Control and Improvement District of Angelina CountyPollok, TX3 of 190.93 MFL7,524
Aberdeen – Cliffwood/Cliffwood BeachAberdeen Township, NJ1 of 10.93 MFL6,775
Ellsworth Water DepartmentSurry, ME1 of 10.87 MFL4,095
Sirwa #3 (leon)Creston, IA1 of 10.79 MFL2,395
Leon Water Supply*Leon, IA1 of 10.79 MFL1,977
Lander County Sewer and Water District 2 AustinAustin, NV1 of 10.73 MFL350
Hilton VillageHilton, NY1 of 10.73 MFL5,856
Bainbridge VillageSidney, NY1 of 10.69 MFL1,550
Yosemite Spring Park Utility CompanyMadera, CA2 of 140.65 MFL5,921
Ashland Water and Sewer Department*Ashland, MA2 of 30.65 MFL16,593
Summit Water Distribution Company*Park City, UT2 of 20.59 MFL6,000
Mandeville Water SupplyMandeville, LA2 of 40.50 MFL13,000
Hide-a-way Mobile VillageCheyenne, WY1 of 20.47 MFL76
Maple View Manor Mobile Home ParkFayetteville, NY1 of 10.44 MFL67
Mountain Of Attention WaterLower Lake, CA1 of 10.40 MFL90
Stevenson Water DepartmentStevenson, WA1 of 10.39 MFL1,530
Clallam Bay SekiuCarlsborg, WA1 of 10.37 MFL1,660
Hampton Water AssociationEverson, WA2 of 20.34 MFL54
Everson City Of*Everson, WA2 of 20.34 MFL2,780
Everson Water AssocEverson, WA2 of 20.34 MFL130
Cedar Hills Water AssociationGillette, WY1 of 10.20 MFL258
Roberts Creek Water DistrictRoseburg, OR1 of 10.20 MFL6,500
City of AuburndaleAuburndale, FL1 of 10.20 MFL30,761
Allegany County Water District #1Belmont, NY1 of 10.19 MFL200
Belmont Village Public Water*Belmont, NY1 of 10.19 MFL2,600
Waddington VillageWaddington, NY1 of 10.19 MFL944

* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Asbestos, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Germantown Water DepartmentGermantown, TN1 of 11.60 MFL37,897
Poughkeepsie Townwide Water District*Poughkeepsie, NY1 of 11.20 MFL52,277
Ashland Water and Sewer Department*Ashland, MA2 of 30.65 MFL16,593
Mandeville Water SupplyMandeville, LA2 of 40.50 MFL13,000
City of AuburndaleAuburndale, FL1 of 10.20 MFL30,761
Boulder City*Boulder City, NV2 of 20.18 MFL15,000
Del CityDel City, OK1 of 10.16 MFL22,128
City of Anacortes*Mount Vernon, WA2 of 160.13 MFL16,780
City of UkiahUkiah, CA1 of 30.07 MFL16,185
City of RivertonRiverton, WY1 of 30.07 MFL10,001
PBCWUD - Lake Region WTP - System 11West Palm Beach, FL1 of 40.05 MFL30,536
Island Water AssociationSanibel Island, FL1 of 50.04 MFL14,692
City of Petaluma*Petaluma, CA1 of 90.03 MFL55,900
Great Oaks Water Company Inc.*San Jose, CA1 of 190.01 MFL99,199
Sparta Twp Water Utility - Lake MohawkSparta, NJ1 of 210.00 MFL17,628

* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Asbestos, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.