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Resource Type: Technical Guidance

  • Chloramine Fact Sheet

    Many municipal water supplies have switched from chlorine to an alternative method of disinfection to reduce the formation of trihalomethanes (THMs). Chloramine, or chloramination, is a treatment method employed by public water systems, more than one in five Americans uses drinking water treated with chloramines. Chloramines do pose a risk for hemodialysis patients and fish. Nitrosamines can…

  • Chromium Fact Sheet

    Trivalent chromium occurs naturally in the environment and can be found in rocks and soil. It can also be found in fruits, vegetables and meat. Cr3+ is used to make bricks, metal alloys and chemical compounds. Hexavalent chromium does not occur naturally in the environment. It is produced by certain chemical processes and is considered…

  • Copper Fact Sheet

    Copper is a metallic element that is essential to human health. Too little is unhealthy and too much can lead to copper poisoning. The body cannot synthesize copper so the human diet must supply regular amounts for absorption. The daily requirement is about 2 mg of copper intake per day to maintain a balance of…

  • Mercury Fact Sheet

    Mercury is a naturally occurring metal that has several forms. The metallic mercury is a shiny, silver-white, odorless liquid. If heated, it is a colorless, odorless gas. Mercury combines with other elements to form inorganic mercury compounds. Mercury also combines with carbon to make organic mercury compounds. The most common form of organic mercury, methyl…

  • Nitrites/Nitrates Fact Sheet

    Most nitrogenous materials in natural waters tend to be converted to nitrate, so all sources of combined nitrogen, particularly organic nitrogen and ammonia, should be considered as potential nitrate sources. Primary sources of organic nitrates include human sewage and livestock manure, especially from feedlots. The primary inorganic nitrates which may contaminate drinking water are potassium…

  • Radium Fact Sheet

    Radium is formed when uranium and thorium undergo radioactive decay in the environment. Uranium and thorium are found in small amounts in most rocks and soil. Radium is constantly being produced by the radioactive decay of uranium and thorium. Two of the main radium isotopes found in the environment are radium-226 and radium-228 with an…

  • Do Your Homework on Treating Lead in Schools and Daycares

    David Cwiertny, PhD, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Iowa, facilitates this webinar, which looks at lead in drinking water, surveying work conducted by the Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination (CHEEC) and the Get the Lead Out Iowa program at the University of Iowa. The presentation focuses on risks…

  • Chloride Handbook

    The Communication Resources on Chloride Handbook, developed as a WQA member benefit, is a guide to aid communications with government officials and other interested parties regarding chlorides. It is a collection of resources and information designed to support members, as well as to provide an education and solid grounding on chlorides for all interested parties, including…

  • Ammonia Fact Sheet

    Ammonia is a colorless, pungent gaseous compound of hydrogen and nitrogen that is highly soluble in water. It is a biologically active compound found in most waters as a normal biological degradation product of nitrogenous organic matter (protein). It also may find its way to ground and surface waters through discharge of industrial process wastes…

  • Aluminum Fact Sheet

    Aluminum is an extremely abundant metal in the earth’s crust and is often found in the form of silicates such as feldspar (KAlSi3O8). The oxide of aluminum known as bauxite (Al2O3·nH2O) provides a convenient source of uncontaminated ore. Aluminum can be selectively leached from rock and soil to enter any water source. Al3+ is known…