Water Quality Reports

Emma Schultz, M.S.  |  Scientific Contributor

For our assessment of Anaheim's tap water quality, we aggregated water quality test data from Anaheim Public Utilities, the water provider for Anaheim (in collaboration with the Orange County Water District), 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 sell in Anaheim are optimized with these issues in mind.

Source Water

Anaheim tap water is a blend of local groundwater and imported water. Water is imported from Northern California, and the Colorado River. Local groundwater comes from a natural aquifer replenished with water from the Santa Ana River, rainfall, and imported water. Customers also may receive water from Anaheim’s Lenain Water Treatment Facility.

High Levels Of Chromium 6 In Anaheim Drinking Water

Chromium 6 is a highly toxic metal that not currently regulated by the EPA. Anaheim Anaheim's tap water quality has recently averaged 470 parts per trillion for chromium 6. Put in perspective, these levels are 15 times higher than the concentration determined to have a negligible impact on cancer risk.

Arsenic In Anaheim Drinking Water

Arsenic is a toxic heavy metal known to cause cancer, among other adverse health effects. Arsenic originates in the source water itself. While Anaheim's water quality is technically in compliance with EPA water quality standards, it should be noted that EPA’s standard balances toxicity against the costs of removing arsenic from drinking water. The most recent tap water quality report for Anaheim reported an average arsenic concentration less than 2 parts per billion for customers whose water comes from the Lenain Water Treatment Facility. We recommend that anyone with more than 1 part per billion take steps to remove arsenic from their water, particularly if they have children.

Lead

Lead enters tap water through older lead service pipes and lead-containing plumbing. When corrosion control measures put in place by the municipality fail (such as what recently happened in Flint, Michigan), lead leaches into drinking water, and can reach unsafe levels. Currently, 2 out of 50 samples analyzed for lead in Anaheim were found to have less than 5 parts per billion. While Anaheim's water quality is currently in compliance with federal regulations, EPA and CDC both acknowledge that there is no safe level of lead. In addition, federal regulations cannot take into account levels measured at an individual tap.

Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs)

DBPs are a category of emerging contaminants that form when chlorine-based disinfectants are added to the water supply and combine with naturally-occurring organic matter. While these chemicals are not yet well-regulated, the 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. Anaheim’s tap water has recently had high levels of trihalomethanes, with an average of 71 ppb, and has measured low levels of haloacetic acids as well.

Chlorine

Like many municipalities in the United States, Anaheim adds chlorine to its water to protect against waterborne illness. While not considered toxic, many people find that removing chlorine from drinking water greatly improves the overall taste and odor. When your tap water is filtered, we expect that you will notice an immediate taste improvement.

Still Have Questions About Anaheim 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 Anaheim tap water, but all of our water filters provide broad protection against other contaminants commonly found in drinking water (e.g. VOCs, lead, solvents, pesticides, mercury).

If you’re interested in learning more about water filters that have been optimized for Anaheim 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.

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Eric Roy, Ph.D.  |  Scientific Founder 

Since a local news story broke about high levels of chromium 6 (also known as hexavalent chromium) in Houston's tap water (which serves about 2.2 million people), we've been getting a lot of questions about chromium 6. The goal of this Houston water contamination article is to speak to the science, comment on the current federal regulations, and to give Houston residents practical advice on how to reduce their exposure to Chromium 6.

Why Should I Care About Chromium 6 In Drinking Water?

Chromium 6 is a highly toxic form of chromium that is known to cause cancer in humans. It contaminates drinking water supplies through wastewater discharge from industries including: steel production, leather tanning, textile manufacturing, wood preservation, and electroplating. In more popular culture, it was the chemical made famous by Erin Brockovich, whose story was made into a movie starring Julia Roberts. To be clear, chromium 6 is NOT the same thing as chromium 3 (also known as trivalent chromium)

How High Are Chromium 6 Levels In Houston's Tap Water?

Houston's tap water chromium 6 levels are very high, 3rd highest of major US cities, behind only Phoenix and St. Louis. The 3 year average for Houston's drinking water supply is just under 750 parts per trillion, peaking at 6500 parts per trillion. To put it in perspective, these levels are roughly 35-300 times higher than the 20 part per trillion concentration established using criteria widely cited by scientists and doctors for negligible risk.

Is Houston In Violation Of Federal Regulations?

Even though it is a known carcinogen, the US EPA does not currently regulate chromium 6. Instead, EPA lumps highly toxic chromium 6 into the same category as chromium 3 (a form of chromium that is an essential dietary nutrient). Because chromium 6 is unregulated, water contaminated with high levels is considered "compliant" with federal regulations. This is absurd.

Are These High Levels Due To A Recent Temporary Spike In Chromium 6?

No. The local and nationwide stories are shining a light on a longstanding and ignored problem.

How Can Houston Residents Reduce Their Exposure To Chromium 6?

The only way to remove the chromium 6 from Houston's drinking water is to filter it out with a water filter that is designed to remove chromium 6 or reverse osmosis. Boiling or freezing water does not remove chromium 6.

As always, we encourage people to take advantage of our "Help No Matter What" approach to technical support. Our water quality experts will help you solve your problem, even if you have no intention of buying a Hydroviv Water Filter for your home.

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Kezia Snipe  |  Hydroviv Research Analyst 
Updated July 17, 2019 to include current data

We've updated our drinking water assessment of Phoenix, Arizona to include 2019 data. Our Water Nerds used data from the City of Phoenix Water Services Department, 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 and sell at Hydroviv are optimized to remove contaminants found in Phoenix, Arizona drinking water.

Source Of Phoenix Drinking Water

The sources of Phoenix’s city and tap water include rivers, lakes, streams, springs and wells. In 2018, about 98% of Phoenix’s water came from surface water that mostly started as snow pack. Phoenix obtains untreated surface water from the Salt, Verde and Colorado rivers. Supplementary water from the Agua Fria River is mixed with water from the Colorado River when needed. The water is then delivered to one of the city’s five water treatment plants.

Chromium 6 In Phoenix Drinking Water Is Highest In The US

Chromium 6 (also known as hexavalent chromium) is a highly toxic metal that is not regulated by the EPA. Unfortunately, Phoenix's city and tap water has some of the highest levels of Chromium 6 among major U.S. cities. In recent years, tap water in Phoenix has averaged 408 parts per billion. For the sake of perspective, these levels correspond to 400x and 2700x higher than the concentration determined by toxicologists to have negligible impact on cancer risk. We strongly recommend that all Phoneix residents filter their water for chromium 6.

Arsenic In Phoenix Drinking Water

According to data from the 2018 report, the average concentration of arsenic in Phoenix drinking water is 7 parts per billion. 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. Phoenix 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. We highly recommend that anyone with more than 1 part per billion take steps to remove arsenic from their water, especially those with children.

Lead Levels In Phoenix 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 samples analyzed for lead in Phoenix are over 3 parts per billion, with 2 of the 54 sites exceeding the 15 parts per billion federal action level. While currently in compliance with federal regulations, EPA and CDC both acknowledge that there is no safe level of lead for children. Hydroviv Undersink filters are NSF/ANSI 53 certified to remove lead from drinking water.

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.

Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs)

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.

Chlorine

Like many other municipalities in the United States, Phoenix injects its city and tap water with chlorine, which is typically used to protect against waterborne illness. Chlorine is not typically considered to be harmful on its own but many find that removing chlorine from drinking water greatly enhances its taste and odor.

Still Have Questions?

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” for the filters that we sell in Phoenix, but all of our filters provide broad protection against other contaminants commonly found in drinking water (e.g. VOCs, solvents, pesticides, mercury). If you’re interested in learning more about our city-specific water filters, 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, so check us out!

Analies Dyjak  |  Hydroviv Policy Analyst
**Updated June 18, 2021 to include current data 

For Hydroviv’s Oklahoma City water quality report, we aggregated water quality test data from Oklahoma City Utilities Department is required to publish an annual report of the city’s water quality. We cross referenced these data with toxicity studies in scientific and medical literature, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulatory standards, to determine major susceptibilities of Oklahoma City drinking water. Hydroviv water filters are built to remove contaminants found in Oklahoma City drinking water.

Source Of Oklahoma City Drinking Water

Oklahoma City water draws water from seven surface water reservoirs from five counties in Oklahoma. These sources include Canton Lake in northwest Oklahoma, McGee Creek, Lake Atoka, and Sardis Lake in southeastern Oklahoma, as well as Lake Overholser, Lake Hefner and Lake Stanley Draper in Oklahoma City.

Chromium 6 Levels In Oklahoma City Drinking Water

Chromium 6 is a highly toxic metal that is not regulated by the EPA. In recent years, Oklahoma City’s tap water has averaged 141 parts per trillion, with concentrations reaching 391 parts per trillion. These levels are up to 19 times higher than the concentration determined to have negligible impact on cancer risk.

Arsenic In Oklahoma City 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. Arsenic naturally exists in bedrock, and leaches into groundwater as rocks weather overtime. Arsenic exposure can also be exacerbated by human activities, such as mining. Oklahoma City is technically in compliance with the EPA’s loose water quality standards. It's important to point out that EPA’s standard for arsenic balances the toxicity against the costs of removal. The average concentration of arsenic is 2 parts per billion. Hydroviv recommends that anyone with more than 1 part per billion take steps to remove arsenic from their water.

Lead Levels In Oklahoma City Tap Water

Lead enters OKC's distribution system as water comes in contact with lead in the distribution lines. Lead can leaches from lead-containing pipes, valves, joints, and fixtures, and homes built before 1986 are particularly susceptible. 2015 was the most recent year when Oklahoma City collected samples for lead analysis, and they found that the 90th percentile was .62 parts per billion or below. For sake of comparison, the American Academy Of Pediatrics is lobbying for policy that fixes taps for children that produce water with more than 1 part per billion lead.

Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs) In Oklahoma City 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 website discloses that high levels of disinfection byproducts in drinking water are are associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer, as well as kidney, liver, and central nervous system problems. Oklahoma City's disinfection byproduct levels are on the upper end of compliance.

Use Of Chloramine In Oklahoma City Tap Water

While most cities use chlorine as the primary disinfectant, Oklahoma City water is disinfected with chloramine (which is formed by mixing chlorine and ammonia). Chloramine is the primary culprit for what many customers report as the “bad taste”of tap water, and unlike chlorine will not dissipate if left in the fridge overnight. Most one-size-fits-all water filters use filtration media that successfully removing chloramine, but the filters that Hydroviv builds for Oklahoma City use special filtration media that are designed to remove chloramine as well.

Still Have Questions About Oklahoma City Tap Water Or Water Quality In General?

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 Oklahoma City, but our filters provide broad protection against a wide range of additional contaminants found in Oklahoma City's tap water.

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