Hexavalent chromium story

A report from a group in California is making the media/social-media rounds today. It seems to call into question the amount of chromium-6 (hexavalent chromium, a subset of total chromium) in many Northeast Ohio water supplies. We want all our customers to know that Avon Lake Regional Water meets or exceeds all Ohio and national drinking water standards. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) has an established level for total chromium of 100 parts per billion (PPB). Our most recent testing indicates our total chromium level is below detection limits. That means our water contains less than 3 PPB (that’s the smallest amount that can be measured), at least thirty times lower than the USEPA standard. There is no national standard for chromium-6. Some states have established standards for that chemical. California, for example, has established a maximum allowed level of 10 PPB. Recent testing on our system showed an average level of 0.08 PPB, with a range of 0.05 PPB to 0.1PPB (at least 100 times below California’s standard).

Differences in chromium-6 levels between cities (even on the same water system) are not surprising. Variations naturally occur due to testing taking place at different times, on different days and on water that has been in the system for different lengths of time. In addition, the amounts of chromium being measured are so tiny, even when the numbers look different, the difference is most likely negligible.

Avon Lake Regional Water will continue to work to meet or exceed all national and state drinking water standards as we continue our role in maintaining public health.