Eric Roy, Ph.D.  |  Scientific Founder

Since The Environmental Working Group recently released a report about the prevalence of chromium-6 in drinking water supplies, our email and support line have been filled with questions about the toxic heavy metal. The purpose of this article is to address a lot of these FAQs, including the answer to "what is chromium-6?," and to discuss how to remove chromium 6 from drinking water.

Is Chromium-6 the Same Thing as “Regular” Chromium?

No. So what is chromium-6? Chromium comes in a variety of chemical “flavors.” Most forms of chromium (e.g. chromium metal, trivalent chromium) are not toxic. These are the types of chromium used to make stainless steel and are found in dietary supplements. There is no reason to be throwing away stainless steel cookware!

Chromium-6 (or hexavalent chromium), on the other hand, is an extremely toxic form of chromium, and is known to cause cancer, even at very low concentrations. In popular culture, chromium-6 is the chemical that was at the center of the Erin Brockovich story, which was made into a movie starring Julia Roberts.

Where Does Chromium-6 Come From?

Unfortunately, chemicals containing chromium-6 are useful in a number of industrial processes, which means that chromium-6 can enter drinking water supplies through waste streams that enter rivers and ground water. Industries that generate chromium-6-containing waste include: steel production, leather tanning, textile manufacturing, wood preservation, and electroplating.

How Is Chromium-6 Regulated?

It's not. In 1991 EPA set a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for total chromium (all kinds) in drinking water of 200 parts per billion. The structure of this regulation is flawed because it treats non-toxic forms of chromium in the same manner as highly toxic chromium-6. To put it in perspective, California (which has tighter regulatory conditions that the EPA) has set a proposed limit of 20 parts per trillion for chromium-6, a level that is 10,000 times lower than what the current EPA regulation is for total chromium. Part of the challenge in formulating a proper regulation is that advanced detection procedures and equipment are required to measure things at part per trillion concentrations.

Are the Recent News Articles the Result of a Recent Spike in Chromium-6 Concentrations?

No. There is no sudden rise in chromium-6, the media coverage is just shining light on an existing situation.

What Can I Do To Reduce Exposure To Chromium-6?

Unlike lead, which leaches into water from pipes, chromium-6 comes from the source water itself, so flushing pipes does not reduce concentrations of chromium-6 in drinking water. Boiling water also does not reduce/remove chromium-6.

If you want to remove chromium-6 from your water, you need to filter it using a high end water filter. Filtration pitchers and common fridge filters DO NOT filter chromium-6 from water. A new generation of water filters that use chromium 6 removal media are extremely effective at filtering chromium-6 (and other contaminants) from water. Reverse osmosis is also a viable way to remove chromium 6 from water for people who are willing to accept the drawbacks, including low flow rate. We recently wrote a more in depth article on how to filter chromium 6 from water.

If you have any questions about filtering chromium-6 from your water, we encourage you to take advantage of Hydroviv’s “Help No Matter What” approach to technical support, where we will help you select an effective water filter system, even if it’s not one that we sell. This free service can be reached by emailing support@hydroviv.com

Update April 23, 2017: We have published an article specifically on how to filter chromium 6 from drinking water. See it HERE

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Roughly 15 percent of Americans get their tap water from private wells, and this percentage can rise to 40% in rural states like Maine and Vermont. It's no surprise that we receive a lot of questions from people with wells who are are concerned about water quality.

1. Getting A Well “Checked” Is Not The Same As Comprehensive Water Testing

There is a misconception that if someone gets their private well “checked,” it will reveal water quality problems. Unfortunately, that’s not the way it works. A basic water screening has a lot of "blind spots" and gives no information about levels of lead, arsenic, chromium 6, mercury, or VOCs unless you test specifically for those chemicals. Some states have certain testing requirements, but the scope of testing varies from state to state, and most states do not require comprehensive testing. Many banks require that certain water tests be conducted before they will issue a mortgage, but the goal of this testing is often to ensure that there are no faulty systems in the home, not to protect the health of the residents.

Bottom line: The well's owner is responsible for having tests run. Don't assume that the tests that were done as part of the home buying process were comprehensive.

2. Well Water Contamination Often Comes From Natural Sources, Not Humans

Some private well owners are surprised to learn that they have contaminated water, because there are no obvious contamination sources nearby. This is because some contaminants (like arsenic) can occur naturally groundwater at unsafe levels. 

3. Well Water Is Often Corrosive & Can Leach Lead From Plumbing

The lead crisis in Flint put a spotlight on the fact that corrosive water can leach lead from pipes, soldered joints, and plumbing fixtures. Unfortunately, a lot of well owners don't realize that well water can be inherently corrosive, so if a their plumbing predates 2014, (when lead-free standards were fully adopted for home plumbing components) there is potential for lead to leach into the tap water.

4. Contaminant Concentrations (And Recognized Safe Levels) Change With Time

We cannot emphasize enough that people should get their wells tested on a regular basis, because contaminant concentrations and thresholds for “safe” water both change over time.

5. Private Well Owners Are Responsible For Monitoring Their Water Quality, Not EPA

Private wells are not regulated by EPA or State Regulators, so the owners (or prospective owners) are responsible for all well water quality testing. However, figuring out which tests to do and making sense of the results can be confusing. Some states have guidelines and recommendations, but even these can be confusing and contradictory.

Often times, prospective home owners turn to a real estate agent for advice on water quality testing, but we often hear from people who received terrible advice. Most of the time, the mistakes are honest, but there are times when it looks like the agent was trying to facilitate a quick sale.

Ultimately, ensuring water quality of a private well is the individual responsibility of the well’s owner or prospective owner. In support this responsibility, we encourage people to take advantage our Technical Support Team’s “Help At All Costs” policy, and lean on us to provide guidance on which lab to select in your area, which tests to run, and to help interpret the results. This free (no obligation service) can be reached by emailing us (support@hydroviv.com) or by using the live chat function on this page.

We do not have financial agreements or arrangements with water quality test labs, and we do not “over-prescribe” testing.

Other Great Articles That We Think You'll Enjoy:

5 Things You Need To Know About Chromium 6 In Drinking Water
Why TDS Meters Don't Tell You Anything About Lead Contamination
Does Boiling Or Freezing My Water Purify It?

Updated 5/17/2018 To Include Video

Cover image is screenshot of map taken from http://www.wnyc.org/story/wnyc-map-lead-contamination-water-fountains-nyc-public-schools/ taken at 23:59 on April 2.

Over the last several weeks and months, parents that send their children to New York City Public Schools have received letters notifying them that water from certain points of use in the schools (e.g. drinking fountains, hose bibs, faucets) have tested positive for high levels of lead. We recently wrote a more detailed article  that focuses specifically on why so many schools have such high levels of lead in their water.

Even though there is no safe level of lead for children, New York City is quick to point out that their tap water meets all federal standards, despite over 100 points of use in schools testing over 15 parts per billion, more than 30 having measurements over 400 parts per billion, and some measurements over 6500 parts per billion. This interactive map (updated regularly) shows the levels as the data are coming in.

While WNYC is doing a fantastic job assembling data, we encourage people to lean on Hydroviv's water quality experts for questions about water quality. Our water quality experts will answer your questions, even if you have no intention of buying a Hydroviv Water Filter. 

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Anya Alvarez |  Contributor   

After a hard-hitting ad campaign ran by one of our competitors, many were surprised to learn that EPA allows “acceptable amounts” of certain toxic chemicals. If you’re like others concerned who don’t want to deal “acceptable levels” of toxicity in water, this article will explain the regulatory definitions and provide tips on how to regulate the water in your home.

Understanding Water Quality Definitions

If something is toxic, you probably don't want it in your water. So why does the government allow small levels of toxic chemicals in our water? Currently the EPA has in place unenforceable water quality goals and enforceable drinking water standards. Below I highlight the difference between the two, why the EPA allows toxic levels, and how to reduce exposure to toxic chemicals in drinking water.

Non-Enforceable Water Quality Goals

Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) - The MCLG refers to the concentration of a contaminant that does not pose any health risk to humans. However, one must not forget that MCLGs are unenforceable and therefore have no regulatory limits. For example, the MCLG for Arsenic is 0 parts per billion, but the EPA limit is 10 parts per billion. This is EPA's way of saying "we don't want anyone to drink arsenic, but it would be too expensive to fully remove it."

Enforceable Water Quality Standards/Limits

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) - The MCL is the maximum level of a contaminant allowed in water.  Unlike the MCLG, the MCL is an enforceable limit.

Action Level (AL) - For other contaminants like lead, EPA uses a different term (Action Level) for the regulatory water quality standard. Using this definition, a municipality is in violation only if 10% or more of the samples exceed the AL. To put it a bit differently:  up to 10% of the samples can exceed the Action Level, and the water is still in full compliance.

Are Regulatory Water Quality Limits For Contaminants In Line With The No-Risk Goals?

You can still be at risk, even if water quality limits meet the “no-risk goals” of the EPA. The table below shows a few chemicals where allowed concentration is higher than the no-risk goal.  The complete list can be seen here.

Why Does EPA Allow Any Amount Of Toxic Chemicals In Drinking Water?

EPA knows it is not economically feasible for municipalities to yield contaminant free water for large populations, the MCLs are categorized between the health risk involved to the population and the financial cost to remove chemicals such as lead from water.

Lead:

EPA acknowledges that no safe level of lead exists in drinking water (MCLG=0 ppb). However, the EPA acceptable drinking water standards allows 10% of the samples to be over 15 ppb. Homes with plumbing connections and fixtures and cities with a large number of lead-containing water service lines, make it economically unfeasible, politically unacceptable, and extremely difficult to enforce mandates. Doing so would force municipalities to dig up lead pipes and require all citizens to replace their plumbing. To avoid this, the EPA makes publicly available reports, mentioning the involved risks if citizens drink the water, while also entailing steps residents can take to minimize exposure. However, municipalities often try to hide lead levels because they are ultimately reliable. Click here for an example from Newark, New Jersey.

Arsenic:

Arsenic, which occurs naturally in some groundwater sources, does not come from municipal infrastructure or residential plumbing. Because of this, arsenic isn’t economically/politically reasonable to remove it. As a result, municipalities disclose the levels of arsenic in the water report:

"If arsenic is less than the MCL of 10 ppb, your drinking water meets EPA’s standards... EPA’s standard balances the current understanding of arsenic’s possible health effects against the costs of removing arsenic from drinking water." Check out an example of this on page 3 of this Clarkdale, Arizona report. 

How To Further Reduce Exposure To Toxic Chemicals In Drinking Water

Since there are no guarantees that contaminants won’t exceed the enforceable limits, there are steps you can take to protect yourself. This can include installing a quality water filter and remaining up-to-date on water quality reports for your local area. As always, we encourage everyone to take advantage of Hydroviv's "Help No Matter What" technical support policy, where we answer questions related to drinking water and water filtration, even if you have no desire to purchase our products.

Hydroviv's Science Team   

If you're looking for a water filter for your apartment, condo, or vacation home your options might be limited. However, you shouldn't be forced to settle for ineffective pitcher or fridge filters that don’t remove things like lead, PFAS, or chromium 6. These are the big things to consider when shopping for a water filter for your apartment or rental home.

Universal Connections

You probably don't want to change out the kitchen faucet in a place that you are renting, so you’ll want to make sure that your water filter connects to the existing faucet and cold water valve with universal faucet connections. Nearly all faucets in the US use a 3/8” compression fitting to connect to the cold-water shutoff valve, so make sure that the inlet and outlets use that size connection.

Size

Many apartments and condos in cities like New York City or Washington, D.C. have smaller under sink spaces than what are found in larger homes. When you are shopping for water filters, you’ll need to take size into account, especially if your unit has a garbage disposal that takes up a bunch of space under your sink. Most reverse osmosis systems are bulky and have large storage tanks, and will not fit under the sink of many apartments. 

Deposit Considerations

Many water filtration systems for apartments require that you drill a hole in your drain line, or that you drill a hole in your counter top. Obviously, if you do either of those things, you won’t get your deposit back, so most people don’t opt for reverse osmosis systems that require a drilled connection to your drain. It can also be difficult to get a plumber to a more remote location if you're looking to install a Reverse Osmosis filter in a second home. 

Portability

When you rent your home, you want to make sure that your water filter can be taken with you when it’s time to move. Make sure that your apartment water filter un-installs very easily, so you don’t leave it behind in the frantic move out!

Hydroviv’s custom water filters are engineered with renters in mind. Its housing fits in small spaces and connects to existing faucets with screw on, screw off connections in 15 minutes, no plumbing experience needed, and we provide an easy water filter installation guide to help you along the way. When it’s time to move or close up camp for the season, Hydroviv water filters can be pulled in about 5 minutes, and the unit’s plumbing can be put back to how it was when you got there.