water contaminant definitions

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Water Contaminant Definitions

MCL: (Maximum Contaminant Level)
This is the level at which the EPA requires corrective action and can impose penalties.

MCLG: (Maximum Contaminant Level Goal)
This is the level at which the EPA has determined that unacceptable health risks may occur. Notice that the MCLG is always at or below the MCL‚ the law allows some unhealthy levels of contaminants. A "Superior" water system only means that it complies with EPA minimum water quality standards‚ not that it doesn‘t contain unhealthy levels of contaminants.

ppb: (part per billion)
The unit of measure used for many water borne synthetic chemicals.

ppm: (part per million)
The unit of measure used for chlorine in tap water.

mg/L: (milligram per Litre).
A unit of measure used for contaminants in water.

Most Common Things To Look For: Lead, VOCs (volatile organic chemicals), Organic Contaminants, and Disinfection By-Products (THMs, Trihalomethanes), are the most noticeable problems on these reports. Often these toxic chemicals exceed the MCLGs or healthful threshold. Also these thresholds are relevant only to the one contaminant; if more than one is present the thresholds for heath risks drops considerably.

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