As a component of ongoing research with a coalition of partners, including the U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Colorado School of Mines, University of Illinois Chicago, and University of South Carolina, water was collected from the taps of 45 Chicago-area residences and analyzed for 540 organic and 35 inorganic chemicals contaminants. In addition, the untreated drinking water source in Lake Michigan and treated water before entry to conveyance infrastructure for the Greater Chicago Area were analyzed for comparison. This pilot study in the Chicago area complements a 2016 reconnaissance study of 12 business and 13 residential tapwaters in 11 States throughout the United States.
As a reflection of the efficacy of water treatment by the Chicago area drinking water facilities, no Federal drinking water standards were exceeded in any sample collected and 90 percent of organic chemicals analyzed were not detected in treated tapwater samples. Consistent with previous findings from a reconnaissance study in homes and businesses throughout the United States, low-level concentrations of disinfection byproducts (DBPs), per/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), and pesticides were frequently detected (greater than 90 percent of the samples in this study). Although no enforceable standards were exceeded, drinking water goals used to manage public drinking water supplies for arsenic, lead, uranium, and two DBPs (bromodichloromethane and tribromomethane) were exceeded.
While the results of this study emphasize the high quality and effective treatment of the drinking water in the area sampled, the results also demonstrate the potential for human exposure to low concentrations of chemical mixtures that are not commonly monitored or assessed at the point of exposure (tapwater). Although beyond the scope of this investigation, this study reveals a potential data gap in drinking water exposure assessments potentially needed for public health and for epidemiological and other researchers studying pathologic and toxicologic disease. The study results also provide information about sources and potential changes in contaminants as water moves from Lake Michigan to residential taps, including incoming contaminants that may be in the untreated source waters, chemical additions or removals through the treatment process, and changes through infrastructure and plumbing carrying treated water to tap. This information can be used to identify targeted mitigation efforts that most efficiently reduce human exposure.
Science needed for decision makers who maintain the safety of U.S. drinking water supplies includes a broader understanding of how processes such as increased reuse of wastewaters in watersheds and aquifers, aging drinking-water infrastructure, legacy plumbing materials, and disinfection processes may affect contaminant exposures from drinking water. Although water purveyors consistently monitor more than 100 chemical and microbial contaminants as part of compliance requirements under the Safe Drinking Water Act, there is a recognized lack of comprehensive data on other known, or suspected, contaminant mixtures in drinking water at the point of exposure in residences. The U.S. Geological Survey’s Water and Wastewater Infrastructure team studies contaminants and pathogens in water resources from their sources through watersheds, aquifers, and infrastructure to human and wildlife exposures and uses that information to develop decision tools that protect human and wildlife health.
This research was funded by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Environmental Health Program (Toxic Substances Hydrology and Contaminant Biology) in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Colorado School of Mines, University of Illinois Chicago, and University of South Carolina.
Related research is listed below
Pilot Study Provides Information on Contaminant Exposure from Tap Water at Residential and Workplace Sites in the United States
Ongoing Research to Characterize the Complexity of Chemical Mixtures in Water Resources—Urban Stormwater
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) detected in Source Waters and Treated Public Water Supplies
Study Highlights the Complexity of Chemical Mixtures in United States Streams
Understanding Chemical and Microbial Contaminants in Public Drinking Water
Below are data resources associated with this research.
Mixed Organic and Inorganic Tapwater Results in the Greater Chicago Area, USA, 2017-2019
Occurrence and Concentrations of Trace Elements in Discrete Tapwater Samples Collected in Chicago, Illinois and East Chicago, Indiana, 2017
Target-Chemical Concentrations, Exposure Activity Ratios, and Bioassay Results for Assessment of Mixed-Organic/Inorganic-Chemical Exposure in USA Tapwater, 2016
Below are publications associated with this research.
Mixed organic and inorganic tapwater exposures and potential effects in greater Chicago area, USA
Reconnaissance of mixed organic and inorganic chemicals in private and public supply tapwaters at selected residential and workplace sites in the United States
Safe drinking water at the point-of-use (tapwater, TW) is a United States public health priority. Multiple lines of evidence were used to evaluate potential human health concerns of 482 organics and 19 inorganics in TW from 13 (7 public supply, 6 private well self-supply) home and 12 (public supply) workplace locations in 11 states. Only uranium (61.9 μg L–1, private well) exceeded a National Prim
- Overview
As a component of ongoing research with a coalition of partners, including the U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Colorado School of Mines, University of Illinois Chicago, and University of South Carolina, water was collected from the taps of 45 Chicago-area residences and analyzed for 540 organic and 35 inorganic chemicals contaminants. In addition, the untreated drinking water source in Lake Michigan and treated water before entry to conveyance infrastructure for the Greater Chicago Area were analyzed for comparison. This pilot study in the Chicago area complements a 2016 reconnaissance study of 12 business and 13 residential tapwaters in 11 States throughout the United States.
As a reflection of the efficacy of water treatment by the Chicago area drinking water facilities, no Federal drinking water standards were exceeded in any sample collected and 90 percent of organic chemicals analyzed were not detected in treated tapwater samples. Consistent with previous findings from a reconnaissance study in homes and businesses throughout the United States, low-level concentrations of disinfection byproducts (DBPs), per/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), and pesticides were frequently detected (greater than 90 percent of the samples in this study). Although no enforceable standards were exceeded, drinking water goals used to manage public drinking water supplies for arsenic, lead, uranium, and two DBPs (bromodichloromethane and tribromomethane) were exceeded.
USGS scientist collecting a water sample from a home faucet for analyses of inorganic and organic chemicals. They use an integrated approach to understand drinking water from its sources, through watersheds, aquifers, and infrastructure to tap water where human exposure could occur. (Credit: Paul Bradley, U. S. Geological Survey.) While the results of this study emphasize the high quality and effective treatment of the drinking water in the area sampled, the results also demonstrate the potential for human exposure to low concentrations of chemical mixtures that are not commonly monitored or assessed at the point of exposure (tapwater). Although beyond the scope of this investigation, this study reveals a potential data gap in drinking water exposure assessments potentially needed for public health and for epidemiological and other researchers studying pathologic and toxicologic disease. The study results also provide information about sources and potential changes in contaminants as water moves from Lake Michigan to residential taps, including incoming contaminants that may be in the untreated source waters, chemical additions or removals through the treatment process, and changes through infrastructure and plumbing carrying treated water to tap. This information can be used to identify targeted mitigation efforts that most efficiently reduce human exposure.
Science needed for decision makers who maintain the safety of U.S. drinking water supplies includes a broader understanding of how processes such as increased reuse of wastewaters in watersheds and aquifers, aging drinking-water infrastructure, legacy plumbing materials, and disinfection processes may affect contaminant exposures from drinking water. Although water purveyors consistently monitor more than 100 chemical and microbial contaminants as part of compliance requirements under the Safe Drinking Water Act, there is a recognized lack of comprehensive data on other known, or suspected, contaminant mixtures in drinking water at the point of exposure in residences. The U.S. Geological Survey’s Water and Wastewater Infrastructure team studies contaminants and pathogens in water resources from their sources through watersheds, aquifers, and infrastructure to human and wildlife exposures and uses that information to develop decision tools that protect human and wildlife health.
This research was funded by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Environmental Health Program (Toxic Substances Hydrology and Contaminant Biology) in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Colorado School of Mines, University of Illinois Chicago, and University of South Carolina.
- Science
Related research is listed below
Pilot Study Provides Information on Contaminant Exposure from Tap Water at Residential and Workplace Sites in the United States
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in collaboration with National Institutes of Health, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and academia, completed a pilot study to provide information on contaminant exposure from tap water at 26 locations including public and private supplies. Public-supply tap water generally met enforceable standards for those compounds with standards. Samples consisted of...Ongoing Research to Characterize the Complexity of Chemical Mixtures in Water Resources—Urban Stormwater
A multiagency reconnaissance study of chemicals in urban stormwater, sampled from pipes or ditches during 50 runoff events at 21 sites in 17 states across the United States, demonstrated that stormwater runoff contains complex mixtures of chemicals including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals that are indicative of multiple sources in the watershed.Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) detected in Source Waters and Treated Public Water Supplies
This study, which measured 17 per- and polyfuoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in source and treated public water supplies from 25 drinking water facilities as part of a broader study of contaminants in drinking water across the United States, reports that PFASs were detected in all source water and public water supply samples collected. One sample exceeded the current U.S. Environmental Protection...Study Highlights the Complexity of Chemical Mixtures in United States Streams
A new study highlights the complexity of chemical mixtures in streams and advances the understanding of wildlife and human exposure to complex chemical mixtures.Understanding Chemical and Microbial Contaminants in Public Drinking Water
Collaborative joint agency study provides nationally consistent and rigorously quality-assured datasets on a wide range of chemical and microbial contaminants present in source and treated public drinking water supplies. Tap water was not analyzed in this study. - Data
Below are data resources associated with this research.
Mixed Organic and Inorganic Tapwater Results in the Greater Chicago Area, USA, 2017-2019
This data set contains the result for inorganic constituents and organic compounds collected from tapwater locations, as well as water filtration plants, in East Chicago, Indiana, and Chicago, Illinois in 2017. Additionally quality assurance data collected was summarized. Residential samples collected were done so directly from residential kitchen taps (faucets) as is, it was noted if a point-of-uOccurrence and Concentrations of Trace Elements in Discrete Tapwater Samples Collected in Chicago, Illinois and East Chicago, Indiana, 2017
This dataset contains the trace element concentration results for samples collected from tapwater sites in East Chicago, Indiana, August-September, 2017, and Chicago, Illinois, July-December, 2017. Samples were collected one time, from 45 private residences and associated drinking water plants and source water locations. Water-quality samples were analyzed at two U.S. Geological Survey laboratorieTarget-Chemical Concentrations, Exposure Activity Ratios, and Bioassay Results for Assessment of Mixed-Organic/Inorganic-Chemical Exposure in USA Tapwater, 2016
Chemical and biological concentration results, quality assurance and quality control and statistical summaries from 26 tapwater samples, collected from paired residential and work place sites in 11 states in 2016. Samples were analylzed at U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency laboratories. - Publications
Below are publications associated with this research.
Mixed organic and inorganic tapwater exposures and potential effects in greater Chicago area, USA
Safe drinking water at the point of use (tapwater, TW) is a public-health priority. TW exposures and potential human-health concerns of 540 organics and 35 inorganics were assessed in 45 Chicago area United States (US) homes in 2017. No US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforceable Maximum Contaminant Level(s) (MCL) were exceeded in any residential or water treatment plant (WTP) pre-distribAuthorsPaul Bradley, Maria Argos, Dana W. Kolpin, Shannon M. Meppelink, Kristin Romanok, Kelly Smalling, Michael J. Focazio, Joshua M. Allen, Julie E. Dietze, Michael J. Devito, Ariel Donovan, Nicola Evans, Carrie E. Givens, James L. Gray, Christopher P. Higgins, Michelle Hladik, Luke Iwanowicz, Celeste A. Journey, Rachael F. Lane, Zachary Laughrey, Keith A. Loftin, R. Blaine McCleskey, Carrie A. McDonough, Elizabeth K Medlock Kakaley, Michael T. Meyer, Andrea Holthouse-Putz, Susan D Richardson, Alan Stark, Christopher P. Weis, Vickie S. Wilson, Abderrahman ZehraouiReconnaissance of mixed organic and inorganic chemicals in private and public supply tapwaters at selected residential and workplace sites in the United States
Safe drinking water at the point-of-use (tapwater, TW) is a United States public health priority. Multiple lines of evidence were used to evaluate potential human health concerns of 482 organics and 19 inorganics in TW from 13 (7 public supply, 6 private well self-supply) home and 12 (public supply) workplace locations in 11 states. Only uranium (61.9 μg L–1, private well) exceeded a National Prim
AuthorsPaul M. Bradley, Dana W. Kolpin, Kristin M. Romanok, Kelly L. Smalling, Michael J. Focazio, Juliane B. Brown, Mary C. Cardon, Kurt D. Carpenter, Steven R. Corsi, Laura A. DeCicco, Julie E. Dietze, Nicola Evans, Edward T. Furlong, Carrie E. Givens, James L. Gray, Dale W. Griffin, Christopher P. Higgins, Michelle L. Hladik, Luke R. Iwanowicz, Celeste A. Journey, Kathryn Kuivila, Jason R. Masoner, Carrie A. McDonough, Michael T. Meyer, James L. Orlando, Mark J. Strynar, Christopher P. Weis, Vickie S. WilsonByEcosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, California Water Science Center, Central Midwest Water Science Center, Colorado Water Science Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Kansas Water Science Center, New Jersey Water Science Center, Oregon Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, National Water Quality Laboratory