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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Borger Municipal Water System

EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, 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

  • Borger, Texas
  • Serves: 12,865
  • Data available: 2014-2019
  • Source: Surface water

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.

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Contaminants Detected

Chromium (hexavalent)

Potential Effect: cancer81x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINE
THIS UTILITY1.62 ppb
EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE0.02 ppb
NO LEGAL LIMIT
DETAILS
X

Chromium (hexavalent)

more about
this contaminant

Chromium (hexavalent) is a carcinogen that commonly contaminates American drinking water. Chromium (hexavalent) in drinking water may be due to industrial pollution or natural occurrences in mineral deposits and groundwater. Read more about chromium (hexavalent).

Chromium (hexavalent) was found at 81 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.02 ppb or less

This Utility

1.62 ppb

National Average

0.484 ppb

State Average

0.321 ppb
NO LEGAL LIMIT
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2013-2019.
ppb = parts per billion

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.02 ppb for chromium (hexavalent) 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.

Pollution Sources

Industry

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

Reverse Osmosis

Ion Exchange

Haloacetic acids (HAA9)†

Potential Effect: cancer3x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINE
THIS UTILITY0.183 ppb
EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE0.06 ppb
NO LEGAL LIMIT
DETAILS
X

Haloacetic acids (HAA9)

more about
this contaminant

Haloacetic acids are formed when disinfectants such as chlorine are added to tap water. The group of nine haloacetic acids includes monochloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, monobromoacetic acid and dibromoacetic acid, which are regulated as a group by the federal government (HAA5); and bromochloroacetic acid, bromodichloroacetic acid, chlorodibromoacetic acid, and tribromoacetic acid.

Haloacetic acids (HAA9) was found at 3 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.06 ppb or less

This Utility

0.183 ppb

National Average

23.7 ppb

State Average

23.9 ppb
NO LEGAL LIMIT
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2017-2021.
ppb = parts per billion

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.06 ppb for the group of nine haloacetic acids, or HAA9, was defined in a peer-reviewed scientific study by EWG and represents a one-in-a-million lifetime cancer risk level as . This health guideline protects against cancer.

Pollution Sources

Treatment Byproducts

Filtering Options

Activated Carbon

Reverse Osmosis

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; chemicals detected under the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 3) program in 2013 to 2015 (and subsequent testing when available), for which annual utility averages exceeded a health guideline established by a federal or state public health authority; chemicals detected under the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 4) program in 2017 to 2020 (and subsequent testing when available), for which annual utility averages exceeded a health guideline established by a federal or state public health authority.


Other Contaminants Tested


Borger Municipal Water System compliance with legally mandated federal standards:

  • From April 2019 to March 2021, Borger Municipal Water System complied with health-based drinking water standards.
  • 3 QUARTERS
    in violation of any federal drinking water standard from April 2019 to March 2021

Information in this section on Borger Municipal Water System 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
Chromium (hexavalent)
Haloacetic acids (HAA9)
OTHER CONTAMINANTS
DETECTED
Chlorate
Chromium (total)
Manganese
Molybdenum
Strontium
Vanadium

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