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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Cole County PWSD 1

EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources - Public Drinking Water Program, as well as information from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History database (ECHO). For the latest quarter assessed by the U.S. EPA (January 2021 - March 2021), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.

Utility Details

  • Jefferson City, Missouri
  • Serves: 12,493
  • Data available: 2013-2019*
  • Source: Groundwater

    • * 2013 testing is for chemicals in EPA's Third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR-3) only.

Contaminants Detected

2

EXCEED
EWG HEALTH
GUIDELINES

8 Total Contaminants

  • Legal does not necessarily equal safe. Getting a passing grade from the federal government does not mean the water meets the latest health guidelines.
  • Legal limits for contaminants in tap water have not been updated in almost 20 years.
  • The best way to ensure clean tap water is to keep pollution out of source water in the first place.

What To Do

Filter contaminants out Contact Your Local Official What About Lead?

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Contaminants Detected

VIEW: EXCEED GUIDELINES OTHER DETECTED

Arsenic

Potential Effect: cancer66x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINE
THIS UTILITY0.264 ppb
EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE0.004 ppb
LEGAL LIMIT10 ppb
DETAILS
X

Arsenic

more about
this contaminant

Arsenic is a potent carcinogen and common contaminant in drinking water. Arsenic causes thousands of cases of cancer each year in the U.S. Click here to read more about arsenic.

Arsenic was found at 66 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.004 ppb or less

This Utility

0.264 ppb

Legal Limit

10 ppb

National Average

0.647 ppb

State Average

0.169 ppb
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2017-2019.
ppb = parts per billion

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.004 ppb for arsenic 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 cancer.

VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

Agriculture

Industry

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

Reverse Osmosis

Ion Exchange

Radium, combined (-226 & -228)

Potential Effect: cancer20x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINE
THIS UTILITY0.98 pCi/L
EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE0.05 pCi/L
LEGAL LIMIT5 pCi/L
DETAILS
X

Radium, combined (-226 & -228)

more about
this contaminant

Radium is a radioactive element that causes bone cancer and other cancers. It can occur naturally in groundwater, and oil and gas extraction activities such as hydraulic fracturing can elevate concentrations.

Radium, combined (-226 & -228) was found at 20 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.05 pCi/L or less

This Utility

0.98 pCi/L

Legal Limit

5 pCi/L

National Average

0.46 pCi/L

State Average

0.43 pCi/L
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2014-2019.
pCi/L = picocuries per liter

Health Risks

EWG applied the health guideline of 0.05 pCi/L, defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal for radium-226, to radium-226 and radium-228 combined. This health guideline protects against cancer.
VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

Industry

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

Reverse Osmosis

Ion Exchange

Includes chemicals detected in 2017-2019 for which annual utility averages exceeded an EWG-selected health guideline established by a federal or state public health authority; radiological contaminants detected between 2014 and 2019.

Other Contaminants Tested

✕

Chemicals tested for but not detected from 2014 to 2019:

1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane , 1,1,1-Trichloroethane , 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane , 1,1,2-Trichloroethane , 1,1-Dichloroethane , 1,1-Dichloroethylene , 1,1-Dichloropropene , 1,2,3-Trichlorobenzene , 1,2,3-Trichloropropane , 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene , 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene , 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) , 1,2-Dichloroethane , 1,2-Dichloropropane , 1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene , 1,3-Butadiene , 1,3-Dichloropropane , 1,4-Dioxane , 1-butanol , 2,2-Dichloropropane , 2,4,5-TP (Silvex) , 2,4-D , 2-methoxyethanol , 2-propen-1-ol , 3-Hydroxycarbofuran , Alachlor (Lasso) , Aldicarb , Aldicarb sulfone , Aldicarb sulfoxide , Aldrin , Alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane , Aluminum , Antimony , Atrazine , Benzene , Beryllium , Bromobenzene , Bromochloromethane , Bromodichloromethane , Bromoform , Bromomethane , Butachlor , Butylated hydroxyanisole , Cadmium , Carbaryl , Carbofuran , Carbon tetrachloride , Chlorate , Chlordane , Chlorodifluoromethane , Chloroethane , Chloroform , Chloromethane , Chlorpyriphos , Chromium (hexavalent) , cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene , cis-1,3-Dichloropropene , Cobalt , Cyanazine (Bladex) , Cyanide , Dalapon , Dibromochloromethane , Dibromomethane , Dicamba , Dichlorodifluoromethane , Dichloromethane (methylene chloride) , Dieldrin , Dimethipin , Dinoseb , Endrin , Ethoprop , Ethylbenzene , Ethylene dibromide , Germanium , Heptachlor , Heptachlor epoxide , Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) , Hexachlorobutadiene , Hexachlorocyclopentadiene , Isopropylbenzene , Lindane , m-Dichlorobenzene , Mercury (inorganic) , Methomyl , Methoxychlor , Metolachlor , Metribuzin , Molybdenum , Monochlorobenzene (chlorobenzene) , MTBE , n-Butylbenzene , n-Propylbenzene , Naphthalene , o-Chlorotoluene , o-Dichlorobenzene , o-toluidine , Oxamyl (Vydate) , Oxyflurofen , p-Chlorotoluene , p-Dichlorobenzene , p-Isopropyltoluene , Pentachlorophenol , Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) , Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA) , Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) , Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) , Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) , Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) , Permethrin , Picloram , Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) , Profenofos , Propachlor , Quinoline , sec-Butylbenzene , Selenium , Silver , Simazine , Styrene , Tebuconazole , tert-Butylbenzene , Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene) , Thallium , Toluene , Toxaphene , trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene , trans-1,3-Dichloropropene , Tribufos , Trichloroethylene , Trichlorofluoromethane , Trifluralin , Vanadium , Vinyl chloride , Xylenes (total)

Cole County PWSD 1 compliance with legally mandated federal standards:

  • From April 2019 to March 2021, Cole County PWSD 1 complied with health-based drinking water standards.

Information in this section on Cole County PWSD 1 comes from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History Online database (ECHO).

LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS UTILITY

Water Filters That Can Reduce Contaminant Levels

ContaminantActivated Carbonactivated carbonReverse Osmosisreverse osmosisIon Exchangeion exchange
CONTAMINANTS ABOVE
HEALTH GUIDELINES
Arsenic✔✔
Radium, combined (-226 & -228)✔✔
OTHER CONTAMINANTS
DETECTED
Barium✔✔
Chromium (total)✔✔
Fluoride✔
Manganese✔
Nitrate & nitrite✔✔
Strontium✔✔

Take Action

Contact Your Local Official

One of the best ways to push for cleaner water is to hold accountable the elected officials who have a say in water quality – from city hall and the state legislature to Congress all the way to the Oval Office – by asking questions and demanding answers.

LEARN MORE

Filter Out Contaminants

Check out our recommendations for filters to protect your water against the detected contaminants.

EWG’S WATER FILTER GUIDE
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