Kezia Snipe  |  Hydroviv Research Analyst

For Hydroviv’s assessment of Pasadena's city water quality, we aggregated water quality test data from Pasadena Water and Power, the city’s water provider and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as from samples that we collect and analyze. We cross reference these data with toxicity studies in the scientific and medical literature, and delve into upcoming regulatory changes. The water filters that we offer at Hydroviv are optimized with these numbers in mind.

Sources Of Pasadena Drinking Water

In 2016, PWP produced 26,890 acre-feet or 8.8 billion gallons of water, to serve approximately 166,000 consumers in Pasadena, portions of the unincorporated areas of Altadena, East Pasadena, and San Gabriel. During the year, nearly 40 percent of the water supply was pumped from local groundwater, whereas 60 percent came from imported surface water purchased from the Metropolitan Water District (MWD). Less than 1 percent was purchased from neighboring water agencies that combine surface water and groundwater.

Lead In Pasadena Drinking Water

Lead enters Pasadena's city water through older lead service pipes and lead-containing plumbing. When corrosion control measures put in place by the municipality fail (like what happened in Flint, Michigan), lead leaches into the drinking water, and can reach dangerous levels. Currently,10% of samples analyzed for lead in Pasadena are 1.7 parts per billion. Though in compliance with federal regulations, EPA and CDC both acknowledge that there is no safe level of lead, and federal regulations do not take into account levels measured at an individual tap. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that any taps used to serve children have lead levels no higher than 1 part per billion.

Very High Chromium 6 Levels In Pasadena Drinking Water

Pasadena's water quality was reported with very high levels of Chromium 6. Chromium 6 is a highly toxic metal that is not currently regulated by the EPA. In recent years, the city’s tap water has averaged a concerning 1900 parts per trillion for Chromium 6. For a bit of perspective, these levels are 95 times HIGHER than the concentration determined to have negligible impact on cancer risk.

Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs) In Pasadena Drinking Water

DBPs are a category of emerging contaminants that form when chlorine-based disinfectants react with naturally-occurring organic matter. Although these chemicals are not currently regulated very well, the EPA has admitted that they are associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer, as well as kidney, liver, and central nervous system problems.

Still Have Questions About Pasadena Drinking Water?

Hydroviv is a water filtration company that uses water quality data to optimize water filters for each customer's water. The contaminants that we list above are what we consider to be major “points of emphasis” that we use to build water filters that are built specifically for Pasadena, but all of our our filters provide broad protection against a wide range of contaminants (including lead).

If you’re interested in learning more about water filters that have been optimized for Pasadena tap water, or just have questions about water quality in general, feel free to visit www.hydroviv.com, reach out by email ([email protected]) or through our live chat. We also frequently post water-related news onTwitter or Facebook. We pride ourselves in being a reputable source of information on water quality, and your questions will be answered by scientists, not salespeople (we don't have any salespeople).

Please Please Share This Pasadena Water Quality Article On Social Media With Anyone You Think Would Benefit From The Information!

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Kezia Snipe  |  Hydroviv Research Analyst

For Hydroviv’s assessment of Milwaukee's tap and drinking water quality, we aggregated water quality test data from Milwaukee Water Works, the city’s water provider and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as from samples that we collect and analyze. We cross reference these data with toxicity studies in the scientific and medical literature, and look at upcoming regulatory changes. The water filters that we build for our neighbors in Milwaukee (Hydroviv is a DC-based company) are optimized with this research in mind.

Source Of Milwaukee's Drinking Water

Milwaukee draws it's raw and drinking water from Lake Michigan.

High Levels Of Lead In Milwaukee Drinking Water

Lead enters Milwaukee's drinking and tap water through older lead service pipes and lead-containing plumbing. When corrosion control measures put in place by the municipality fail (like what recently happened in Flint, Michigan), lead leaches into the drinking water, and can reach dangerous levels. Currently, 10% of samples analyzed for lead in Milwaukee are over 8.2 parts per billion. Though Milwaukee's drinking water quality is currently in compliance with federal regulations, EPA and CDC both acknowledge that there is no safe level of lead, and federal regulations do not take into account levels measured at an individual tap. Homes built before 1986 are most susceptible to lead contamination. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that any taps used to serve children have lead levels no higher than 1 part per billion.

High Levels Of Chromium 6 In Milwaukee Drinking Water

Chromium 6 is a hazardous metal not fully regulated by the EPA. Milwaukee’s tap and drinking water recently averaged 220 parts per trillion for chromium 6. These levels are nearly 11 times higher than the concentration determined to have a negligible impact on cancer risk.

Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs) In Milwaukee Drinking Water

DBPs are a category of emerging contaminants that form when chlorine-based disinfectants react with naturally-occurring organic matter. Although these chemicals are not currently regulated very well, the EPA has admitted that they are associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer, as well as kidney, liver, and central nervous system problems.

Still Have Questions About Milwaukee Drinking Water?

Hydroviv is a water filtration company that uses water quality data to optimize water filters for each customer's water. The contaminants that we list above are what we consider to be major “points of emphasis” that we use to build water filters that are built specifically for Milwaukee, but all of our our filters provide broad protection against a wide range of contaminants (including lead).

If you’re interested in learning more about water filters that have been optimized for Milwaukee tap water, or just have questions about water quality in general, feel free to visit www.hydroviv.com, reach out by email ([email protected]) or through our live chat. We also frequently post water-related news on Twitter or Facebook. We pride ourselves in being a reputable source of information on water quality, and your questions will be answered by scientists, not salespeople (we don't have any salespeople).

Please Share This Milwaukee Water Quality Article On Social Media With Anyone You Think Would Benefit From The Information!

Emma Schultz, M.S. | Scientific Contributor   
**Updated August 6, 2019 to include current data

We've aggregated the most current water quality test data from Riverside Public Utilities, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). We then cross reference these data with toxicity studies in scientific and medical literature, and supplementary internal data. The water filters that we sell in Riverside are optimized to remove detected contaminants.

Source Of Riverside Drinking Water

Riverside gets its drinking water entirely from groundwater sources. Water is pumped from the Bunker Hill and Riverside groundwater basins and is treated before being distributed to Riverside residents. It should be noted that “these sources are considered most vulnerable to historical contamination from industrial and agricultural operations” (see above link to the 2018 Water Quality Report).

High Levels Of Chromium 6 In Riverside Drinking Water

Chromium 6 is a highly toxic metal not currently regulated by the EPA. Riverside tap water has recently averaged a substantial 2200 parts per trillion for chromium 6. For reference, these levels are nearly 110 times higher than the concentration determined to have a negligible impact on cancer risk. For a bit of context, the state of California tried to set a state Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 20 parts per trillion for chromium 6. After municipalities were unable to comply with the interim MCL, a lawsuit resulted in the withdrawal of the 20 parts per trillion standard. 

Arsenic In Riverside Drinking Water

Arsenic is a cancer-causing toxic heavy metal, that can also lead to other adverse health effects. Arsenic originates in the source water. While Riverside is in compliance with EPA water quality standards, it should be understood that EPA’s standard balances toxicity against the costs of removing arsenic from drinking water. Riverside’s most recent tap water quality report listed average arsenic concentrations of 1 parts per billion, with a maximum concentration of 2.9 parts per billion. We strongly recommend that tap water with more than 1 part per billion be treated to remove arsenic, particularly if there are children in the home.  

Lead In Riverside Drinking Water

Lead enters Riverside's tap water through older lead service pipes and lead-containing plumbing. When corrosion control measures fail (such as what recently happened in Flint, Michigan), lead leaches into drinking water, and can reach unsafe levels. EPA, CDC, and American Academy of Pediatrics all acknowledge that there is no safe level of lead for children. In addition, federal regulations cannot take into account levels measured at an individual tap.  

Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs) In Riverside Drinking Water

DBPs are halogenated emerging contaminants that occur when chlorine-based disinfectants are added to the water supply and then combine with naturally-occurring organic matter. Although these chemicals are not yet well-regulated, EPA has stated that they have been linked to an increased risk of bladder cancer, as well as kidney, liver, and central nervous system problems.

Use Of Chlorine In Riverside Tap Water

As is common practice in the United States, Riverside adds chlorine to its water to protect consumers against waterborne illness. While not considered harmful per se, many people find that removing chlorine from their drinking water greatly improves the overall taste and odor. When Riverside's water is filtered, we expect that you will notice an immediate improvement in taste.    

Still Have Questions About Riverside's Tap Water?

Hydroviv is a water filtration company that uses water quality data to optimize water filters for each city’s water. The chemicals that we list above are what we consider to be “points of emphasis” so we can build the best water filter for Riverside tap water, but all of our water filters provide broad protection against other contaminants commonly found in drinking water (e.g. VOCs, heavy metals [including lead], pharmaceuticals, solvents, pesticides, mercury).

If you’re interested in learning more about water filters that have been optimized for Riverside tap water, feel free to visit www.hydroviv.com, reach out by email ([email protected]) or through our live chat.  We also frequently post water-related news on Twitter or Facebook.

Please Share This Riverside Water Quality Article On Social Media With Anyone You Think Would Benefit From The Information!

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