Water Quality Reports

Emma Schultz, M.S.  |  Scientific Contributor
**Updated May 30, 2021 to include current data

Our Water Nerds have updated our assessment of Buffalo's drinking water to include the most recent available data. We used information from Buffalo Water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as from samples that we collect and analyze. We're then able to cross reference these data with toxicity studies in scientific and medical literature. The custom water filters that we sell in Buffalo are optimized to remove present contaminants.

Source Of Buffalo Drinking Water

Buffalo’s gets its tap water from Lake Erie. Despite its size, Lake Erie is a very shallow lake, and has a water detention time of only 2.6 years. This quick turnaround time for water replenishment helps to explain the success of cleanup efforts following the heavy pollution of Lake Erie in the 1960s and 1970s. Buffalo’s city water intake is located upstream of the Niagara River in the Emerald Channel, and flows through a mile-long tunnel before reaching a pumping station. Water then proceeds to underground basins for treating and filtering, before being stored in a 28 million gallon clearwell.

Lead In Buffalo Drinking Water

Lead enters into a consumer’s tap water through old lead service pipes and lead-containing plumbing. When corrosion control measures fail (such as recently happened in Flint, Michigan), lead leaches into the drinking water and can reach toxic levels. According to the most recent report, the 90th percentile detected was 2.7 parts per billion. While the regulatory limit is 15 parts per billion, both the EPA, CDC, and the American Academy of Pediatrics all recognize that there is no such thing as a safe level of lead. Of course, federal regulations cannot take into account levels measured at an individual tap.

Chromium 6 In Buffalo Drinking Water

Chromium 6 is a highly toxic metal not regulated by the EPA. The city of Buffalo’s tap water recently averaged 100 parts per trillion for chromium 6. These levels are 4 times higher than the concentration determined to have a negligible impact on cancer risk.

Use Of Chlorine In Buffalo Tap Water

Like many cities in the United States, Buffalo adds chlorine to its drinking and tap water supply to keep consumers safe from waterborne illness. While not considered overtly harmful, many people find that when they remove the chlorine from their tap water, they notice an improvement in taste and odor. When you choose to filter your tap water, we believe you will notice an immediate taste enhancement.

Still Have Questions About Buffalo’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 Buffalo tap water, but all of our home water filtration systems 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 Buffalo tap water, feel free to visit www.hydroviv.com, reach out by email (hello@hydroviv.com) or through our live chat. We also frequently post water-related news on Twitter or Facebook.

Please Share This City of Buffalo 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 Scottsdale’s tap water quality, we aggregated water quality test data from Scottsdale Water, the water utility provider for Scottsdale, 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 Hydroviv builds for people in Scottsdale are optimized with this research in mind.

Source Of Scottsdale Drinking Water

Scottsdale’s main surface water supply is from the Colorado River. This water is transported through the Central Arizona Project canal to the Scottsdale CAP Water Treatment Plant. We also receive surface water from the Salt River Project, which comes from the Verde and Salt rivers. Water is transported by SRP to the Chaparral Water Treatment Plant. In addition to these two main surface water sources, Scottsdale drinking water may also come from aquifers deep below ground. The water is pumped from the ground through one of the city’s 23 active wells and then disinfected prior to entering Scottsdale's Tap water distribution system.

Arsenic In Scottsdale Drinking Water

Arsenic is a toxic metal that is known to cause cancer and other health issues. Unlike lead, which distributes into water from plumbing, arsenic comes from the source water itself. Scottsdale's water quality is in compliance with EPA water quality standards but it’s important to mention that EPA’s standard balances the toxicity against the costs of removing arsenic from drinking water. The city’s most recent tap water quality report reported arsenic levels up to 6.7 parts per billion. Unfortunately the last time that arsenic testing was done in Scottsdale was 2014-2015 (Arsenic is very loosely regulated). We recommend that anyone with more than 1 part per billion take steps to remove arsenic from their water, especially if there are children in the home.

Lead In Scottsdale Drinking Water

Lead enters 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 Scottsdale's water quality samples analyzed for lead in Scottsdale tested 1.6 per billion and are currently in compliance with very lenient federal regulations but even the 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.

Extremely High Chromium 6 Levels In Scottsdale Drinking Water

Chromium 6 is a highly toxic metal that is not regulated by the EPA. In recent years, Scottsdale's water quality has averaged 3500 parts per trillion for Chromium 6. For perspective, these levels are an incredibly 175 times higher than the concentration determined to have negligible impact on cancer risk. These levels are among the highest chromium 6 concentrations we see in major US cities, and we highly recommend that all Scottsdale residents take steps to remove the toxic metal from their drinking water.

Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs) In Scottsdale 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's website discloses that exposure to high levels of disinfection byproducts are associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer, as well as kidney, liver, and central nervous system problems.

Still Have Questions About Scottsdale Tap Water?

Hydrovivis a water filtration company based in DC 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 are then used to build water filters that are built specifically for Scottsdale, but our filters provide broad protection against a wide range of contaminants.

If you’re interested in learning more about water filters that have been optimized for Scottsdale tap water, or just have questions about water quality in general, feel free to visit www.hydroviv.com, reach out by email (hello@hydroviv.com) 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 Scottsdale Water Quality Article On Social Media With Anyone You Think Would Benefit From The Information!

What Are The Common Problems With Reverse Osmosis Water Filters?

**Updated April 27, 2021 to include Nashville's 2020 Consumer Confidence Report. 

Analies Dyjak, M.A.  |  Hydroviv Research Analyst

For Hydroviv’s assessment of Nashville's water quality, we aggregated water quality test data from Metro Water Services, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as 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 custom water filters that we build and sell to our customers in Nashville, are optimized with this research in mind.

Source Of Nashville Drinking Water

Nashville’s drinking water comes from the Cumberland River, which is treated at both the K.R. Harrington and Omohundro water filtration plants. The Cumberland River has historically been plagued with industrial pollution. The Tennessee River Keepers are in the midst of a lawsuit with 3M, which is a major manufacturer of Per and Polyfluoalkyl Substances (PFAS).

PFAS In Nashville Drinking Water

Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances or PFAS are a category of chemicals found in various non-stick/stain resistant products, as well as fire fighting foam. PFAS are considered to be "emerging contaminants" because they are not currently regulated by EPA, but are known to be toxic, carcinogenic, and persistent in the environment. PFAS have been detected at the Nashville International Airport. Most municipalities, including Nashville, don't test for or remove PFAS from tap water, and most water filters are not designed to remove PFAS. If you'd like to find water filters that do remove PFAS from drinking water, check out this Duke/NC State study

Lead In Nashville Drinking Water

Lead enters Nashville's tap and drinking 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 Nashville's water are over 1.6 part per billion. Though 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 particularly susceptible to high lead levels. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that any taps used to serve children have lead levels no higher than 1 part per billion. Hydroviv Undersink filters are NSF/ANSI certified to remove lead from drinking water.

Update March 2018: Nashville has started testing the taps in their public schools, and are finding very high levels of lead. We wrote a dedicated article on this that can be read HERE.

Chromium 6 In Nashville Drinking Water

Chromium 6 (also known as hexavalent chromium) is a highly toxic metal that is not regulated by the EPA. In recent years, tap water in Nashville has averaged 80.5 parts per trillion for chromium 6. For the sake of perspective, these levels are over 4 times higher than the concentration determined to have negligible impact on cancer risk.

Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs) In Nashville 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. Nashville's water quality has tested positive for a range of disinfection byproducts including chloroform and bromodichloromethane, both of which are trihalomethanes.

Still Have Questions About Nashville 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 Nashville's tap and drinking water, but all of our filters provide broad protection against a wide range of contaminants (including lead).

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

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Analies Dyjak, M.A.  |  Hydroviv Research Analyst
**Updated April 27, 2021 to include current data

For Hydroviv’s assessment of Tucson, Arizona drinking water quality problems, we collected water test data from Tucson Water and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. We cross referenced Tucson's water quality data with toxicity studies in scientific and medical literature. The water filters that we sell at Hydroviv are optimized to filter out contaminants that are found in Tucson’s drinking water.

Where Does Tucson Source Its Drinking Water?

Tucson sources its drinking water from 200 groundwater wells and the Colorado River.

Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) In Tucson’s Drinking Water

This years water quality report for Tucson, Arizona included test data from two Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS): Perfluorooctane-sulfonic acid (PFOS) and Perfluoro-1-hexanesulfonic Acid (PFHxS). Concentrations of PFOS were detected as high as 56 parts per trillion, and averaged 28 parts per trillion. Concentrations of PFHxS were detected as high as 420 parts per trillion and averaged 210 parts per trillion. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) recently recommended setting a Minimum Risk Level of 20 parts per trillion for PFOS, but is still researching the toxicity profile of PFHxS. ATSDR has determined that PFAS are associated with an increased risk of cancer, reproductive problems, and hormonal disruptions. This category of chemicals are “emerging contaminants” which means they are thought to pose a potential threat to human health and the environment, but haven't yet been regulated. PFAS contribute to environmental contamination largely due to the fact that they are highly resistant to the degradation processes, and thus persist for many years in water, air and can enter the food chain via bioaccumulation in certain animal species. Not all water filters are designed to remove PFAS from drinking water. If you'd like to find a water filter that removes PFAS from tap water, check out this Duke/NC State PFAS study.

High Levels Of Arsenic In Tucson Drinking Water

Arsenic is a toxic metal that is known to cause cancer and other health issues. Unlike lead, which distributes into water from plumbing, arsenic comes from the source water itself. It’s important to point out that EPA’s arsenic standard, balances its toxicity against the costs of removing it from drinking water, which means that regulations are very relaxed. The most recent tap water quality report reported arsenic concentrations up to 7.6 parts per billion in Tucson drinking water. Because these levels were detected in Tucson water, the municipality had to make the following disclosure in the Consumer Confidence Report:

"Arsenic is a naturally occurring substance commonly found in groundwater in the southwestern United States. While your drinking water meets EPA’s standard for arsenic, it does contain low levels of arsenic. EPA’s standard balances the current understanding of arsenic’s possible health effects against the cost of removing arsenic from drinking water. EPA continues to research the health effect of low levels of arsenic which is a mineral known to cause cancer in humans at high concentrations and is linked to other health effects such as skin damage and circulatory problems."

Hydroviv highly recommends that anyone with more than 1 part per billion take steps to remove arsenic from their water, especially if they have children.

Chromium 6 In Tucson's Drinking Water

Chromium 6 is a highly toxic metal that is currently unregulated by the EPA. In recent years, Tucson has had a major problem with this dangerous contaminant. Chromium 6 pollution is associated with metal processing, tannery facilities, chromate production, stainless steel welding, and pigment production. The city of Tucson detected levels of Chromium 6 as high as 9400 parts per trillion and averaged 4720 parts per trillion. These levels are nearly 4700 times higher than the concentration determined to have a negligible impact on cancer risk. EPA has acknowledged that Chromium 6 is a known human carcinogen through inhalation, but is still determining its cancer potential through ingestion of drinking water. Lung, nasal and sinus cancers are associated with Chromium 6 exposure. Ingestion of extremely high doses of chromium 6 compounds can cause acute respiratory disease, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, hematological, hepatic, renal, and neurological distress which may result in death.

Lead In Tucson Drinking Water

Lead enters Tucson's 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 Tucson's water are over 0.9 parts per billion. Though 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. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that any taps used to serve children have lead levels no higher than 1 part per billion. Hydroviv Undersink filters are NSF/ANSI 53 certified to remove lead from drinking water.

Herbicide Runoff Detected In Tucson Tap Water

In 2020, Tucson's tap water quality tested positive for low levels of the herbicide atrazine .

Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs) In Tucson 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 Tucson 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 Tucson, but all of our our filters provide broad protection against a wide range of contaminants (including lead).

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

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Analies Dyjak, M.A.  |  Hydroviv Research Analyst
**Updated May 17, 2021 to include current available data

Our Water Nerds use data from El Paso Water Utility, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as in-house data to determine problems with El Paso drinking water. We then cross reference these data with toxicity studies in scientific and medical literature. The custom water filters we build for our customers in El Paso are optimized with this research in mind.

Source Of El Paso Drinking Water

El Paso sources its drinking water from both surface and groundwater sources. The surface water supply comes from the Rio Grande River and the groundwater supply is from the Mesilla Bolson and Hueco Bolson aquifers. Depending on the time of year and water usage, most El Paso customers use water from both of these sources.

High Levels Of Arsenic In El Paso Drinking Water

Arsenic is a toxic metal that is known to cause cancer and other health issues. Unlike lead, which distributes into water from plumbing, arsenic comes from the source water itself. According to the most recent report, the average concentration of arsenic in drinking water was 6.6 parts per billion. However, the highest level of arsenic detected was 21 parts per billion. Due to the high El Paso's most recent water quality report uses the following disclosure language: