Groundwater Protection in Selected Countries

Appendix: Water Criteria, USA

Parameter

MCLG 1
(mg/L) 4

MCL 2 or TT3
(mg/L) 4

Inorganic Chemicals

Antimony

0.006

0.006

Arsenic

none 5

0.05

Asbestos
(fiber > 10 micrometers)

7 million fibers
per liter

7 MFL

Barium

2

2

Beryllium

0.004

0.004

Cadmium

0.005

0.005

Chromium (total)

0.1

0.1

Copper

1.3

Action
Level = 1.3;
TT

Cyanide (as free cyanide)

0.2

0.2

Fluoride

4.0

4.0

Lead

zero

Action
Level = 0.015;
TT

Inorganic mercury

0.002

0.002

Nitrate (measured as nitrogen)

10

10

Nitrite (measured as nitrogen)

1

1

Selenium

0.05

0.05

Thallium

0.0005

0.02

Organic Chemicals

 

 

Acrylamide

zero

TT

Alachlor

zero

0.002

Atrazine

0.003

0.003

Benzene

zero

0.005

Benzo(a)pyrene

zero

0.002

Carbofuran

0.04

0.04

Carbon tetrachloride

zero

0.005

Chlordane

zero

0.002

Chlorobenzene

0.1

0.1

2,4-D

0.07

0.07

Dalapon

0.2

0.2

1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane
(DBCP)

zero

0.002

o-Dichlorbenzene

0.6

0.6

p-Dichlorbenzene

0.075

0.075

1,2-Dichloroethane

zero

0.005

1–1-Dichloroethylene

0.007

0.007

cis –1, 2-Dichloroethylene

0.07

0.07

trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene

0.1

0.1

Dicholomethane

zero

0.005

1-2-Dichloroethylene

0.007

0.007

Di(2-ethylhexyl)adipate

0.4

0.4

cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene

0.07

0.07

trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene

0.1

0.1

Dichloromethane

zero

0.005

1-2-Dichloropropane

zero

0.005

Di(2-ethylhex)adipate

0.4

0.4

Di(2-ethylhexy)phthalate

zero

0.006

Dinoseb

0.007

0.007

Dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD)

zero

0.00000003

Diquat

0.02

0.02

Endothall

0.1

0.1

Endrin

0.002

0.002

Epichlorohydrin

zero

TT

Ethylbenzene

0.7

0.7

Ethelyne dibromide

zero

0.00005

Glyphosate

0.7

0.7

Heptachlor

zero

0.004

Heptachlor epoxide

zero

0.002

Hexachlorobenzene

zero

0.001

Hexachlorocyclopentadiene

0.05

0.05

Lindane

0.0002

0.0002

Methoxychlor

0.04

0.04

Oxamyl (Vydate)

0.2

0.2

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

zero

0.0005

Pentachlorophenol

zero

0.001

Picloram

0.5

0.5

Simazine

0.004

0.004

Styrene

0.1

0.1

Tetrachloroethylene

zero

0.005

Toluene

1

1

Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)

none5

0.10

Toxaphene

zero

0.003

2,4,5-TP (Silvex)

0.05

0.05

1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene

0.07

0.07

1,1,1-Trichloroethane

0.20

0.2

1,1,2-Trichloroethane

0.003

0.005

Trichloroethylene

zero

0.005

Vinyl chloride

zero

0.002

Xylenes (total)

10

10

Radionuclides

 

 

Beta particles and photon emitters

none5

4 millirems
per year

Gross alpha particle activity

none5

15 picocuries
per Liter (pCi/L)

Radium 226 and Radium 228 (combined)

none5

5 pCi/L

Microorganisms

 

 

Giardia lamblia

zero

TT

Heterotrophic plate count

N/A

TT

Legionella

zero

TT

Total Coliforms
(including fecal coliform and E. Coli)

zero

5.0%

Turbidity

N/A

TT

Viruses (enteric)

zero

TT

   
1 MCLG = maximum contaminant level goal
2 MCL = maximum contaminant level
3 TT = treatment technique
4 units in mg/l unless otherwise noted
5 MCLGs were not established before the 1986 Amendments to the SDWA. Therefore, there is no MCLG for this contaminant.