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CONTAMINANT

Bromate

FOUND

Exceeding guidelines

STATES DETECTED

32

serves

47 million

utilities detected

621

states detected

28

serves

41 million

utilities detected

526

STATES DETECTED

1

serves

2,804

utilities detected

3

Overview

Bromate is a carcinogenic disinfection byproduct formed when source waters containing bromide are treated with ozonation or sodium hypochlorite. Studies of laboratory animals show that bromate damages DNA and causes cancer in multiple organs. Click here to read more about disinfection byproducts.

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 0.1 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.1 ppb for bromate 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.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL): 10 ppb

The legal limit for bromate, established in 1998, was based on analytical detection limits at the time that the standard was set. This limit may not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to bromate exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

National Standard Exists

Health Concerns:

  • Cancer

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Bromate from your water?

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Activated Carbon, 

Reverse Osmosis, 

Ion Exchange, 

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Bromate around the Country

UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION
State Utilities People Served Utilities People Served
California9117,325,0319717,334,573
Texas985,684,2731477,772,113
Florida403,051,993453,510,271
New Jersey553,113,731553,113,731
Washington181,592,823262,307,634
Nevada101,956,355101,956,355
Ohio444,061151,429,202
Wisconsin171,116,065171,116,065
Oklahoma271,115,689271,115,689
Kansas35992,13435992,134
Georgia001975,000
Arizona4899,5764899,576
New Mexico3660,0063660,006
Virginia3646,3083646,308
North Carolina11596,17111596,171
Oregon6151,80010368,116
Nebraska2293,6302293,630
Illinois20285,59420285,594
Colorado9263,70810263,902
North Dakota13233,98113233,981
Massachusetts4105,5376225,129
Michigan8216,7709219,967
Pennsylvania10213,81910213,819
Maine22,4684148,271
Wyoming23137,52123137,521
Connecticut00251,260
Minnesota249,501249,501
Arkansas927,681927,681
Mississippi00122,686
West Virginia00212,605
Missouri110,019110,019
Alaska12,00012,000

Utilities with the highest amounts of bromate, 2021-2023

ALL UTILITIES
LARGE UTILITIES
Utility Location Tests Average level People served
Herington, City of*Herington, KS1 of 118.0 ppb2,332
Woodbine, City ofWoodbine, KS1 of 118.0 ppb160
Hope, City ofHope, KS1 of 118.0 ppb312
Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District*Lake Elsinore, CA1 of 110.00 ppb165,586
Farm Mutual Water Company (the)Wildomar, CA1 of 110.00 ppb4,026
Twa Sunbridge Water Treatment Plant*St. Cloud, FL19 of 238.41 ppb542
Tavistock East (consec.)Orlando, FL19 of 238.41 ppb1,043
Summit Mutual Water CompanyLos Gatos, CA13 of 356.53 ppb152
City of CorinthCorinth, TX34 of 355.77 ppb23,213
Mustang SUDAubrey, TX34 of 355.77 ppb82,605
Utrwd Regional Water Treatment Plant*Lewisville, TX34 of 355.77 ppb0
Lake Cities Municipal Utility AuthorityLake Dallas, TX34 of 355.77 ppb16,533
Denton County Fresh Water Supply District 11-cHouston, TX34 of 355.77 ppb1,977
Denton County Fresh Water Supply District 8-a PalomaHouston, TX34 of 355.77 ppb2,955
Providence Village Water Control and Improvement DistrictForney, TX34 of 355.77 ppb7,194
City of JustinJustin, TX34 of 355.77 ppb4,409
Denton County Fresh Water Supply District 8-b PalomaHouston, TX34 of 355.77 ppb3,090
City of Highland VillageHighland Village, TX34 of 355.77 ppb15,650
Denton County FWSD 7 LantanaLantana, TX34 of 355.77 ppb13,325
City of SangerSanger, TX34 of 355.77 ppb9,650
City of CelinaCelina, TX34 of 355.77 ppb25,241
Denton County Fresh Water Supply District 11-bHouston, TX34 of 355.77 ppb3,897
Denton County Fresh Water Supply District 11-a PalomaHouston, TX34 of 355.77 ppb5,160
City of KrumKrum, TX34 of 355.77 ppb6,062
Cross Timbers Water Supply CorporationArgyle, TX34 of 355.77 ppb7,880
Argyle Water Supply CorporationArgyle, TX34 of 355.77 ppb12,720
Denton County Fresh Water Supply District 10 ArtesiaHouston, TX34 of 355.77 ppb5,061
Goodyear Water DepartmentGoodyear, AZ20 of 265.40 ppb50,001
Sandy Lake Estates I&s DistrictCasper, WY26 of 275.38 ppb150
Edgerton, Town OfEdgerton, WY26 of 275.38 ppb195
Midwest, Town OfMidwest, WY26 of 275.38 ppb410
Thirty-three Mile Road I&s DistrictMills, WY26 of 275.38 ppb200
Poison Spider I&s DistrictCasper, WY26 of 275.38 ppb200
Central Wy Regional Water System Jpb*Casper, WY26 of 275.38 ppb25
City of Casper*Casper, WY26 of 275.38 ppb59,000
Pioneer Water & Sewer DistrictCasper, WY26 of 275.38 ppb1,500
Wardwell Water & Sewer DistrictBar Nunn, WY26 of 275.38 ppb4,000
Lakeview I&s DistrictMills, WY26 of 275.38 ppb62
Sedgwick County Rural Water District 1Kechi, KS35 of 365.17 ppb1,275
Bentley, City ofBentley, KS35 of 365.17 ppb569
Valley Center, City of*Valley Center, KS35 of 365.17 ppb7,419
Rose Hill, City ofRose Hill, KS35 of 365.17 ppb4,269
Benton, City ofBenton, KS35 of 365.17 ppb946
City of Wichita*Wichita, KS35 of 365.17 ppb395,699
El Paso Water CompanyDerby, KS35 of 365.17 ppb25,413
Mcconnell Air Force BaseMcconnell Afb, KS35 of 365.17 ppb6,009
Sedgwick County Rural Water District 3Mulvane, KS35 of 365.17 ppb6,045
Kechi, City ofKechi, KS35 of 365.17 ppb2,261
Iola, City of*Iola, KS32 of 364.97 ppb5,343
Allen County Rural Water District 15Iola, KS32 of 364.97 ppb135

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

UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District*Lake Elsinore, CA1 of 110.00 ppb165,586
City of Highland VillageHighland Village, TX34 of 355.77 ppb15,650
Mustang SUDAubrey, TX34 of 355.77 ppb82,605
Denton County FWSD 7 LantanaLantana, TX34 of 355.77 ppb13,325
Argyle Water Supply CorporationArgyle, TX34 of 355.77 ppb12,720
City of CorinthCorinth, TX34 of 355.77 ppb23,213
Lake Cities Municipal Utility AuthorityLake Dallas, TX34 of 355.77 ppb16,533
City of CelinaCelina, TX34 of 355.77 ppb25,241
Goodyear Water DepartmentGoodyear, AZ20 of 265.40 ppb50,001
City of Casper*Casper, WY26 of 275.38 ppb59,000
City of Wichita*Wichita, KS35 of 365.17 ppb395,699
El Paso Water CompanyDerby, KS35 of 365.17 ppb25,413
City of Mesa*Mesa, AZ41 of 424.84 ppb466,000
City of Winter ParkWinter Park, FL92 of 954.28 ppb82,984
Boulder City*Boulder City, NV152 of 1524.04 ppb15,000
Las Vegas Valley Water District*Las Vegas, NV152 of 1524.04 ppb1,539,277
North Las Vegas UtilitiesLas Vegas, NV152 of 1524.04 ppb376,515
Ann Arbor*Ann Arbor, MI33 of 363.90 ppb118,017
Cachuma Village*Santa Barbara, CA35 of 373.85 ppb45,146
City of Santa Barbara Water Department*Santa Barbara, CA35 of 373.85 ppb98,420
City of Emporia*Emporia, KS34 of 363.80 ppb24,009
City of Winfield*Winfield, KS31 of 363.80 ppb11,726
Orlando Utilities Commission*Orlando, FL234 of 2443.52 ppb456,036
Cary*Cary, NC27 of 343.49 ppb212,000
Town of Apex*Apex, NC27 of 343.49 ppb70,272
Town of GilbertGilbert, AZ60 of 683.40 ppb247,600
Orange County Utilities Department (OCUD) - SouthOrlando, FL21 of 283.21 ppb80,738
Water District 1 of Johnson County*Kansas City, KS39 of 453.16 ppb480,000
City of Waco*Waco, TX30 of 713.06 ppb143,355
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power*Los Angeles, CA21 of 272.80 ppb3,868,811
Moorhead*Moorhead, MN23 of 352.76 ppb44,583
MacDill Air Force BaseTampa, FL33 of 362.54 ppb11,965
Seaboard UtilitiesTampa, FL33 of 362.54 ppb13,958
City of Tampa Water Department*Tampa, FL33 of 362.54 ppb717,000
Rainbow Municipal WDFallbrook, CA24 of 282.39 ppb23,536
Vallecitos Water DistrictSan Marcos, CA24 of 282.39 ppb111,000
Carlsbad Municipa Water DistrictCarlsbad, CA24 of 282.39 ppb92,865
San Diego County Water Authority*San Diego, CA24 of 282.39 ppb3,276,208
Valley Center MWD*Valley Center, CA24 of 282.39 ppb29,708
Ramona Municipal WDRamona, CA24 of 282.39 ppb35,135
Rincon Del Diablo MWD(ID-1)*Escondido, CA24 of 282.39 ppb29,206
City of OceansideOceanside, CA24 of 282.39 ppb173,048
City of CarrolltonCarrollton, TX40 of 1082.38 ppb136,170
City of Lancaster*Lancaster, TX40 of 1082.38 ppb39,040
City of Glenn HeightsGlenn Heights, TX40 of 1082.38 ppb18,090
Dallas Water Utility*Dallas, TX40 of 1082.38 ppb1,321,740
City of DuncanvilleDuncanville, TX40 of 1082.38 ppb39,500
City of CoppellCoppell, TX40 of 1082.38 ppb41,540
City of Balch SpringsBalch Springs, TX40 of 1082.38 ppb27,431
City of Farmers BranchFarmers Branch, TX40 of 1082.38 ppb35,991

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

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