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Dover Water Department

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Contaminants Detected

EXCEED GUIDELINES

Chromium (hexavalent)

Potential Effect: cancer

This Utility: 0.120 ppb

No Legal Limit

6x

EWG's Health Guideline: 0.02 ppb

Chromium (hexavalent)

Chromium (hexavalent) is a carcinogen that commonly contaminates American drinking water. Chromium (hexavalent) in drinking water may be due to industrial pollution or natural occurrences in mineral deposits and groundwater. Read more about chromium (hexavalent).

more about this contaminant

Chromium (hexavalent) was found at 6 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.02 ppb or less

This Utility

0.12 ppb

National Average

0.44 ppb

State Average

0.0718 ppb

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.02 ppb for chromium (hexavalent) was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. This health guideline protects against cancer.

Legal Limit

None

Understanding the Data

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2013-2023.

ppb = parts per billion
VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

Industry

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

Reverse Osmosis

Ion Exchange

Haloacetic acids (HAA9)

Potential Effect: cancer

This Utility: 3.45 ppb

No Legal Limit

57x

EWG's Health Guideline: 0.06 ppb

Haloacetic acids (HAA9)

Haloacetic acids are formed when disinfectants such as chlorine are added to tap water. The group of nine haloacetic acids includes monochloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, monobromoacetic acid and dibromoacetic acid, which are regulated as a group by the federal government (HAA5); and bromochloroacetic acid, bromodichloroacetic acid, chlorodibromoacetic acid, and tribromoacetic acid.

more about this contaminant

Haloacetic acids (HAA9) was found at 57 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.06 ppb or less

This Utility

3.45 ppb

National Average

23.7 ppb

State Average

16.1 ppb

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.06 ppb for the group of nine haloacetic acids, or HAA9, was defined in a peer-reviewed scientific study by EWG and represents a one-in-a-million lifetime cancer risk level as . This health guideline protects against cancer.

Legal Limit

None

Understanding the Data

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2018-2021.

ppb = parts per billion
VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

Treatment Byproducts

Filtering Options

Activated Carbon

Reverse Osmosis

Radium, combined (-226 and -228)

Potential Effect: cancer

This Utility: 0.20 pCi/L

Legal Limit: 5 pCi/L

4x

EWG's Health Guideline: 0.05 pCi/L

Radium, combined (-226 and -228)

Radium is a radioactive element that causes bone cancer and other cancers. It can occur naturally in groundwater, and oil and gas extraction activities such as hydraulic fracturing can elevate concentrations.

more about this contaminant

Radium, combined (-226 and -228) was found at 4 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.05 pCi/L or less

This Utility

0.2 pCi/L

Legal Limit

5 pCi/L

National Average

0.33 pCi/L

State Average

0.37 pCi/L

Health Risks

EWG applied the health guideline of 0.05 pCi/L, defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal for radium-226, to radium-226 and radium-228 combined. This health guideline protects against cancer.

Understanding the Data

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2018-2023.

pCi/L = picocuries per liter
VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

Industry

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

Reverse Osmosis

Ion Exchange

Includes chemicals detected in 2021-2023 for which annual utility averages exceeded an EWG-selected health guideline established by a federal or state public health authority; radiological contaminants detected between 2018 and 2023.

OTHER DETECTED

1,4-Dioxane

This Utility: 0.0860 ppb

No Legal Limit

EWG's Health Guideline: 0.35 ppb

1,4-Dioxane

1,4-Dioxane is a solvent classified by the EPA as a likely human carcinogen. It contaminates groundwater in many states due to industrial wastewater discharges, plastic manufacturing runoff and landfill runoff.

more about this contaminant

How your levels compare

EWG Health Guideline

0.35 ppb or less

This Utility

0.086 ppb

National Average

0.0539 ppb

State Average

0.00605 ppb

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.35 ppb for 1,4-dioxane was defined by the Environmental Protection Agency as a one-in-a-million lifetime risk of cancer. Values greater than one-in-a-million cancer risk level can result in increased cancer cases above one in a million people.

Legal Limit

None

Understanding the Data

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2013-2023.

ppb = parts per billion
VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

Industry

Runoff & Sprawl

Filtering Options

Reverse Osmosis

Chlorate

This Utility: 246.4 ppb

No Legal Limit

EWG's Health Guideline: 210 ppb

Chlorate

Chlorate forms in drinking water as a byproduct of disinfection. Chlorate impairs thyroid function, making chlorate exposure most harmful during pregnancy and childhood.

more about this contaminant

How your levels compare

EWG Health Guideline

210 ppb or less

This Utility

246.4 ppb

National Average

116.8 ppb

State Average

167.5 ppb

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 210 ppb for chlorate was defined by the Environmental Protection Agency as a benchmark for testing under the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule program. This health guideline protects against hormone disruption.

Legal Limit

None

Understanding the Data

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2013-2023.

ppb = parts per billion
VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

Agriculture

Industry

Treatment Byproducts

Lithium

This Utility: 4.28 ppb

No Legal Limit

No EWG Health Guideline

Lithium

Lithium occurs naturally in soil and rock. It is a pollutant from mining and industrial manufacturing of metals, ceramics and batteries. Ingesting too much lithium can lead to symptoms like abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.

more about this contaminant

How your levels compare

This Utility

4.28 ppb

National Average

8.74 ppb

State Average

0.632 ppb

EWG Health Guideline

Not yet determined

Legal Limit

None

Understanding the Data

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2018-2024.

ppb = parts per billion
VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

Industry

Runoff & Sprawl

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

Reverse Osmosis

Ion Exchange

Manganese

This Utility: 38.3 ppb

No Legal Limit

EWG's Health Guideline: 100 ppb

Manganese

Manganese is a naturally occurring element that is common in food and drinking water. Excessive manganese exposures may impair children's attention, memory and intellectual capacity. Click here to read more about manganese.

more about this contaminant

How your levels compare

EWG Health Guideline

100 ppb or less

This Utility

38.3 ppb

National Average

8.66 ppb

State Average

33.9 ppb

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 100 ppb for manganese was defined by the state of Minnesota as a health risk limit, the concentration of a contaminant that can be consumed with little or no risk to health. This health guideline protects against harm to the brain and nervous system.

Legal Limit

None

Understanding the Data

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2013-2023.

ppb = parts per billion
VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

Industry

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

Ion Exchange

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)

This Utility: 0.215 ppt

Proposed Legal Limit: 4 ppt

EWG's Health Guideline: 0.3 ppt

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. PFOS and other perfluorinated chemicals can cause serious health effects, including cancer, endocrine disruption, accelerated puberty, liver and immune system damage, and thyroid changes. These chemicals are persistent in the environment and they accumulate in people. Click here to read more about perfluorinated chemicals.

more about this contaminant

How your levels compare

EWG Health Guideline

0.3 ppt or less

This Utility

0.215 ppt

Proposed Legal Limit

4 ppt

National Average

1.15 ppt

State Average

0.553 ppt

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.3 ppt for PFOS was defined by EPA's final toxicity value from the Office of Water’s Final Human Health Toxicity Assessment. This health guideline protects againat cardiovascular harm and harm to fetal growth.

Understanding the Data

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2013-2024.

ppt = parts per trillion
VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

Industry

Runoff & Sprawl

Filtering Options

Activated Carbon

Reverse Osmosis

Strontium

This Utility: 0.129 ppb

No Legal Limit

EWG's Health Guideline: 1,500 ppb

Strontium

Strontium is a metal that accumulates in the bones. Radioactive strontium-90 can cause bone cancer and leukemia, and any form of strontium at high doses can harm bone health.

more about this contaminant

How your levels compare

EWG Health Guideline

1,500 ppb or less

This Utility

0.129 ppb

National Average

0.488 ppb

State Average

0.0767 ppb

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 1,500 ppb for strontium was defined by the Environmental Protection Agency as a benchmark for testing under the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule program. This health guideline protects against harm to bones.

Legal Limit

None

Understanding the Data

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2013-2023.

ppb = parts per billion
VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

Industry

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

Reverse Osmosis

Ion Exchange

Uranium

This Utility: 0.03 pCi/L

Legal Limit: 20 pCi/L

EWG's Health Guideline: 0.43 pCi/L

Uranium

Uranium is a known human carcinogen. The federal legal limit for uranium is set at 30 micrograms per liter (corresponding to parts per billion), but utilities can also report uranium in picocuries per liter (pCi/L), which is a measure of radioactivity in water. EWG translated all uranium results to pCi/L using a conversion factor developed by the EPA. With this conversion approach, the limit of 30 ppb corresponds to 20 pCi/L. Drinking water with this much uranium would cause more than 4.6 cancer cases in a population of 100,000. California set a public health goal for uranium of 0.43 pCi/L.

more about this contaminant

How your levels compare

EWG Health Guideline

0.43 pCi/L or less

This Utility

0.03 pCi/L

Legal Limit

20 pCi/L

National Average

1.03 pCi/L

State Average

0.9 pCi/L

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.43 pCi/L for uranium was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. Three most common uranium isotopes are U-234, U-235 and U-238. All isotopes of uranium are radioactive, and the total radioactivity depends on the ratio of isotopes. This health guideline protects against cancer.

Understanding the Data

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2018-2023.

pCi/L = picocuries per liter
VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

Industry

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

Reverse Osmosis

Ion Exchange

Includes chemicals detected in 2021-2023 for which annual utility averages were lower than an EWG-selected health guideline established by a federal or state public health authority.

Other Contaminants Tested

✕

Chemicals tested for but not detected:

1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane, 1,1,1-Trichloroethane, 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane, 1,1,2-Trichloroethane, 1,1-Dichloroethane, 1,1-Dichloroethylene, 1,1-Dichloropropene, 1,2,3-Trichlorobenzene, 1,2,3-Trichloropropane, 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene, 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP), 1,2-Dichloroethane, 1,2-Dichloropropane, 1,3,5-Trichlorobenzene, 1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene, 1,3-Butadiene, 1,3-Dichloropropane, 1-butanol, 11-chloroeicosafluoro-3-oxaundecane-1-sulfonic aci, 2,2-Dichloropropane, 2,3-Dichlorobiphenyl, 2,4,5-TP (Silvex), 2,4,5-Trichlorobiphenyl, 2,4-D, 2-Chlorobiphenyl, 2-Hexanone, 2-methoxyethanol, 2-Methyl naphthalene, 2-propen-1-ol, 22'3'46-Pentachlorobiphenyl, 22'33'44'6-Heptachlorobiphenyl, 22'33'45'66'-Octachlorobiphenyl, 22'44'-Tetrachlorobiphenyl, 22'44'56'-Hexachlorobiphenyl, 3-Hydroxycarbofuran, 4,8-dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoic acid (ADONA), 4:2 Fluorotelomer Sulfonic Acid (4:2 FTSA), 6:2 Fluorotelomer Sulfonic Acid (6:2 FTSA), 8:2 Fluorotelomer Sulfonic Acid (8:2 FTSA), 9-chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanone-1-sulfonic acid (, Acenaphthene, Acenaphthylene, Acetone, Acifluorfen (Blazer), Alachlor (Lasso), Aldicarb, Aldicarb sulfone, Aldicarb sulfoxide, Aldrin, alpha-Chlordane, Alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane, Anthracene, Antimony, Arsenic, Atrazine, Benzene, Benzo[a]anthracene, Benzo[a]pyrene, Benzo[b]fluoranthene, Benzo[g,h,i]perylene, Benzo[k]fluoranthene, Beryllium, Bromobenzene, Bromochloromethane, Bromomethane, Butachlor, Butanoic acid, 2,2,3,3,4,4-hexafluoro-4-(trifluoro, Butyl benzyl phthalate, Butylated hydroxyanisole, Cadmium, Carbaryl, Carbofuran, Carbon tetrachloride, Chlordane, Chlorodifluoromethane, Chloroethane, Chloromethane, Chlorpyriphos, Chromium (total), Chrysene, cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene, cis-1,3-Dichloropropene, Cobalt, Cyanide, Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate, Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, Di-n-butyl phthalate, Dibenz[a,h]anthracene, Dibromomethane, Dicamba, Dichlorodifluoromethane, Dichloromethane (methylene chloride), Dieldrin, Diethyl phthalate, Dimethipin, Dimethyl phthalate, Dinoseb, Diquat, Endrin, Endrin aldehyde, Ethoprop, Ethyl ether, Ethyl tert-butyl ether, Ethylbenzene, Ethylene dibromide, Fluoranthene, Fluorene, gamma-Chlordane, Germanium, Glyphosate, Heptachlor, Heptachlor epoxide, Hexachlorobenzene (HCB), Hexachlorobutadiene, Hexachlorocyclopentadiene, Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA), Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, Isophorone, Isopropyl ether, Isopropylbenzene, Lindane, m-Dichlorobenzene, Mercury (inorganic), Methomyl, Methoxychlor, Methyl ethyl ketone, Methyl isobutyl ketone, Metolachlor, Metribuzin, Molybdenum, Monobromoacetic acid, Monochloroacetic acid, Monochlorobenzene (chlorobenzene), n-Butylbenzene, N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamido acetic acid (N, N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid, n-Propylbenzene, Naphthalene, Nitrite, Nonafluoro-3,6-dioxaheptanoic acid, o-Chlorotoluene, o-Dichlorobenzene, o-toluidine, Oxamyl (Vydate), Oxyflurofen, p-Chlorotoluene, p-Dichlorobenzene, p-Isopropyltoluene, Para-para DDE, Para-para DDT, Para-para DDT, Pentachlorophenol, Perfluoro(2-ethoxyethane)sulfonic acid, Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS), Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), Perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA), Perfluoroheptane sulfonic acid (PFHpS), Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA), Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS), Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA), Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), Perfluoropentane sulfonic acid (PFPeS), Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA), Perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTA), Perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA), Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA), Permethrin, Phenanthrene, Picloram, Profenofos, Propachlor, Propanoic acid, 2,2,3,3-tetrafluoro-3-(trifluorome, Pyrene, Quinoline, sec-Butylbenzene, Selenium, Silver, Simazine, Styrene, Tebuconazole, tert-Amyl methyl ether, tert-Butyl alcohol, tert-Butylbenzene, Tetrahydrofuran, Thallium, Toluene, Toxaphene, trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene, trans-1,3-Dichloropropene, trans-Nonachlor, Tribufos, Trichloroethylene, Trichlorofluoromethane, Trifluralin, Vanadium, Vinyl chloride, Xylenes (total)

Find A Filter

Utility: 

Dover Water Department
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Carbon Filters

FILTERS 1 contaminants exceeding guidelines (+1 others)

Can reduce the levels of many common contaminants.

pros

  • Lower upfront cost
  • Reduced maintenance

cons

  • Does not remove all contaminants

Reverse Osmosis

FILTERS 3 contaminants exceeding guidelines (+5 others)

Can reduce the levels of many common contaminants.

pros

  • Most effective

cons

  • Higher upfront cost
  • Requires more maintenance
  • Wastes water

Other Considerations

Ion Exchange

Pros: Softens hard water, Reduces some contaminants

Cons: Doesn’t remove all contaminants

Whole-House Filters

Pros: Useful for reducing radiologicals and TCE

Cons: Expensive to install and maintain, Risk of bacterial contamination

Distillation

Pros: Removes heavy metals and harmful microbes

Cons: Does not reduce most contaminants

Explore filter options for each contaminant. See which technologies are effective at reducing specific contaminants to help you make an informed decision on the best water treatment solution for your needs.

CONTAMINANTS ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES activated carbon reverse osmosis ion exchange
Chromium (hexavalent)
Haloacetic acids (HAA9)
Radium, combined (-226 & -228)
OTHER CONTAMINANTS DETECTED activated carbon reverse osmosis ion exchange
1,4-Dioxane
Chlorate
Lithium
Manganese
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)
Strontium
Uranium, combined (pCi/L)