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2008 Standards & Guidelines for Contaminants in Massachusetts Drinking Water
The Drinking Water List of Standards and Guidelines is a convenient compendium of guidance values available for evaluating contaminants in drinking water in Massachusetts. The list is designed to be used by individuals or groups concerned with the integrity of drinking water, for example, water suppliers, homeowners, environmental groups, government regulators, boards of health, or private consultants.
In addition to the drinking water standards and guidelines listed below, MassDEP has also derived Immediate Action Levels for routinely used water treatment chemicals, to enable water treatment plant operators to identify and address serious incidents of chemical overfeed or misuse. These may be found at: http://mass.gov/dep/water/laws/ialwtps.htm.
The guidance values are contained in five separate lists, in the following order:
There have been no changes to these values from last year's lists.
|
Inorganic and Organic Chemicals |
| Substance |
CASRN |
MMCL (mg/L) |
| Acrylamide [1] |
79061 |
Treatment Technique |
| Alachlor |
15972608 |
0.002 |
| Antimony |
7440360 |
0.006 |
| Arsenic |
7440382 |
0.010 |
| Asbestos [2] |
1332214 |
7 million fibers/liter |
| Atrazine |
1912249 |
0.003 |
| Barium |
7440393 |
2 |
| Benzene |
71432 |
0.005 |
| Benzo(a)pyrene |
50328 |
0.0002 |
| Beryllium |
7440417 |
0.004 |
| Bromate |
15541454 |
0.010 |
| Cadmium |
7440439 |
0.005 |
| Carbofuran |
1563662 |
0.04 |
| Carbon tetrachloride |
56235 |
0.005 |
| Chloramines (as Cl2) |
N/A |
|
| Chlordane |
57749 |
0.002 |
| Chlorine (as Cl2) |
7782505 |
4.0 (MRDL) |
| Chlorine dioxide (as ClO2) |
10049044 |
0.8 (MRDL) |
| Chlorite |
7758192 |
1.0 |
| Chlorobenzene |
108907 |
0.1 |
| Chromium (total) |
7440473 |
0.1 |
| Copper |
7440508 |
Treatment Technique, 1.3 (Action Level) |
| Cyanide (as free cyanide) |
57125 |
0.2 |
| 2,4-D (2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) |
94757 |
0.07 |
| Dalapon |
75990 |
0.2 |
| 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) |
96128 |
0.0002 |
| 1,2-Dichlorobenzene (o-DCB) |
95501 |
0.6 |
| 1,4-Dichlorobenzene (p-DCB) [4] |
106467 |
0.005 |
| 1,2-Dichloroethane |
107062 |
0.005 |
| 1,1-Dichloroethylene |
75354 |
0.007 |
| 1,2-Dichloroethylene(cis) |
156592 |
0.07 |
| 1,2-Dichloroethylene(trans) |
156605 |
0.1 |
| Dichloromethane |
75092 |
0.005 |
| 1,2-Dichloropropane |
78875 |
0.005 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl)-adipate |
103231 |
0.4 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate |
117817 |
0.006 |
| Dinoseb |
88857 |
0.007 |
| Diquat |
85007 |
0.02 |
| Endothall |
145733 |
0.1 |
| Endrin |
72208 |
0.002 |
| Epichlorohydrin [5] |
106898 |
Treatment Technique |
| Ethylbenzene |
100414 |
0.7 |
| Ethylene dibromide (EDB) [6] |
106934 |
0.00002 |
| Fluoride |
7782414 |
4.0 |
| Glyphosate |
1071536 |
0.7 |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) (for chlorinated supplies only): including monochloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, bromoacetic acid and dibromoacetic acid |
N/A |
0.060 |
| Heptachlor |
76448 |
0.0004 |
| Heptachlor epoxide |
1024573 |
0.0002 |
| Hexachlorobenzene |
118741 |
0.001 |
| Hexachlorocyclopentadiene |
77474 |
0.05 |
| Lead |
7439921 |
Treatment Technique, 0.015 (Action Level) |
| Lindane |
58899 |
0.0002 |
| Mercury (inorganic) |
7439976 |
0.002 |
| Methoxychlor |
72435 |
0.04 |
| Nitrate (As N) |
14797558 |
10 |
| Nitrate/Nitrite (total) |
N/A |
10 |
| Nitrite (As N) |
14797650 |
1 |
| Oxamyl (Vydate) |
23135220 |
0.2 |
| PCBs (Polychlorinated biphenyls) [7] |
1336363 |
0.0005 |
| Pentachlorophenol |
87865 |
0.001 |
| Perchlorate [8] |
Various |
0.002 |
| Picloram |
1918021 |
0.5 |
| Selenium |
7782492 |
0.05 |
| Simazine |
122349 |
0.004 |
| Styrene |
100425 |
0.1 |
| 2,3,7,8-TCDD (Dioxin) |
1746016 |
3 x 10-8 |
| Tetrachloroethylene |
127184 |
0.005 |
| Thallium |
7440280 |
0.002 |
| Toluene |
108883 |
1 |
| Total trihalomethanes (for chlorinated supplies only) |
N/A |
0.080 |
| Including: Chloroform |
67663 |
|
| Chlorodibromomethane |
124481 |
N/A |
| Bromodichloromethane |
75274 |
N/A |
| Bromoform |
75252 |
N/A |
| Toxaphene |
8001352 |
0.003 |
| 2,4,5-TP (Silvex) |
93721 |
0.05 |
| 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene |
120821 |
0.07 |
| 1,1,1-Trichloroethane |
71556 |
0.2 |
| 1,1,2-Trichloroethane |
79005 |
0.005 |
| Trichloroethylene |
79016 |
0.005 |
| Vinyl chloride |
75014 |
0.002 |
| Xylenes (total) |
1330207 |
10 |
[1] No numerical MCL is provided for these compounds. If detected, a treatment technique is specified. Each water system must certify, in writing, to the state (using third-party or manufacturer’s certification) that when acrylamide and epichlorohydrin are used in drinking water systems, the combination (or product) of dose and monomer level does not exceed the levels specified, as follows:
- Acrylamide = 0.05% dosed at 1 mg/L (or equivalent)
- Epichlorohydrin = 0.01% dosed at 20 mg/L (or equivalent)
[2]For fibers longer than 10 microns.
[3]MRDL = maximum residual disinfectant level - the highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.
[4] The MMCL for this chemical is more stringent than the federal MCL.
[5]See footnote 1 above.
[6]See footnote 4 above.
[7] The MCL for PCBs applies to the decachlorobiphenyl species.
[8]The MCL is directed at the sensitive subgroups of pregnant women, infants, children up to the age of 12, and individuals with hypothyroidism. They should not consume drinking water containing concentrations of perchlorate exceeding 2 mg/L. MassDEP recommends that no one consume water containing perchlorate concentrations greater than 18 mg/L.
[9]Not applicable
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[10] Exceedance of this guideline indicates that air sampling for Radon-222 should be done. EPA proposed guidelines for radon (64 FR 211; Tuesday, November 2, 1999) which have not been finalized.
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|
Biologicals |
| Substance |
CASRN |
MMCL |
| Cryptosporidium |
N/A |
Treatment Technique |
| Giardia lamblia |
N/A |
Treatment Technique |
| Heterotrophic plate count |
N/A |
Treatment Technique |
| Legionella |
N/A |
Treatment Technique |
| Total coliform bacteria (including fecal coliform and E. coli) |
N/A |
refer to 310 CMR 22.05 |
| Turbidity |
N/A |
Treatment Technique |
| Viruses (enteric) |
N/A |
Treatment Technique |
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All guidelines are current with the information listed in the U.S. EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) as of March 19, 2008, except where noted.
[11] The MCLs for aldicarb, aldicarb sulfone and aldicarb sulfoxide have been stayed.
[12] See footnote 11 above.
[13] See footnote 11 above.
[14] This guideline applies to non-chlorinated water supplies. For chlorinated drinking water supplies, please contact the Drinking Water Program.
[15] The health-based guidelinefor MTBE was reviewed by ORS in 2000.
[16] The MCL for Nickel has been remanded and is no longer in effect; however, the current EPA IRIS chronic oral reference dose for soluble salts of nickel (http://www.epa.gov/iris/subst/0271.htm) supports this value and it is also the currently listed EPA Life-time Health Advisory value (http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/criteria/drinking/dwstandards.pdf).
[17] Monitoring for these compounds is not required but is done on a case-by-case basis. These limits may be used when evaluating health risks posed by clearly identified mixtures of petroleum hydrocarbon compounds. The analytical methods to use to generate data to compare to the Drinking Water Guidelines are the Volatile Petroleum Hydrocarbon (VPH) and the Extractable Petroleum Hydrocarbon (EPH) methods developed by the MassDEP (MassDEP 1998).
[18] The overlap in the C9-C12 range is the result of the VPH and EPH analytical methods used to quantitate these ranges of petroleum hydrocarbons in drinking water. The choice of themost appropriate range to use is based on the identity of the petroleum product of concern and is therefore determined on a case-specific basis.
[19] See footnote 9 above.
[20] All detections of sodium must be reported. Please refer to 310 CMR 22.06A for the specific requirements. The sodium guideline of 20 mg/L is based on an eight (8) ounce serving.
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|
Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels |
| Chemicals/Parameter |
Status |
SMCL (mg/L) |
| Aluminum |
|
0.05 to 0.2 |
| Chloride |
F |
250 |
| Color |
F |
15 Color Units |
| Copper |
F |
1 |
| Corrosivity |
F |
non-corrosive |
| Fluoride |
F |
2 |
| Foaming agents |
F |
0.5 |
| Iron |
F |
0.3 |
| Manganese |
F |
0.05 |
| Methyl tertiary butyl ether [22] |
|
0.020-0.040 |
| Odor |
F |
3 threshold odor numbers |
| pH |
F |
6.5 - 8.5 |
| Silver |
F |
0.10 |
| Sulfate |
F |
|
| Total dissolved solids (TDS) |
F |
500 |
| Zinc |
F |
5 |
Secondary Standards are referenced in the Massachusetts Drinking Water Regulations (310 CMR 22.07 (d)).
[21] Final
[22] The secondary MCL for MTBE is based on the Drinking Water Advisory set by EPA and is based on taste and odor considerations.
[23] Advisory
[24] An MCL of 500 mg/L has been proposed by USEPA (Federal Register 12/20/94).
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Contact Information
For more information about these standards please contact Michael Hutcheson, MassDEP Office of Research and Standards, at:
michael.hutcheson@state.ma.us or 617-292-5998.
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