Drinking Water Health Advisories
Drinking water and health advisory summary tables are prepared periodically. They contain drinking water standards in the form of non-enforceable concentrations of drinking water contaminants, Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLGs), or enforceable Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) . Maximum Contaminant Levels are the maximum permissible level of a contaminant in water delivered to users of a public water system. Health Advisories (HA’s) provide information on contaminants that can cause human health effects and are known or anticipated to occur in drinking water. Health Advisories are guidance values based on non-cancer health effects for different durations of exposure (e.g., one-day, ten-day, and lifetime). They provide technical guidance to our Regional Offices, State governments, and other public health officials on health effects, analytical methodologies, and treatment technologies associated with drinking water contamination.
2006 Drinking Water Standards and Health Advisory tables (PDF) (18 pages, 95 K, About PDF )
The tables summarize the drinking water regulations and health advisory values as well as the reference dose (RFD) and cancer risk values for drinking water contaminants.
Drinking Water Criteria Document for Brominated Trihalomethanes
Brominated trihalomethanes are volatile organic liquids that have a number of industrial and chemical uses. The process of disinfecting drinking water generates brominated trihalomethanes as a by-product. This document was developed in support of the Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule .
Drinking Water Health Advisory for Oxamyl (PDF) (36 pages, 118 K, About PDF ) September 2004
Oxamyl is a carbamate pesticide used to control insects, mites, and nematodes on fruits, vegetables, soybeans, and a variety of other crops. This Health Advisory provides information on the health effects, analytical methodology, and treatment technology that are useful in dealing with the contamination of Oxamyl in drinking water.
Estimated Per Capita Water Ingestion in the United States – 2004
This report provides current estimates of water ingestion and body weight for the population of the U.S. and selected subpopulations including pregnant women, lactating women and women of child-bearing age.
Health Effects Support Documents and Health Advisories for Priority Contaminants on the Contaminant Canditate List (Acanthamoeba, Aldrin and Dieldrin, Hexachlorobutadiene, Manganese, Metribuzin, Naphthalene, Sodium, Sulfate, etc.)
Consumer Acceptability Advice and Health Effects Analysis on Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether (MTBE)
This Advisory provides guidance to communities exposed to drinking water contaminated with MtBE.
Health Advisories for Microbials (Pathogens)
Information on sound scientific assessments that are used to protect the public from exposure to harmful levels of pathogens in ground and surface waters, food sources, and finished drinking water.
Other Related Advisory Publications – from the the water publications database.
More Information on Drinking Water Standards
Priority Rulemakings and Regulatory Infrastructure
Additional Information on Ground Water and Drinking Water
The Ground Water and Drinking Water Web site provides information on drinking water regulations, source water protection programs, and ground water protection. It also includes links to local drinking water information.