EWG's drinking water quality report shows
results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, 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
Americus, Georgia
Serves: 75
Data available: 2014-2019
Source: Groundwater
Contaminants Detected
1
EXCEED EWG HEALTH GUIDELINES
1 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.
Nitrate and nitrite enter water from fertilizer runoff, septic tanks and urban runoff. These contaminants can cause oxygen deprivation for infants and increase the risk of cancer. Nitrite is significantly more toxic than nitrate. Click here to read more about nitrate.
Nitrate and nitrite was found at 3.5 times above EWG's Health Guideline.
EWG Health Guideline
0.14 ppm or less
This Utility
0.494 ppm
Legal Limit
10 ppm
National Average
0.888 ppm
State Average
0.481 ppm
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2017-2019. ppm = parts per million
Health Risks
The health guideline of 0.14 parts per million, or ppm, for nitrate and nitrite is based on the equivalent health guideline for nitrate, as defined in a peer-reviewed scientific study by EWG. This guideline represents a one-in-one-million annual cancer risk level.
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.
Includes .
Other Contaminants Tested
✕
Chemicals tested for but not detected from 2014 to 2019:
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.
