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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Diomede Joint Utilities

EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, as well as information from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History database (ECHO). For the latest quarter assessed by the U.S. EPA (January 2021 - March 2021), tap water provided by this water utility was in serious violation federal health-based drinking water standards.

Utility Details

  • Little Diomede, Alaska
  • Serves: 184
  • Data available: 2014-2019
  • Source: Surface water

Contaminants Detected

3

EXCEED
EWG HEALTH
GUIDELINES

3 Total Contaminants

  • Legal does not necessarily equal safe. Getting a passing grade from the federal government does not mean the water meets the latest health guidelines.
  • Legal limits for contaminants in tap water have not been updated in almost 20 years.
  • The best way to ensure clean tap water is to keep pollution out of source water in the first place.

Legal ≠ Safe

EWG Health Guidelines fill the gap in outdated government standards.

The federal government’s legal limits are not health-protective. The EPA has not set a new tap water standard in almost 20 years, and some standards are more than 40 years old.

Contaminants Detected

Arsenic

over legal limit
THIS UTILITY18.9 ppb
EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE0.004 ppb
LEGAL LIMIT10 ppb
DETAILS
X

Arsenic is a potent carcinogen and common contaminant in drinking water. Arsenic causes thousands of cases of cancer each year in the U.S. Click here to read more about arsenic.

Arsenic was found at 4,720 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.004 ppb or less

This Utility

18.9 ppb

Legal Limit

10 ppb

National Average

0.647 ppb

State Average

0.957 ppb
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2017-2019.
ppb = parts per billion

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.004 ppb for arsenic 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.

Pollution Sources

agriculture icon

Agriculture

industry icon

Industry

naturally occuring icon

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

reverse osmosis icon

Reverse Osmosis

ion exchange icon

Ion Exchange

Nitrate

over legal limit
THIS UTILITY25.0 ppm
EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE0.14 ppm
LEGAL LIMIT10 ppm
DETAILS
X

Nitrate, a fertilizer chemical, frequently contaminates drinking water due to agricultural and urban runoff, and discharges from municipal wastewater treatment plants and septic tanks. Excessive nitrate in water can cause oxygen deprivation in infants and increase the risk of cancer. Click here to read more about nitrate.

Nitrate was found at 179 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.14 ppm or less

This Utility

25 ppm

Legal Limit

10 ppm

National Average

0.935 ppm

State Average

0.372 ppm
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2017-2019.
ppm = parts per million

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.14 ppm for nitrate was defined by EWG . This health guideline protects against cancer and harm to fetal growth and development.

Pollution Sources

agriculture icon

Agriculture

urban area icon

Runoff & Sprawl

naturally occuring icon

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

reverse osmosis icon

Reverse Osmosis

ion exchange icon

Ion Exchange

Nitrate and nitrite

over legal limit
THIS UTILITY14.4 ppm
EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE0.14 ppm
LEGAL LIMIT10 ppm
DETAILS
X

Nitrate and nitrite

more about
this contaminant

Nitrate and nitrite enter water from fertilizer runoff, septic tanks and urban runoff. These contaminants can cause oxygen deprivation for infants and increase the risk of cancer. Nitrite is significantly more toxic than nitrate. Click here to read more about nitrate.

Nitrate and nitrite was found at 103 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.14 ppm or less

This Utility

14.4 ppm

Legal Limit

10 ppm

National Average

0.888 ppm

State Average

0.461 ppm
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2017-2019.
ppm = parts per million

Health Risks

The health guideline of 0.14 parts per million, or ppm, for nitrate and nitrite is based on the equivalent health guideline for nitrate, as defined in a peer-reviewed scientific study by EWG. This guideline represents a one-in-one-million annual cancer risk level.

Pollution Sources

agriculture icon

Agriculture

urban area icon

Runoff & Sprawl

naturally occuring icon

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

reverse osmosis icon

Reverse Osmosis

ion exchange icon

Ion Exchange

Includes chemicals detected in 2017-2019 for which annual utility averages exceeded the federal Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL); chemicals detected in 2017-2019 for which annual utility averages exceeded an EWG-selected health guideline established by a federal or state public health authority.

Includes .


Other Contaminants Tested


Chemicals tested for but not detected from 2014 to 2019:

1,1,1-Trichloroethane , 1,1,2-Trichloroethane , 1,1-Dichloroethylene , 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene , 1,2-Dichloroethane , 1,2-Dichloropropane , Antimony , Benzene , Beryllium , Bromodichloromethane , Bromoform , Carbon tetrachloride , Chloroform , cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene , Cyanide , Dibromoacetic acid , Dibromochloromethane , Dichloroacetic acid , Dichloromethane (methylene chloride) , Ethylbenzene , Haloacetic acids (HAA5) , Monobromoacetic acid , Monochloroacetic acid , Monochlorobenzene (chlorobenzene) , o-Dichlorobenzene , p-Dichlorobenzene , Styrene , Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene) , Thallium , Toluene , Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) , trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene , Trichloroacetic acid , Trichloroethylene , Vinyl chloride , Xylenes (total)

Diomede Joint Utilities compliance with legally mandated federal standards:

Information in this section on Diomede Joint Utilities comes from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History Online database (ECHO).

LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS UTILITY

Water Filters That Can Reduce Contaminant Levels

ContaminantActivated Carbonactivated carbonReverse Osmosisreverse osmosisIon Exchangeion exchange
CONTAMINANTS ABOVE
HEALTH GUIDELINES
Arsenic
Nitrate
Nitrate & nitrite

Take Action

Contact Your Local Official

One of the best ways to push for cleaner water is to hold accountable the elected officials who have a say in water quality – from city hall and the state legislature to Congress all the way to the Oval Office – by asking questions and demanding answers.

LEARN MORE

Filter Out Contaminants

Check out our recommendations for filters to protect your water against the detected contaminants.

EWG’S WATER FILTER GUIDE