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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Chlorite

Status: National drinking water standard exists

 

Chlorite is a disinfection byproduct resulting from water treatment with chlorine dioxide. Chlorite decreases hemoglobin levels and causes other hematologic effects. Read More.

Chlorite also forms when chlorine dioxide is used as a bleaching agent for textiles, paper pulp, flour and oils, and from the use of chlorine dioxide in food and packaging.� In 2009, California published a public health goal of 50 parts per billion for chlorite in drinking water. California state scientists reported that chlorite causes red blood cell damage, affects sperm and thyroid function, and may alter behavior and neurodevelopment of rat pups exposed in the womb.

Click here to read more about disinfection byproducts.

2017-2019:

FOUND
FOUND ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES

27

states detected

1,242

utilities detected

28 million

people served

27

states over health guideline

1,271

utilities over health guideline

25 million

people served over health guideline

Health concerns for chlorite

Change to blood cells

Change to the thyroid

Hormone disruption

Harm to reproduction and child development

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 50 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 50 ppb for chlorite was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. This health guideline protects against change in blood chemistry.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 1,000 ppb

ppb = parts per billion

States reporting chlorite in drinking water

UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION
State UtilitiesPeople Served UtilitiesPeople Served
Texas3766,778,8384099,221,471
Arizona102,497,197102,497,197
California111,975,759132,153,675
Alabama1051,848,243901,721,580
Oklahoma1161,163,9171221,287,544
New York281,259,181291,282,212
Kentucky271,110,140451,218,584
Arkansas911,252,577791,202,242
Colorado721,235,220581,177,613
Pennsylvania211,191,415171,150,365
North Carolina44746,19639716,302
Kansas69693,25268697,728
Virginia9423,85513589,093
Georgia18573,34717572,778
Massachusetts12356,16215499,081
New Jersey15488,80015488,800
Illinois110407,22687375,202
Iowa33339,79723332,834
Connecticut11233,26411233,264
Missouri58155,29245149,994
Ohio12101,6821193,382
West Virginia1088,982988,696
Washington383,488383,488
Rhode Island13,178570,231
Nebraska633,448633,448
Minnesota120,008120,008
New Mexico29,78729,787
MORE
LESS

Filtering technologies that reduce chlorite

Activated Carbon

Reverse Osmosis

Utilities with the highest amounts of chlorite, 2017-2019

ALL UTILITIES
LARGE UTILITIES
UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Townley Water AuthorityTownley, AL126 of 126791.6 ppb2,469
Sumiton Water Works BoardSumiton, AL126 of 126791.6 ppb5,970
Providence Water AuthorityOakman, AL126 of 126791.6 ppb1,386
Parrish Water Works BoardParrish, AL126 of 126791.6 ppb5,661
Oakman Water WorksOakman, AL126 of 126791.6 ppb3,510
Jasper Water Works and Sewer Board*Jasper, AL126 of 126791.6 ppb28,638
Curry Water AuthorityJasper, AL126 of 126791.6 ppb17,613
Cordova Water Works & Gas Board*Cordova, AL126 of 126791.6 ppb3,939
Boldo Water & Fire Prot. AuthorityJasper, AL126 of 126791.6 ppb4,440
Dora UtilitiesDora, AL126 of 126791.6 ppb4,128
Southwest Reg Water District (clarinda)*Clarinda, IA219 of 219762.3 ppb2,569
Clarinda Water Plant*Clarinda, IA219 of 219762.3 ppb4,822
Meeker Public Works AuthorityMeeker, OK88 of 90746.0 ppb1,044
Shawnee Municipal Authority*Shawnee, OK88 of 90746.0 ppb29,990
Pottawatomie County Development AuthorityShawnee, OK88 of 90746.0 ppb1,200
San Patricio Municipal Water District*Ingleside, TX214 of 214738.3 ppb225
City of Aransas PassAransas Pass, TX214 of 214738.3 ppb8,393
Seaboard Water Supply CorporationOdem, TX214 of 214738.3 ppb321
City of TaftTaft, TX214 of 214738.3 ppb5,160
City of Rockport*Rockport, TX214 of 214738.3 ppb27,282
City of PortlandPortland, TX214 of 214738.3 ppb21,501
City of OdemOdem, TX214 of 214738.3 ppb2,500
Rincon Water Supply CorporationTaft, TX214 of 214738.3 ppb4,605
City of Ingleside On The BayIngleside, TX214 of 214738.3 ppb642
City of InglesideIngleside, TX214 of 214738.3 ppb9,800
City of GregoryGregory, TX214 of 214738.3 ppb1,976
Maryville*Maryville, MO216 of 216729.4 ppb11,972
Nodaway County Public Water Supply District 1*Maryville, MO216 of 216729.4 ppb6,428
GorevilleGoreville, IL72 of 72713.5 ppb1,049
Creal SpringsCreal Springs, IL72 of 72713.5 ppb710
Lake of Egypt PWD*Marion, IL72 of 72713.5 ppb10,345
Tower HillTower Hill, IL108 of 109699.3 ppb650
OwanecoOwaneco, IL108 of 109699.3 ppb245
West SalemWest Salem, IL108 of 109699.3 ppb921
E J Water Corp*Dieterich, IL108 of 109699.3 ppb23,669
DieterichDieterich, IL108 of 109699.3 ppb600
LouisvilleLouisville, IL108 of 109699.3 ppb1,201
Sainte MarieSte. Marie, IL108 of 109699.3 ppb243
FindlayFindlay, IL108 of 109699.3 ppb800
WindsorWindsor, IL108 of 109699.3 ppb1,200
EdgewoodEdgewood, IL108 of 109699.3 ppb440
Clay CityClay City, IL108 of 109699.3 ppb1,059
WatsonWatson, IL108 of 109699.3 ppb754
Sportsmen AcresPryor, OK119 of 120695.8 ppb218
Mayes County Rural Water District # 7*Locust Grove, OK119 of 120695.8 ppb538
Mayes County Rural Water District #4*Pryor, OK119 of 120695.8 ppb4,183
Okla Ordnance Works Authority*Pryor, OK119 of 120695.8 ppb4,000
Pryor*Pryor, OK119 of 120695.8 ppb8,784
Mayes County Rural Water District # 2*Chouteau, OK119 of 120695.8 ppb6,280
ChouteauChouteau, OK119 of 120695.8 ppb2,100

* 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 Chlorite, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Curry Water AuthorityJasper, AL126 of 126791.6 ppb17,613
Jasper Water Works and Sewer Board*Jasper, AL126 of 126791.6 ppb28,638
Shawnee Municipal Authority*Shawnee, OK88 of 90746.0 ppb29,990
City of PortlandPortland, TX214 of 214738.3 ppb21,501
City of Rockport*Rockport, TX214 of 214738.3 ppb27,282
Maryville*Maryville, MO216 of 216729.4 ppb11,972
Lake of Egypt PWD*Marion, IL72 of 72713.5 ppb10,345
E J Water Corp*Dieterich, IL108 of 109699.3 ppb23,669
City of Mineral Wells*Mineral Wells, TX216 of 216694.1 ppb14,826
Smiths Water and Sewer AuthoritySmith, AL113 of 116672.9 ppb30,684
City of Port ArthurPort Arthur, TX216 of 216645.3 ppb42,796
Bessemer Water Service*Bessemer, AL119 of 120628.6 ppb85,113
Laguna Madre Water DistrictPort Isabel, TX179 of 180623.2 ppb19,908
Alexander City Water Department*Alexander City, AL78 of 78622.6 ppb29,565
Walnut Hill Water Authority*Dadeville, AL78 of 78622.6 ppb11,304
Hamilton Water Works and Sewer Board*Hamilton, AL78 of 78615.6 ppb10,500
Murphysboro*Murphysboro, IL72 of 72606.0 ppb10,941
Ravenna City PWSRavenna, OH210 of 210599.9 ppb14,000
Haleyville Water Works and Sewer Board*Haleyville, AL114 of 114593.3 ppb11,835
Warrior River Water AuthorityBessemer, AL78 of 78588.3 ppb37,263
Sw White CountySearcy, AR70 of 72579.4 ppb10,917
Searcy Waterworks*Searcy, AR70 of 72579.4 ppb23,650
Opelika Utilities*Opelika, AL81 of 93575.7 ppb43,263
Tuskegee Utilities Board*Tuskegee, AL6 of 6571.7 ppb12,510
San Dieguito WDEncinitas, CA1 of 1570.0 ppb36,750
Walnut Creek SUD*Springtown, TX79 of 87548.6 ppb23,118
Montgomery Water Works*Montgomery, AL42 of 42547.9 ppb231,354
North Marshall Utilities*Grant, AL56 of 56539.5 ppb11,850
East Rio Hondo WSC*Rio Hondo, TX219 of 234533.5 ppb21,726
City of Cullman Water Works*Cullman, AL76 of 76532.0 ppb35,922
Muscle Shoals Utility Board*Muscle Shoals, AL77 of 77527.5 ppb18,303
Windham Water WorksMansfield Center, CT72 of 72507.4 ppb21,214
Brunswick County Water System*Bolivia, NC216 of 218505.1 ppb100,694
Town of Oak IslandOak Island, NC216 of 218505.1 ppb23,635
Brunswick Regional Water and Sewer H2goLeland, NC216 of 218505.1 ppb28,488
City of Denison*Denison, TX209 of 216502.3 ppb22,682
Fort Sam HoustonJbsa Lackland, TX135 of 135499.5 ppb37,563
Marshall County Water Corp*Madill, OK125 of 138498.1 ppb14,717
Albion Village*Waterport, NY63 of 63497.1 ppb17,206
Paducah Water Works*Paducah, KY40 of 40496.3 ppb64,013
Phenix City Utilities*Phenix City, AL129 of 129486.2 ppb42,267
City of RaymondvilleRaymondville, TX215 of 216485.8 ppb11,288
Claremore*Claremore, OK36 of 44484.0 ppb15,873
City of Weatherford*Weatherford, TX215 of 216475.1 ppb27,900
City of Corpus Christi*Corpus Christi, TX198 of 198474.2 ppb325,733
City of MissionMission, TX456 of 456473.7 ppb77,058
City of Midlothian*Midlothian, TX423 of 429473.5 ppb16,728
Clanton Water DepartmentClanton, AL62 of 65471.7 ppb13,500
Jacksonville Waterworks*Jacksonville, AR4 of 4469.3 ppb30,481
Central Elmore Water Authority*Wetumpka, AL32 of 33465.8 ppb36,900

* 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 Chlorite, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.