InspectAPedia ®

Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, Repair, & Problem Prevention Advice
InspectAPedia
Home
| Air
Conditioning
| Electrical | Indoor
Environment
| Exteriors | Heating | Home
Inspection
| Insulate
Ventilate
| Interiors | Mold
Inspect/Test
| Plumbing
Water
Septic
| Roofing | Structure | Contact Us
Directory of Professionals to Inspect or Test a Building


WATER SHUTOFF VALVE LOCATION, USE
WATER SOURCE ALTERNATIVES
WATER TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT
CHEATING on WATER TESTS
CORRECTING BAD WATER
EPA GUIDE to WATER QUALITY
SEWAGE CONTAMINATION
WATER CONTAMINANT LEVELS
  Table of Allowable Water Contaminant Limits
WATER ODORS, CAUSE CURE
WATER PUMPS & WELLS
WATER QUALITY TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT
WATER QUANTITY IMPROVEMENT
WATER QUANTITY USAGE GUIDE
WATER SOFTENERS
WATER TEST CHOICES & WATER TEST FEES
  Cost of Water Tests - Lab Fees
  General Classes of Water Contaminants
  ARSENIC in WATER
  BACTERIA TEST GUIDE
  CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS in WATER
  FHA WATER TESTS REQUIRED
  General- water test parameters
  Standard VA FHA, Pesticides
  Title 5- water test parameters
  Comprehensive Water Test
  Water testing Comprehensive + Pesticides
  Individual water contaminant tests
  Herbicide Contamination
  LEAD CONTAMINATION in WATER, HOW to TEST
    LEAD in WATER, ACTION GUIDE
    LEAD POISONING SYMPTOMS
    LEAD TEST VARIATION CAUSES
  Pesticides Contamination
  TOTAL COLIFORM TESTING
  Municipal Water Test Parameters
WATER TESTING GUIDE
  WATER TESTING ADVICE
    SHOULD YOU TEST YOUR WATER?
    PUBLIC vs PRIVATE WATER
    WHEN TO TEST
    WATER TEST COSTS
    SPECIAL SITUATION TESTS
WATER TEST INTERPRETATION
  Common Water Tests for Bacteria
  FAILED WATER TESTS - WHAT TO DO
  FAILED WATER TESTS - WHEN to RE-TEST
WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES

More Information

InspectAPedia.comInspectAPedia ® Home & Site Map
InspectAPedia Blog - News Updates
Air Conditioning & Heat Pumps
Bookstore
Electrical
Environment
Exteriors
Heating
Home Inspection
Insulate Ventilate
Interiors
Mold Inspect/Test
Plumbing Water Septic
Roofing
Structure
Accuracy & Privacy Policies
Contact Us



Well (C) Daniel Friedman

Table of Drinking Water Contaminant Levels - New York State Maximum Contamination Allowed in Water
InspectAPedia®  -    

  • Allowable limits of water contaminants in drinking water
  • What are the action levels for different contaminants found in drinking water?
  • New York State example of maximum level of water contaminants allowed
Our site offers impartial, unbiased advice without conflicts of interest. We will block advertisements which we discover or readers inform us are associated with bad business practices, false-advertising, or junk science. Our contact info is at InspectAPedia.com/appointment.htm.

Limits of allowable levels of water contaminants: when testing drinking water the contaminant limits listed here assist in deciding when water purification or other water treatment is needed. This table provides the allowable limits of various contaminants found in drinking water.

While the table of water contamination ingredients and allowable levels is from New York State, these limits or similar numbers will apply in most jurisdictions. Water contamination limits and testing requirements in the U.S. are regulated by the Federal Clean Drinking Water act.

© 2009 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

Table of Allowable Limits of Water Contaminants

Subpart 5-1 of the New York State Sanitary Code defines "Maximum Water Contaminant Level' as the permissible level of a contaminant in water which is delivered to any user of a public water system. New York State does not regulate private drinking water supplies (single family homes on well water).

Most lenders require at least a confirmation of "potable" water meaning that bacteria count and coliform bacteria count is less than 1 CFU per 100 ml. of drinking water in the water test sample. Some lenders require water passing the FHA "Short" or FHA "Long" test list items. Readers of this page should also see Drinking Water Supply, Contamination Levels, Water Testing Procedures.

© Copyright 2010 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use the links at page left to navigate this document or to go to Other Website Topics. Green links at left show where you are in our document & website.

Analyte

MCL(a)

Unit

Arsenic

0.05

mg/L

Barium

2.00

mg/L

Cadmium

0.005

mg/L

Chloride

250.0

mg/L

Chromium

0.10

mg/L

Color

15

Pt Co units(d)

Copper

Action Level=1.3(g)

mg/L

Fluoride

2.2

mg/L

Iron

0.3(b)

mg/L

Lead

Action Level=0.015(g)(h)

mg/L

Manganese

0.3 (b)

mg/L

Mercury

0.002

mg/L

Nitrate-nitrogen

10 (f)(h)

mg/L

Nitrite-nitrogen

1 (f)(h)

mg/L

Odor

3

TON (e)

Selenium

0.01

mg/L

Silver

0.05

mg/L

Sodium

designated limits (c)

mg/L

Sulfate

250.0

mg/L

Zinc

5.0

mg/L

Coliform Bacteria

<1 (h)

Colony /100 ml

Total Bacteria

<1 (h)

Colony /100 ml

Notes about drinking water contaminant acceptable levels

(a) mg/L = milligrams per liter

(b) If iron and manganese are present, the total concentration of both should not exceed 0.5 mg/L.

© Water containing more than 20 mg/L of sodium should not be used for drinking by people of severely restricted sodium diets. Water containing more than 270 mg/L of sodium should not be used for drinking by people on moderately restricted sodium diets.

(d) Color test result expressed as Platinum Cobalt Color Units

(e) Odor test result expressed as Threshold Odor Number

(f) If nitrate and nitrite are present, the total concentration of both should not exceed 10 mg/L.

(g) "Action level" is the concentration of lead or copper (in a sample of water drawn from a tap normally used for drinking after a 6-hour period of no water use) that, when exceeded, triggers actions to be taken by a water system.

(h) FHA "Short List" items

(i) FHA "Long List" items - (indications to be added after lab review)


 

 

 

We suggest continuing reading at

WATER TEST INTERPRETATION
  Common Water Tests for Bacteria
  FAILED WATER TESTS - WHAT TO DO
  FAILED WATER TESTS - WHEN to RE-TEST
WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES

Share this Article      

...

Technical Reviewers & References

Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

WATER SHUTOFF VALVE LOCATION, USE
WATER SOURCE ALTERNATIVES
WATER TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT
CHEATING on WATER TESTS
CORRECTING BAD WATER
EPA GUIDE to WATER QUALITY
SEWAGE CONTAMINATION
WATER CONTAMINANT LEVELS
  Table of Allowable Water Contaminant Limits
WATER ODORS, CAUSE CURE
WATER PUMPS & WELLS
WATER QUALITY TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT
WATER QUANTITY IMPROVEMENT
WATER QUANTITY USAGE GUIDE
WATER SOFTENERS
WATER TEST CHOICES & WATER TEST FEES
  Cost of Water Tests - Lab Fees
  General Classes of Water Contaminants
  ARSENIC in WATER
  BACTERIA TEST GUIDE
  CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS in WATER
  FHA WATER TESTS REQUIRED
  General- water test parameters
  Standard VA FHA, Pesticides
  Title 5- water test parameters
  Comprehensive Water Test
  Water testing Comprehensive + Pesticides
  Individual water contaminant tests
  Herbicide Contamination
  LEAD CONTAMINATION in WATER, HOW to TEST
    LEAD in WATER, ACTION GUIDE
    LEAD POISONING SYMPTOMS
    LEAD TEST VARIATION CAUSES
  Pesticides Contamination
  TOTAL COLIFORM TESTING
  Municipal Water Test Parameters
WATER TESTING GUIDE
  WATER TESTING ADVICE
    SHOULD YOU TEST YOUR WATER?
    PUBLIC vs PRIVATE WATER
    WHEN TO TEST
    WATER TEST COSTS
    SPECIAL SITUATION TESTS
WATER TEST INTERPRETATION
  Common Water Tests for Bacteria
  FAILED WATER TESTS - WHAT TO DO
  FAILED WATER TESTS - WHEN to RE-TEST
WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES

Thanks to Anne Smith at Smith Laboratory, 50 Scenic Drive, Hyde Park NY 845-229-6536 for assistance with this information.

More Information about Drinking Water Testing and Allowable Levels of Water Contaminants

WATER TESTING

More Information

InspectAPedia.comInspectAPedia ® Home & Site Map
InspectAPedia Blog - News Updates
Air Conditioning & Heat Pumps
Bookstore
Electrical
Environment
Exteriors
Heating
Home Inspection
Insulate Ventilate
Interiors
Mold Inspect/Test
Plumbing Water Septic
Roofing
Structure
Accuracy & Privacy Policies
Contact Us

More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

    ...
InspectAPedia.comInspectAPedia® Home & Site Map - Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, Repair, & Problem Prevention Advice: In-depth research & advice on diagnosing, testing, correcting, & preventing building defects & indoor environmental hazards. Unbiased information, no conflicts of interest.
GO TO the MOLD and INDOOR ENVIRONMENT INFORMATION CENTER for in-depth advice on avoiding testing for or cleaning up mold and other indoor environmental hazards, odors, gases, contaminants
The Mold Information Center:
What to Do About Mold in Buildings, When and How to Inspect for Mold, Clean Up Mold, or Avoid Mold Problems
GO TO MOLD TEST KITS: This expert-recommended mold test kit is cheap and yet top performing *IF* you use a competent analysis laboratory!
Use this simple, economical mold test kit
by following our instructions on how to collect and mail mold samples to our lab
GO TO IAQ/MOLD-TEST LAB SERVICES: Mold, Pollen, indoor air quality, field and laboratory services by an expert.Environmental Inspection, Testing, & Diagnosis On-Site IAQ, Gas, Air Testing, Mold Investigation, Sick Building Diagnosis, Lab Services, & Remediation Plan Preparation - indoor air quality testing, problem source determination, supporting lab work, written remediation plan addressing removal of environmental and other hazards and prevention of their recurrence.
GO TO our PRE PURCHASE BUILDING INSPECTION SERVICES: Authoritative information for home buyers and home owners is included with your inspection.
Building Inspection, Problem Diagnosis
, Forensic Investigation & Testing, Repair Consulting

CONTACT Daniel Friedman - Dan is a senior ASHI home inspector, nationally recognized expert on building inspection, building failures, and sick building investigation
Contact Daniel Friedman for website content suggestions or for fee-paid consulting

12/03/2009 - 11/22/1997 - InspectAPedia.com/water/levels.htm - © 2010 - 1988 Copyright Daniel Friedman All Rights Reserved - InspectAPedia® is a Registered U.S. Trademark