Water Standards and Definitions
Water Standards
To ensure that tap water is of the highest quality, the EPA prescribes regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Drinking water, including bottled water, may be reasonably expected to contain small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of these contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).
The source of drinking water (both tap and bottled water) includes rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs and wells. As water travels over land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally-occurring minerals, and in some cases radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity.
Therefore, water testing standards are established and enforced by the West Virginia Bureau of Public Health and the EPA. The following definitions are the federally regulated standards of comparison for tested contaminants:
Definitions of terms and abbreviations used in the table or report:
- MCLG - Maximum Contaminant Level Goal, or the level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.
- MCL - Maximum Contaminant Level, or the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technique.
- MRDLG - Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal, or the level of drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect benefits of use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants.
- MRDL: Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level, or the highest level of disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of disinfectant is necessary to control microbial contaminants.
- AL - Action Level, or the concentration of a contaminant which, when exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.
- TT - Treatment Technique, or a required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.
- ND - Non-Detectable, the amount of analyte present is below the level that could be detected or reliably quantified using a particular EPA approved analytical method.
Abbreviations that may be found in the table:
- ppm - parts per million or milligrams per liter
- ppb - parts per billion or micrograms per liter
- NTU - Nephelometric Turbidity Unit, used to measure cloudiness in water
- NE - not established
- N/A - not applicable
Important note!
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general public. Immuno-compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice from their health care providers. EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).