Atlanta-Fulton County Water Resources Commission

EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, 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 compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.

Utility Details

Contaminants Detected

10 Total Contaminants

What To Do

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Contaminants Detected

Bromodichloromethane

Potential Effect: cancer 85x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINE THIS UTILITY 5.08 ppb EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE 0.06 ppb NO LEGAL LIMIT

Bromodichloromethane

Bromodichloromethane, one of the total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), is formed when chlorine or other disinfectants are used to treat drinking water. Bromodichloromethane and other disinfection byproducts increase the risk of cancer and may cause problems during pregnancy. Click here to read more about disinfection byproducts.

Bromodichloromethane was found at 85 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.06 ppb or less NO LEGAL LIMIT

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 0.06 ppb for bromodichloromethane was proposed in 2018 by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a one-in-a-million lifetime risk of cancer. Values greater than one-in-a-million cancer risk level can result in increased cancer cases above one in a million people.

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Pollution Sources

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Filtering Options

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Chloroform

Potential Effect: cancer 48x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINE THIS UTILITY 19.1 ppb EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE 0.4 ppb NO LEGAL LIMIT

Chloroform

Chloroform, one of the total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), is formed when chlorine or other disinfectants are used to treat drinking water. Chloroform and other disinfection byproducts increase the risk of cancer and may cause problems during pregnancy.

Chloroform was found at 48 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.4 ppb or less NO LEGAL LIMIT

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 0.4 ppb for chloroform was proposed in 2018 by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a one-in-a-million lifetime risk of cancer. Values greater than one-in-a-million cancer risk level can result in increased cancer cases above one in a million people.

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Pollution Sources

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Filtering Options

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Dichloroacetic acid

Potential Effect: cancer 75x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINE THIS UTILITY 14.9 ppb EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE 0.2 ppb NO LEGAL LIMIT

Dichloroacetic acid

Dichloroacetic acid, one of the group of five haloacetic acids regulated by federal standards, is formed when chlorine or other disinfectants are used to treat drinking water. Haloacetic acids and other disinfection byproducts increase the risk of cancer and may cause problems during pregnancy. Click here to read more about disinfection byproducts.

Dichloroacetic acid was found at 75 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.2 ppb or less NO LEGAL LIMIT

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 0.2 ppb for dichloroacetic acid was proposed in 2020 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.a one-in-a-million lifetime risk of cancer. Values greater than one-in-a-million cancer risk level can result in increased cancer cases above one in a million people.

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Pollution Sources

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Filtering Options

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Haloacetic acids (HAA5)†

Potential Effect: cancer 267x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINE THIS UTILITY 26.7 ppb EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE 0.1 ppb LEGAL LIMIT 60 ppb

Haloacetic acids (HAA5)

Haloacetic acids are formed when disinfectants such as chlorine are added to tap water. The group of five haloacetic acids regulated by federal standards includes monochloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, monobromoacetic acid and dibromoacetic acid.

Haloacetic acids (HAA5) was found at 267 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.1 ppb or less

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 0.1 ppb for the group of five haloacetic acids, or HAA5, was defined in a peer-reviewed scientific study by EWG and represents a one-in-a-million lifetime cancer risk level. This health guideline protects against cancer.

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Pollution Sources

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Filtering Options

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Nitrate and nitrite

Potential Effect: cancer 3.7x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINE THIS UTILITY 0.517 ppm EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE 0.14 ppm LEGAL LIMIT 10 ppm

Nitrate and nitrite

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 3.7 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.14 ppm or less

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.

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Pollution Sources

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Filtering Options

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Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)†

Potential Effect: cancer 187x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINE THIS UTILITY 28.0 ppb EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE 0.15 ppb LEGAL LIMIT 80 ppb

Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)

Trihalomethanes are cancer-causing contaminants that form during water treatment with chlorine and other disinfectants. The total trihalomethanes group includes four chemicals: chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane and bromoform.

Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) was found at 187 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.15 ppb or less

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 health guideline of 0.15 parts per billion, or ppb, for the group of four trihalomethanes, or THM4/TTHM, was defined in a peer-reviewed scientific study by EWG and represents a one-in-one-million lifetime cancer risk level.

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Pollution Sources

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Filtering Options

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Trichloroacetic acid

Potential Effect: cancer 116x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINE THIS UTILITY 11.6 ppb EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE 0.1 ppb NO LEGAL LIMIT

Trichloroacetic acid

Trichloroacetic acid, one of the group of five haloacetic acids regulated by federal standards, is formed when chlorine or other disinfectants are used to treat drinking water. Haloacetic acids and other disinfection byproducts increase the risk of cancer and may cause problems during pregnancy. Click here to read more about disinfection byproducts.

Trichloroacetic acid was found at 116 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.1 ppb or less NO LEGAL LIMIT

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 0.1 ppb for trichloroacetic acid was proposed in 2020 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.a one-in-a-million lifetime risk of cancer. Values greater than one-in-a-million cancer risk level can result in increased cancer cases above one in a million people.

VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

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Filtering Options

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Includes 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.

† HAA5 is a contaminant group that includes monochloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, monobromoacetic acid and dibromoacetic acid. HAA9 is a contaminant group that includes the chemicals in HAA5 and bromochloroacetic acid, bromodichloroacetic acid, chlorodibromoacetic acid and tribromoacetic acid. TTHM is a contaminant group that includes bromodichloromethane, bromoform, chloroform and dibromochloromethane.

Dibromochloromethane

THIS UTILITY 0.185 ppb EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE 0.1 ppb NO LEGAL LIMIT

Dibromochloromethane

Dibromochloromethane, one of the total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), is formed when chlorine or other disinfectants are used to treat drinking water. Dibromochloromethane and other disinfection byproducts increase the risk of cancer and may cause problems during pregnancy. Click here to read more about disinfection byproducts.

How your levels compare

EWG Health Guideline

0.1 ppb or less NO LEGAL LIMIT

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 0.1 ppb for dibromochloromethane was proposed in 2018 by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a one-in-a-million lifetime risk of cancer. Values greater than one-in-a-million cancer risk level can result in increased cancer cases above one in a million people.

VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

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Filtering Options

carbon filter icon

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Fluoride

THIS UTILITY 0.500 ppm NO EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE LEGAL LIMIT 4 ppm

Fluoride

Fluoride occurs naturally in surface and groundwater and is also added to drinking water by many water systems.

How your levels compare

NO EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE

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

VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

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Filtering Options

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Monochloroacetic acid

THIS UTILITY 0.208 ppb EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE 53 ppb NO LEGAL LIMIT

Monochloroacetic acid

Monochloroacetic acid, one of the group of five haloacetic acids regulated by federal standards, is formed when chlorine or other disinfectants are used to treat drinking water. Haloacetic acids and other disinfection byproducts increase the risk of cancer and may cause problems during pregnancy. Click here to read more about disinfection byproducts.

How your levels compare

EWG Health Guideline

53 ppb or less NO LEGAL LIMIT

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 53 ppb for monochloroacetic acid was proposed in 2020 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 system toxicity.

VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

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Filtering Options

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Other Contaminants Tested

Chemicals tested for but not detected from 2014 to 2019:

Atlanta-Fulton County Water Resources Commission compliance with legally mandated federal standards:

Information in this section on Atlanta-Fulton County Water Resources Commission comes from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History Online database (ECHO).

Water Filters That Can Reduce Contaminant Levels

Contaminant Activated Carbon Reverse Osmosis Ion Exchange
CONTAMINANTS ABOVE
HEALTH GUIDELINES
Bromodichloromethane
Chloroform
Dichloroacetic acid
Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
Nitrate & nitrite
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Trichloroacetic acid
OTHER CONTAMINANTS
DETECTED
Dibromochloromethane
Fluoride
Monochloroacetic acid

Take Action

Contact Your Local Official

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Filter Out Contaminants

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

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