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CONTAMINANT

Chlorite

FOUND

Exceeding guidelines

STATES DETECTED

29

serves

23 million

utilities detected

1,086

states detected

29

serves

17 million

utilities detected

897

STATES DETECTED

1

serves

985

utilities detected

1

Overview

Chlorite is a disinfection byproduct resulting from water treatment with chlorine dioxide. Chlorite decreases hemoglobin levels and causes other hematologic effects. learn more about this contaminant

Chlorite also forms when chlorine dioxide is used as a bleaching agent for textiles, paper pulp, flour and oils, and from the use of chlorine dioxide in food and packaging.� In 2009, California published a public health goal of 50 parts per billion for chlorite in drinking water. California state scientists reported that chlorite causes red blood cell damage, affects sperm and thyroid function, and may alter behavior and neurodevelopment of rat pups exposed in the womb.

Click here to read more about disinfection byproducts.

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 50 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 50 ppb for chlorite 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 change in blood chemistry.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL): 1,000 ppb

ppb = parts per billion

National Standard Exists

Health Concerns:

  • Change to blood cells

  • Change to the thyroid

  • Hormone disruption

  • Harm to reproduction and child development

Want to remove
Chlorite from your water?

Try these filter technologies:

Activated Carbon, 

Reverse Osmosis, 

understand filter technology

Chlorite around the Country

UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION
State Utilities People Served Utilities People Served
Texas2974,029,8323857,014,425
Arizona92,605,849102,682,809
California81,694,11881,694,118
Alabama651,462,821681,501,443
Colorado611,033,778681,172,076
Oklahoma75796,0861111,057,592
Arkansas55979,143621,032,949
Kentucky15898,70215898,702
Ohio8120,44815720,167
Georgia17701,11217701,112
North Carolina24429,09628593,136
Massachusetts6249,99813463,454
Virginia441,76310459,147
New Jersey11436,18211436,182
Florida319,46313378,987
Kansas53361,93856364,824
Illinois80347,86582355,227
Indiana3282,1733282,173
New York23212,79127271,355
Iowa16198,99616198,996
Rhode Island570,7288122,720
Washington3117,4643117,464
Missouri3399,1793399,179
West Virginia993,448993,448
Connecticut381,811381,811
Nebraska638,519638,519
Minnesota121,045221,247
New Mexico29,78029,780
Nevada21,16521,165

Utilities with the highest amounts of chlorite, 2021-2023

ALL UTILITIES
LARGE UTILITIES
Utility Location Tests Average level People served
Pahrump Utility Company Inc.Pahrump, NV1 of 12,410.0 ppb985
Oakman Water WorksOakman, AL114 of 114723.5 ppb3,570
Jasper Water Works and Sewer Board*Jasper, AL114 of 114723.5 ppb28,638
Cordova Water Works & Gas Board*Cordova, AL114 of 114723.5 ppb3,900
Boldo Water & Fire Prot. AuthorityJasper, AL114 of 114723.5 ppb4,788
Sumiton Water Works BoardSumiton, AL114 of 114723.5 ppb5,994
Parrish Water Works BoardParrish, AL114 of 114723.5 ppb5,868
Dora UtilitiesDora, AL114 of 114723.5 ppb4,101
Providence Water AuthorityOakman, AL114 of 114723.5 ppb1,311
Townley Water AuthorityTownley, AL114 of 114723.5 ppb2,433
Pluris-wedgefield Inc.Orlando, FL58 of 58719.3 ppb5,828
City of Port ArthurPort Arthur, TX107 of 107717.7 ppb53,818
Beulah Utilities DistrictOpelika, AL218 of 218715.7 ppb10,389
Loachapoka Water AuthorityLoachapoka, AL218 of 218715.7 ppb12,657
Opelika Utilities*Opelika, AL218 of 218715.7 ppb45,621
Fort Wayne - 3 Rivers Filtration Plant*Fort Wayne, IN108 of 108712.0 ppb266,000
Sunnymede Community Association WaterNew Haven, IN108 of 108712.0 ppb473
New Haven Water DepartmentNew Haven, IN108 of 108712.0 ppb15,700
Cedar-Knox Rural Water Project*Hartington, NE36 of 36701.1 ppb2,483
Obert, Village ofObert, NE36 of 36701.1 ppb58
Fordyce, Village ofWynot, NE36 of 36701.1 ppb135
St. Helena, Village ofSt Helena, NE36 of 36701.1 ppb89
Crofton, City ofCrofton, NE36 of 36701.1 ppb754
La Harpe, City ofLa Harpe, KS36 of 36696.7 ppb484
Neosho County Rural Water District 2Stark, KS36 of 36696.7 ppb1,210
Walnut, City ofWalnut, KS36 of 36696.7 ppb189
Colony, City of*Colony, KS36 of 36696.7 ppb377
Public Wholesale WSD 5*Iola, KS36 of 36696.7 ppb1
Allen County Rural Water District 4Iola, KS36 of 36696.7 ppb52
Allen County Rural Water District 6Iola, KS36 of 36696.7 ppb45
Allen County Rural Water District 16Moran, KS36 of 36696.7 ppb130
Moran, City of*Moran, KS36 of 36696.7 ppb467
Santo Special Utility DistrictSanto, TX102 of 108683.9 ppb3,090
Sturdivant Progress Water Supply CorporationMineral Wells, TX102 of 108683.9 ppb3,771
Millsap Water Supply CorporationMillsap, TX102 of 108683.9 ppb1,503
North Rural Water Supply CorporationMineral Wells, TX102 of 108683.9 ppb3,720
Palo Pinto Water Supply CorporationPalo Pinto, TX102 of 108683.9 ppb573
City of GrafordGraford, TX102 of 108683.9 ppb631
City of Mineral Wells*Mineral Wells, TX102 of 108683.9 ppb15,090
Sportsmen AcresPryor, OK36 of 36681.2 ppb218
Mayes County Rural Water District # 2*Chouteau, OK36 of 36681.2 ppb6,280
Okla Ordnance Works Authority*Pryor, OK36 of 36681.2 ppb4,000
Salina Public Works AuthoritySalina, OK36 of 36681.2 ppb1,422
ChouteauChouteau, OK36 of 36681.2 ppb2,100
Pryor*Pryor, OK36 of 36681.2 ppb8,784
Mayes County Rural Water District # 7*Locust Grove, OK36 of 36681.2 ppb538
Rogers County Rural Water District # 6Inola, OK36 of 36681.2 ppb1,560
Mayes County Rural Water District #4*Pryor, OK36 of 36681.2 ppb4,183
GorhamGorham, IL36 of 36668.6 ppb1,090
Kinkaid Area Water System*Murphysboro, IL36 of 36668.6 ppb1

* 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 Chlorite, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Jasper Water Works and Sewer Board*Jasper, AL114 of 114723.5 ppb28,638
City of Port ArthurPort Arthur, TX107 of 107717.7 ppb53,818
Beulah Utilities DistrictOpelika, AL218 of 218715.7 ppb10,389
Loachapoka Water AuthorityLoachapoka, AL218 of 218715.7 ppb12,657
Opelika Utilities*Opelika, AL218 of 218715.7 ppb45,621
Fort Wayne - 3 Rivers Filtration Plant*Fort Wayne, IN108 of 108712.0 ppb266,000
New Haven Water DepartmentNew Haven, IN108 of 108712.0 ppb15,700
City of Mineral Wells*Mineral Wells, TX102 of 108683.9 ppb15,090
Murphysboro*Murphysboro, IL36 of 36668.6 ppb10,740
Haleyville Water Works and Sewer Board*Haleyville, AL108 of 108654.6 ppb11,817
Elmore Water and Sewer Authority334-285-0706, AL36 of 36633.7 ppb13,680
Montgomery Water Works*Montgomery, AL36 of 36633.7 ppb236,238
Smithville PWS*Smithville, MO107 of 108623.5 ppb10,290
City of InglesideIngleside, TX108 of 108606.6 ppb10,106
City of Rockport*Rockport, TX108 of 108606.6 ppb28,539
City of PortlandPortland, TX108 of 108606.6 ppb20,536
Hamilton Water Works and Sewer Board*Hamilton, AL36 of 36600.0 ppb10,500
Clanton Water DepartmentClanton, AL39 of 41591.0 ppb13,500
County Line Special Utility DistrictUhland, TX108 of 108590.2 ppb16,608
Ravenna City PWSRavenna, OH108 of 108583.5 ppb16,000
City of Cullman Water Works*Cullman, AL36 of 36576.1 ppb38,454
Walnut Creek SUD*Springtown, TX106 of 107574.7 ppb30,364
Lake of Egypt PWD*Marion, IL36 of 36566.1 ppb11,368
Muscle Shoals Utility Board*, AL36 of 36562.5 ppb22,467
Smiths Water and Sewer AuthoritySmiths Station, AL103 of 108559.7 ppb31,695
Durant*Durant, OK36 of 36555.0 ppb15,545
Phenix City Utilities*Phenix City, AL108 of 108542.6 ppb42,267
Bessemer Water Service*Bessemer, AL75 of 75533.5 ppb86,091
City of Corpus Christi*Corpus Christi, TX108 of 108523.6 ppb318,387
Shawnee Municipal Authority*Shawnee, OK36 of 39520.4 ppb29,990
Hamilton Public Water System*Fairfield, OH103 of 104520.1 ppb62,447
City of GranburyGranbury, TX96 of 103510.7 ppb10,080
City of RaymondvilleRaymondville, TX107 of 107501.7 ppb11,288
Skagit County Public Utility District 1 Judy Reservoir*Mount Vernon, WA69 of 69500.4 ppb116,371
City of Ft Morgan*Fort Morgan, CO36 of 36500.3 ppb12,000
Dekalb-Jackson Water Supply DistrictIder, AL101 of 102498.0 ppb15,531
Pelham Water Works*Pelham, AL4 of 4497.5 ppb38,703
Shelby County Water System*Columbiana, AL4 of 4497.5 ppb35,982
City of Denison*Denison, TX105 of 108496.9 ppb22,682
Windham Water WorksWindham, CT36 of 36495.0 ppb21,214
City of Snyder*Snyder, TX108 of 108491.9 ppb10,753
Sw White County Water AssociationSearcy, AR36 of 36490.9 ppb11,950
Searcy Waterworks*Searcy, AR36 of 36490.9 ppb29,366
Altus*Altus, OK36 of 36488.3 ppb18,717
Alexander City Water Department*Alexander City, AL36 of 36487.5 ppb29,565
Walnut Hill Water Authority*Dadeville, AL36 of 36487.5 ppb13,092
Tuscaloosa Water & Sewer*Tuscaloosa, AL214 of 216484.4 ppb142,383
Carrolls Creek Water AuthorityNorthport, AL214 of 216484.4 ppb15,690
Citizens Water Service, Inc.Vance, AL214 of 216484.4 ppb11,670
Decatur*Decatur, IL33 of 33484.2 ppb76,122

* 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 Chlorite, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

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