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CONTAMINANT

Cobalt

STATES DETECTED

34

serves

17 million

utilities detected

392

states detected

0

serves

0

utilities detected

0

Overview

Cobalt is a metal found throughout the environment; people may be exposed to cobalt in air, food and drinking water.

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 70 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 70 ppb for cobalt was defined by the Environmental Protection Agency as a benchmark for testing under the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule program. This health guideline protects against change in blood chemistry.

ppb = parts per billion

National Standard Exists

Health Concerns:

  • Harm to the heart

  • Change in blood chemistry

  • Harm to the stomach and intestines

Want to remove
Cobalt from your water?

Try these filter technologies:

Reverse Osmosis, 

Ion Exchange, 

understand filter technology

Cobalt around the Country

UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION
State Utilities People Served
Texas805,294,708
New York352,476,748
New Jersey572,033,341
California241,266,968
Arizona9844,654
Louisiana8664,036
Florida12490,257
Delaware10395,981
Massachusetts19358,086
North Carolina29350,710
Wisconsin12344,635
Maryland5334,421
Idaho4288,185
Georgia8279,491
Pennsylvania10275,935
Illinois12272,977
Minnesota7211,152
Iowa7195,364
Virginia3183,215
Alabama9170,376
Colorado4134,911
Michigan286,234
Tennessee280,231
New Mexico375,131
Missouri473,592
Oregon150,003
South Carolina447,221
Oklahoma238,163
Kentucky230,937
New Hampshire225,958
Nebraska225,562
Rhode Island125,200
Mississippi218,287
Nevada115,830

Utilities with the highest amounts of cobalt, 2013-2016

ALL UTILITIES
LARGE UTILITIES
Utility Location Tests Average level People served
Fieldsboro Water DepartmentFieldsboro, NJ3 of 315.8 ppb650
Bordentown Water Departm*Bordentown, NJ3 of 315.8 ppb15,821
Cape GirardeauCape Girardeau, MO1 of 811.7 ppb39,941
Franklin Square WDFranklin Square, NY4 of 811.3 ppb20,000
South Brunswick Twp W*Rocky Hill, NJ4 of 166.71 ppb45,450
The Orchard DevelopmentSavannah, GA4 of 83.90 ppb639
South Huntington Water DepartmentCenterport, NY9 of 243.84 ppb81,760
Hicksville WDHicksville, NY9 of 243.34 ppb48,000
Bridgewater Water DepartmentBridgewater, MA12 of 163.14 ppb26,563
Cottage GroveCottage Grove, MN6 of 83.03 ppb39,712
Whittier Water Department*Whittier, CA4 of 42.55 ppb49,954
Houston County - Feagin Mill*Warner Robins, GA6 of 82.38 ppb92,971
Merchantville PennsaukenPennsauken, NJ2 of 182.16 ppb47,144
Bennettsville, City of*Bennettsville, SC6 of 121.97 ppb9,070
NJ American Water - Atlantic CountyEgg Harbor Township, NJ18 of 261.95 ppb120,146
Bethpage WDBethpage, NY9 of 121.92 ppb33,000
Liberty New York Water - MerrickMerrick, NY13 of 201.88 ppb177,000
Town of Hempstead Water DepartmentEast Meadow, NY24 of 361.86 ppb110,000
Moscow Water DepartmentMoscow, ID2 of 201.86 ppb26,000
East Windsor MUAEast Windsor Township, NJ3 of 121.84 ppb25,000
Liberty New York Water - LynbrookMerrick, NY31 of 501.83 ppb220,000
Glen Burnie-BroadneckMillersville, MD11 of 241.81 ppb290,606
Bridgeton City Water DepartmentBridgeton, NJ7 of 71.78 ppb22,770
Aqua NJ - Hamilton Square*Hamilton, NJ8 of 181.76 ppb39,128
Robbinsville Township - Newtown VillageRobbinsville, NJ8 of 181.76 ppb300
Brookwood Comm. Water SystemDenver, NC30 of 481.74 ppb15,665
Monroe Township Utility DepartmentMonroe Township, NJ3 of 81.65 ppb33,402
Suburban Water Systems - WhittierCovina, CA6 of 81.64 ppb66,045
Oatman Water CompanyScottsdale, AZ4 of 41.63 ppb180
Massapequa WDMassapequa, NY15 of 201.61 ppb43,000
Plainview WDPlainview, NY8 of 151.59 ppb35,000
City of Laurinburg*Laurinburg, NC2 of 41.46 ppb18,288
Scotland County Water-south*Laurinburg, NC2 of 41.46 ppb1,905
Scotland Co. Water - Malloy RdLaurinburg, NC2 of 41.46 ppb330
Scotland Co. Water - Gillis HillLaurinburg, NC2 of 41.46 ppb965
Scotland Co. Water - Barnes BridgeLaurinburg, NC2 of 41.46 ppb584
City of BradentonBradenton, FL4 of 81.29 ppb58,584
Parker, City of Water SystemParker, FL1 of 81.18 ppb4,273
West Escambia Utilities Inc.Atmore, AL3 of 261.13 ppb12,060
Lexie Water Association Inc.Tylertown, MS1 of 21.10 ppb4,290
Willingboro MUA*Willingbor0, NJ2 of 81.08 ppb35,000
Millville Water DepartmentMillville, NJ6 of 121.06 ppb27,500
Moorestown Water DepartmentMoorestown, NJ2 of 111.04 ppb20,700
Aqua NJ - Eastern DivisionHamilton, NJ3 of 60.967 ppb12,000
Pickens County Water and F. P. Authority*Carrollton, AL3 of 280.950 ppb14,364
Carrollton Water WorksCarrollton, AL3 of 280.950 ppb1,305
Rockford*Rockford, IL14 of 540.940 ppb147,051
Green Meadow Estates Of Rockford LlcKnoxville, IL14 of 540.940 ppb250
PerryPerry, GA2 of 30.933 ppb31,608
RosemountRosemount, MN4 of 80.925 ppb22,445

* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Cobalt, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Bordentown Water Departm*Bordentown, NJ3 of 315.8 ppb15,821
Cape GirardeauCape Girardeau, MO1 of 811.7 ppb39,941
Franklin Square WDFranklin Square, NY4 of 811.3 ppb20,000
South Brunswick Twp W*Rocky Hill, NJ4 of 166.71 ppb45,450
South Huntington Water DepartmentCenterport, NY9 of 243.84 ppb81,760
Hicksville WDHicksville, NY9 of 243.34 ppb48,000
Bridgewater Water DepartmentBridgewater, MA12 of 163.14 ppb26,563
Cottage GroveCottage Grove, MN6 of 83.03 ppb39,712
Whittier Water Department*Whittier, CA4 of 42.55 ppb49,954
Houston County - Feagin Mill*Warner Robins, GA6 of 82.38 ppb92,971
Merchantville PennsaukenPennsauken, NJ2 of 182.16 ppb47,144
NJ American Water - Atlantic CountyEgg Harbor Township, NJ18 of 261.95 ppb120,146
Bethpage WDBethpage, NY9 of 121.92 ppb33,000
Liberty New York Water - MerrickMerrick, NY13 of 201.88 ppb177,000
Town of Hempstead Water DepartmentEast Meadow, NY24 of 361.86 ppb110,000
Moscow Water DepartmentMoscow, ID2 of 201.86 ppb26,000
East Windsor MUAEast Windsor Township, NJ3 of 121.84 ppb25,000
Liberty New York Water - LynbrookMerrick, NY31 of 501.83 ppb220,000
Glen Burnie-BroadneckMillersville, MD11 of 241.81 ppb290,606
Bridgeton City Water DepartmentBridgeton, NJ7 of 71.78 ppb22,770
Aqua NJ - Hamilton Square*Hamilton, NJ8 of 181.76 ppb39,128
Brookwood Comm. Water SystemDenver, NC30 of 481.74 ppb15,665
Monroe Township Utility DepartmentMonroe Township, NJ3 of 81.65 ppb33,402
Suburban Water Systems - WhittierCovina, CA6 of 81.64 ppb66,045
Massapequa WDMassapequa, NY15 of 201.61 ppb43,000
Plainview WDPlainview, NY8 of 151.59 ppb35,000
City of Laurinburg*Laurinburg, NC2 of 41.46 ppb18,288
City of BradentonBradenton, FL4 of 81.29 ppb58,584
West Escambia Utilities Inc.Atmore, AL3 of 261.13 ppb12,060
Willingboro MUA*Willingbor0, NJ2 of 81.08 ppb35,000
Millville Water DepartmentMillville, NJ6 of 121.06 ppb27,500
Moorestown Water DepartmentMoorestown, NJ2 of 111.04 ppb20,700
Aqua NJ - Eastern DivisionHamilton, NJ3 of 60.967 ppb12,000
Pickens County Water and F. P. Authority*Carrollton, AL3 of 280.950 ppb14,364
Rockford*Rockford, IL14 of 540.940 ppb147,051
PerryPerry, GA2 of 30.933 ppb31,608
RosemountRosemount, MN4 of 80.925 ppb22,445
Vineland Water & Sewer UtilityVineland, NJ15 of 300.917 ppb36,250
Acton MUD*Granbury, TX16 of 680.891 ppb21,078
Norton Water DepartmentNorton, MA8 of 200.880 ppb19,031
Garden CityGarden City, NY5 of 140.879 ppb46,000
Rockville CentreRockville Centre, NY5 of 100.830 ppb24,700
Barnegat Twp Water SewerBarnegat, NJ4 of 100.820 ppb20,000
Holley-Navarre Water System*Navarre, FL3 of 160.819 ppb46,359
Perth Amboy Water DepartmentPerth Amboy, NJ4 of 80.813 ppb52,328
Town of Mooresville*Mooresville, NC1 of 120.783 ppb47,531
City of AberdeenAberdeen, MD5 of 120.775 ppb16,200
Pico Rivera Water DepartmentPico Rivera, CA17 of 400.775 ppb40,600
Roslyn WD*Roslyn, NY2 of 150.773 ppb18,000
Lincoln County Board of Public Utilities #1Fayetteville, TN3 of 320.753 ppb23,102

* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Cobalt, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

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