Definitions:
MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level(considered safe level for consumption
MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level Goal(an unenforcable health goal equal to the level of a contaminant which is not expected to cause any adverse health effects over a lifetime of exposure)
| Inorganic Chemicals | MCLG(mg/l) | MCL (mg/l) | Potential Health Effects from Water Ingestion | Sources of Contaminant in Drinking Water | Treatment Methods |
| Antimony | 0.006 | 0.006 | Higher blood cholersterol; lower blood glucose, cancer | Petroleum refinery discharge; solder; electronics;fire retardants;ceramics, fireworks, solder | Coagulation/filtration Activated carbon Reverse osmosis Steam Distillation |
| Arsenic | none | 0.005 | Skin Damage; circulatory system problems; higher cancer risk | Discharge from semiconductor manufacture; petroleum refining; wood preservatives;herbicides; animal feed addititive; erosiou from natural deposits | Reverse osmosis Steam Distillation |
| Asbestos | 7 million fibers(MF)/liter | 7 MF/L | Higher risk of developing benign intestinal polyps | Decay of asbestos cement in water mains; natural deposit erosion. | Coagulation/filtration Submicron filtration Reverse Osmosis Ultrafiltration Distillation |
| Barium | 2 | 2 | naturally occuring; pigments, spent coal, epoxy sealants | Circulatory system effects | Distillation |
| Beryllium | .004 |
.004 |
aerospace and electronics industries | lung and bone damage | Distillation |
| Cadmium | .005 | .005 | naturally occuring; batteriesk paints, galvanized pipe | Kidney damage | Distillation |
| Chromium | 0.1 | 0.1 | Naturally occuring; pigments, mining, electroplating processes | Kidney, circulatory and liver damage | Distillation |
| Copper | 1.3 | Special Treatment Required | Plumbing, naturally occuring, wood preservatives | Gastrointestinal problems | Distillation |
| Cyanide | 0.2 | 0.2 | Fertilizers, steel, mining, electroplating process and plastics | Thyroid and central nervous system damage | Distillation |
| Fluoride | 4.0 | 4.0 | Naturally occuring, water additive, fertilizers, aluminum byproducts | Dental and skeletal fluorosis | Distillation |
| Lead | in revision | in revision | piping, paints, industrial | central nervous system damage | Distillation |
| Mercury | 0.002 | 0.002 | Batteries, electronic parts, naturally occuring, crop runoff | Kidney and central nervous system damage | Distillation |
| Nickel | |||||
| Nitrate | 10 | 10 | Sewage & septic tanks, fertilizers, animal droppings, naturally occruing | Methemoglobulinemia (blue baby syndrome) | Distillation |
| Nitrite | 1 | 1 | Same As Above | Same as Above | Distillation |
| Selenium | 0.05 | 0.05 | Mining, oil and coal burning byproducts, steel smelting, naturally occuring | Liver damage | Distillation |
| Thallium | 0.0005 | 0.002 | Glass, drugs, electronics | Brain, liveer, kidney and disgestive tract damage | Distillation |
