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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Buenaventura Lakes

EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, 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

  • Kissimmee, Florida
  • Serves: 16,569
  • Data available: 2014-2020*
  • Source: Groundwater
  • * 2020/2021 testing is for chemicals in EPA's Fourth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR-4) only.

Contaminants Detected

4

EXCEED
EWG HEALTH
GUIDELINES

12 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

Chlorate

Potential Effect: harm to the thyroid2.7x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINE
THIS UTILITY566.8 ppb
EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE210 ppb
NO LEGAL LIMIT
DETAILS
X

Chlorate forms in drinking water as a byproduct of disinfection. Chlorate impairs thyroid function, making chlorate exposure most harmful during pregnancy and childhood.

Chlorate was found at 2.7 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

210 ppb or less

This Utility

566.8 ppb

National Average

114.8 ppb

State Average

270.3 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 210 ppb for chlorate was defined by the Environmental Protection Agency as a benchmark for testing under the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule program. This health guideline protects against hormone disruption.

Pollution Sources

Agriculture

Industry

Treatment Byproducts

Haloacetic acids (HAA5)†

Potential Effect: cancer236x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINE
THIS UTILITY23.6 ppb
EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE0.1 ppb
LEGAL LIMIT60 ppb
DETAILS
X

Haloacetic acids (HAA5)

more about
this contaminant

Haloacetic acids are formed when disinfectants such as chlorine are added to tap water. The group of five haloacetic acids regulated by federal standards includes monochloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, monobromoacetic acid and dibromoacetic acid.

Haloacetic acids (HAA5) was found at 236 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.1 ppb or less

This Utility

23.6 ppb

Legal Limit

60 ppb

National Average

17.1 ppb

State Average

19.4 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 0.1 ppb for the group of five haloacetic acids, or HAA5, was defined in a peer-reviewed scientific study by EWG and represents a one-in-a-million lifetime cancer risk level. This health guideline protects against cancer.

Pollution Sources

Treatment Byproducts

Filtering Options

Activated Carbon

Reverse Osmosis

Haloacetic acids (HAA9)†

Potential Effect: cancer577x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINE
THIS UTILITY34.6 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 577 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.06 ppb or less

This Utility

34.6 ppb

National Average

23.7 ppb

State Average

26 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

Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)†

Potential Effect: cancer258x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINE
THIS UTILITY38.7 ppb
EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE0.15 ppb
LEGAL LIMIT80 ppb
DETAILS
X

Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)

more about
this contaminant

Trihalomethanes are cancer-causing contaminants that form during water treatment with chlorine and other disinfectants. The total trihalomethanes group includes four chemicals: chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane and bromoform.

Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) was found at 258 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.15 ppb or less

This Utility

38.7 ppb

Legal Limit

80 ppb

National Average

29.7 ppb

State Average

32.7 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 health guideline of 0.15 parts per billion, or ppb, for the group of four trihalomethanes, or THM4/TTHM, was defined in a peer-reviewed scientific study by EWG and represents a one-in-one-million lifetime cancer risk level.

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.

† HAA5 is a contaminant group that includes monochloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, monobromoacetic acid and dibromoacetic acid. HAA9 is a contaminant group that includes the chemicals in HAA5 and bromochloroacetic acid, bromodichloroacetic acid, chlorodibromoacetic acid and tribromoacetic acid. TTHM is a contaminant group that includes bromodichloromethane, bromoform, chloroform and dibromochloromethane.


Other Contaminants Tested


Chemicals tested for but not detected from 2014 to 2019:

1,1,1-Trichloroethane , 1,1,2-Trichloroethane , 1,1-Dichloroethane , 1,1-Dichloroethylene , 1,2,3-Trichloropropane , 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene , 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) , 1,2-Dichloroethane , 1,2-Dichloropropane , 1,3-Butadiene , 1,4-Dioxane , 2,4,5-TP (Silvex) , 2,4-D , 2-methoxyethanol , 2-propen-1-ol , Alachlor (Lasso) , Alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane , Antimony , Arsenic , Atrazine , Benzene , Benzo[a]pyrene , Beryllium , Bromochloromethane , Bromomethane , Butylated hydroxyanisole , Cadmium , Carbofuran , Carbon tetrachloride , Chlordane , Chlorodifluoromethane , Chloromethane , Chlorpyriphos , cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene , Cobalt , Cyanide , Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate , Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate , Dichloromethane (methylene chloride) , Dimethipin , Dinoseb , Diquat , Endothall , Endrin , Ethoprop , Ethylbenzene , Ethylene dibromide , Germanium , Glyphosate , Heptachlor , Heptachlor epoxide , Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) , Hexachlorocyclopentadiene , Lindane , Mercury (inorganic) , Methoxychlor , Molybdenum , Monochlorobenzene (chlorobenzene) , Nitrate , Nitrite , o-Dichlorobenzene , o-toluidine , Oxamyl (Vydate) , Oxyflurofen , p-Dichlorobenzene , 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 , Quinoline , Radium, combined (-226 & -228) , Selenium , Simazine , Styrene , Tebuconazole , Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene) , Thallium , Toluene , Toxaphene , trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene , Tribufos , Trichloroethylene , Vanadium , Vinyl chloride , Xylenes (total)

Buenaventura Lakes compliance with legally mandated federal standards:

  • From April 2019 to March 2021, Buenaventura Lakes complied with health-based drinking water standards.
  • 1 QUARTER
    in violation of any federal drinking water standard from April 2019 to March 2021

Information in this section on Buenaventura Lakes 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
Chlorate
Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
Haloacetic acids (HAA9)
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
OTHER CONTAMINANTS
DETECTED
1-butanol
Barium
Chromium (hexavalent)
Chromium (total)
Dalapon
Fluoride
Manganese
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