Types of Contaminants
PFAS
Perfluoroalkyls and polyfluoroalkyls, commonly known as PFAS, are manmade chemicals widely used since the 1940s. PFAS has been used in various commercial and industrial applications, including carpeting, waterproof clothing, food paper wrappings, cookware, cosmetics, and firefighting foam.
1,2,3 Trichloropropane
1,2,3 Trichloropropane (TCP) is a manmade chemical, a chlorinated hydrocarbon, found at industrial or hazardous waste sites.
Arsenic
Arsenic is a naturally occurring element in the earth’s crust that is widely distributed in the environment.
Fluoride
Fluoride occurs naturally in water supplies and historically was regulated as a contaminant as it is a very common element and at elevated levels over a long period of time can result in a condition known as fluorosis.
Manganese
Manganese is an element that occurs naturally in water, soil, air and food, and can be found in ground and surface waters. Manganese is one of the most abundant metals in the earth’s crust and is a component of over 250 minerals.
Nitrate
Nitrate is the most-common chemical contaminant in the world’s groundwater aquifers. Nitrate is a regulated drinking water contaminant with an established state and federal Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 10 mg/L (as N). Information on health effects related to nitrate can be found in the resources listed at the bottom of this page.
Perchlorate
Perchlorate is a chemical that forms naturally in the atmosphere and occurs naturally in arid states in the Southwest United States. It can also be found in some fertilizers. In manufacturing, perchlorate and its salts are used in solid propellant for rockets, missiles and fireworks, and for the production of matches, flares, pyrotechnics, ordnance and explosives.
Unregulated Contaminants
The fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5) was published on December 27, 2021. UCMR 5 requires sample collection for 30 chemical contaminants between 2023 and 2025 using analytical methods developed by EPA and consensus organizations.