Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

UTILITY

Manassa, Town of

location

Manassa, Colorado

serves

967

source

Groundwater

data

2018-2023

Overview

EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, 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 (April 2024 - June 2024), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.

Contaminants Detected

Arsenic

Potential Effect: cancer

This Utility: 3.00 ppb

750x

EWG's Health Guideline: 0.004 ppb

Arsenic

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 750 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.004 ppb or less

This Utility

3 ppb

Legal Limit

10 ppb

National Average

0.624 ppb

State Average

0.246 ppb

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.

Understanding the Data

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2021-2023.

ppb = parts per billion

Pollution Sources

Agriculture

Industry

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

Reverse Osmosis

Ion Exchange

Cadmium

Potential Effect: harm to the kidney

This Utility: 2.00 ppb

50x

EWG's Health Guideline: 0.04 ppb

Cadmium

Cadmium is a toxic metal found in food and drinking water. It has been linked to kidney toxicity, bone damage, cancer, and damage to developing fetuses.

Cadmium was found at 50 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.04 ppb or less

This Utility

2 ppb

Legal Limit

5 ppb

National Average

0.00384 ppb

State Average

0.00228 ppb

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.04 ppb for cadmium 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 harm to internal organs.

Understanding the Data

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2021-2023.

ppb = parts per billion

Pollution Sources

Industry

Runoff & Sprawl

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

Activated Carbon

Reverse Osmosis

Ion Exchange

Nitrate

Potential Effect: cancer

This Utility: 0.463 ppm

3.3x

EWG's Health Guideline: 0.14 ppm

Nitrate

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 3.3 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.14 ppm or less

This Utility

0.463 ppm

Legal Limit

10 ppm

National Average

0.824 ppm

State Average

0.361 ppm

Health Risks

The EWG 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.

Understanding the Data

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2021-2023.

ppm = parts per million

Pollution Sources

Agriculture

Runoff & Sprawl

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

Reverse Osmosis

Ion Exchange

Radium, combined (-226 and -228)

Potential Effect: cancer

This Utility: 0.25 pCi/L

5x

EWG's Health Guideline: 0.05 pCi/L

Radium, combined (-226 and -228)

Radium is a radioactive element that causes bone cancer and other cancers. It can occur naturally in groundwater, and oil and gas extraction activities such as hydraulic fracturing can elevate concentrations.

Radium, combined (-226 and -228) was found at 5 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.05 pCi/L or less

This Utility

0.25 pCi/L

Legal Limit

5 pCi/L

National Average

0.33 pCi/L

State Average

0.9 pCi/L

Health Risks

EWG applied the health guideline of 0.05 pCi/L, defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal for radium-226, to radium-226 and radium-228 combined. This health guideline protects against cancer.

Understanding the Data

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2018-2023.

pCi/L = picocuries per liter

Pollution Sources

Industry

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

Reverse Osmosis

Ion Exchange

Includes chemicals detected in 2021-2023 for which annual utility averages exceeded an EWG-selected health guideline established by a federal or state public health authority; radiological contaminants detected between 2018 and 2023.

Xylenes (total)

This Utility: 0.114 ppb

EWG's Health Guideline: 1,800 ppb

Xylenes (total)

Xylenes are solvents used in industrial and consumer products, such as cleaning agents and paint thinners. Xylenes cause nervous system damage and may harm developing fetuses.

How your levels compare

EWG Health Guideline

1,800 ppb or less

This Utility

0.114 ppb

Legal Limit

10,000 ppb

National Average

0.059 ppb

State Average

0.11 ppb

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 1,800 ppb for xylenes 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 harm to the brain and nervous system.

Understanding the Data

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2021-2023.

ppb = parts per billion

Pollution Sources

Industry

Runoff & Sprawl

Filtering Options

Activated Carbon

Reverse Osmosis

Includes chemicals detected in 2021-2023 for which annual utility averages were lower than an EWG-selected health guideline established by a federal or state public health authority.

Other Contaminants Tested

Find A Filter

Utility: 

Manassa, Town of
view utility

Carbon Filters

FILTERS 1 contaminants exceeding guidelines (+1 others)

Can reduce the levels of many common contaminants.

pros

  • Lower upfront cost
  • Reduced maintenance

cons

  • Does not remove all contaminants

Reverse Osmosis

FILTERS 4 contaminants exceeding guidelines (+1 others)

Can reduce the levels of many common contaminants.

pros

  • Most effective

cons

  • Higher upfront cost
  • Requires more maintenance
  • Wastes water

Other Considerations

Ion Exchange

Pros: Softens hard water, Reduces some contaminants

Cons: Doesn’t remove all contaminants

Whole-House Filters

Pros: Useful for reducing radiologicals and TCE

Cons: Expensive to install and maintain, Risk of bacterial contamination

Distillation

Pros: Removes heavy metals and harmful microbes

Cons: Does not reduce most contaminants

Explore filter options for each contaminant. See which technologies are effective at reducing specific contaminants to help you make an informed decision on the best water treatment solution for your needs.

CONTAMINANTS ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES activated carbon reverse osmosis ion exchange
Arsenic
Cadmium
Nitrate
Radium, combined (-226 & -228)
OTHER CONTAMINANTS DETECTED activated carbon reverse osmosis ion exchange
Xylenes (total)
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