Arsenic is a naturally occurring chemical element that’s found deep underground and can dissolve into groundwater.
It is used commercially in pesticides and industrial processes like cement manufacturing.
Health Effects of Arsenic Exposure
Arsenic is a carcinogen, meaning it can cause cancer.
Long-term exposure to low levels of arsenic may cause:
- High blood pressure
- Skin thickening and discoloration
- Problems with blood vessels
- Nerve numbness or pain
- Heart disease
- Cancer
Short-term exposure to high levels of arsenic in drinking water may cause:
- Stomach pain
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Headaches
- Diarrhea
- Weakness
- …and even death
Why Are Arsenic Levels Higher In Some Parts of the United States?
Arsenic occurs naturally underground depending on the geology of the regions.
As a result, some states are more likely to have arsenic than others.
Plus, industrial work, mining, energy production, and farming activities can disturb arsenic deposits so more of it dissolves in groundwater.
Arsenic levels in soil and water may be higher in areas closer to:
- Metal processing operations, power plants, or cement manufacturing facilities
- Previously treated fruit orchards with lead-arsenate pesticides
- Metal ore mines, current or former
- Decommissioned landfills
- Arsenic-contaminated hazardous waste superfund sites
Who Monitors The Quality of Tap Water?
Every year, water utilities in each state conduct their own water quality testing and publish a public report.
States are allowed to set their own standards as long as they follow the Environmental Protection Association (EPA) regulations under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).
The EPA sets guidelines for water-test scheduling, treatment methods, and maximum contaminants limits.
The maximum contaminant limit for aresent used to be 50 parts per billion (ppb) before it tightened the standard to 10 ppb in 2001.
They changed the standard after more research came out linking arsenic in drinking water to chronic health issues.
6 Worst States for Arsenic In Drinking Water
Some of the highest levels of naturally occuring arsenic are found in western states, especially in the Southwest.
Most arsenic contamination occurs in rural areas, but it occurs in cities too…
Studies show that Albuquerque, New Mexico, Bakersfield, Sacramento, and Stockton, California, Phoenix, Arizona, Reno Nevada, and Salt Lake City, Utah could face serious arsenic challenges as these cities grow.
At the same time, many northern states in the Rocky Mountains and Interior Plains are high-risk because they fall on the glacial aquifer systems (GLAC).
The GLAC is the single largest connected source of private and public drinking water in the United States and supplies roughly 30 million people with water across 25 states.
Unfortunately, many parts of the GLAC are high in arsenic.
Because aquifers occur at different depths, some states are more at risk than others.
Let’s take a closer look at the six worst states for arsenic in America:
Phoenix, Arizona is one of the worst cities in the country for arsenic contamination, but rural parts of the state are even worse.
What makes Arizona’s groundwater so bad?
Aside from naturally high arsenic levels, their aquifers are vulnerable to low rainfall.
When rainfall is low, arsenic levels can reach much higher concentrations.
According to a study from the U.S. Geological Survey, about 19% of the main aquifers in the Southwest have arsenic levels above the EPA’s limits.
In Arizona, Native American reserves struggle the most.
The Navajo Nation has hundreds abandoned mines that contain arsenic and other dangerous metals.
California pumps massive amounts of groundwater to supply its residents and farming operations.
Unfortunately, all that pumping gives arsenic the perfect opportunity to dissolve into drinking water.
That’s a whole lotta water!
In the San Joaquin Valley, the aquifers are particularly stressed.
When you combine low rainfall with lots of pumping, you get a situation similar to Arizona, where the groundwater is drained and arsenic levels become too concentrated.
Preserving groundwater is essential if California wants to get its arsenic contamination under control.
Albuquerque, the largest city in New Mexico, has some of the highest arsenic levels of any major American city.
Like many Southwest states, New Mexico is high in arsenic, but it also faces another huge challenge:
It’s one of the poorest states and has very little tax revenue.
In fact, nearly one in five residents live below the poverty line.
This makes it extremely hard to tackle the problem of arsenic pollution.
The further you travel out into the countryside, the worse the arsenic situation gets…
For example, the town of San Ysidro has even higher arsenic levels than Albuquerque, and a nearby Indian community, Isleta Pueblo, recently sued the city for arsenic content.
Several counties in Michigan have very high levels of arsenic, especially in the Thumb region of the Lower Peninsula.
Other counties with high arsenic levels include Oakland, Washtenaw, and Ingham counties.
Some areas have arsenic concentrations greater than 100 ppb, which is ten times the federal standard!
And that’s just getting started…
One of the highest arsenic levels ever recorded in Michigan was in Lake Township in Huron County.
They recorded 220 ppb, or over 20 times the EPA’s limit!
Arsenic is easy to find in groundwater throughout Minnesota.
Its location above the glacial aquifer systems (GLAC) is prime real estate for arsenic-contaminated groundwater.
Beginning in 2008, all private wells in Minnesota now have to be tested for arsenic.
From 2008-2020, 10% of wells were above the federal limit of 10 ppb.
Some wells were even as high as 350 ppb, although most results were below 50.
Wells in Northern Nevada have some of the highest arsenic levels in the country.
Believe it or not, the City of Reno has to blend its well water with water from the Truckee River just to dilute the arsenic.
Shockingly, the average well in Nevada has arsenic levels of 55 ppb, or five times the federal limit.
Some of the worst cities are Verdi, Palomino Valley, Truckee, Pleasant Valley, Carson City, and Gardnerville, and Lake Tahoe.
With that said, the tiny city of Fallon might have it worst of all…
With a population of only 8,300, Fallon might be the arsenic capital of the country.
According to a study by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Fallon’s water system delivers more arsenic to its customers (per person) than any other large system.
Unsure About Your Tap Water?
Even if your state didn’t make the list, you should still test your tap water just in case.
Testing allows you to detect potential pollutants early, before they have dangerous long-term health effects on you and your family.
Here are three ways to investigate the quality of your water:
1. Ask Your Water Provider
Contact your local water provider before testing your water at home.
Request a copy of their most recent water quality report.
This report will typically include detailed information such as the specific tests performed on the water in your area, the dates they were completed, and the final results.
Send a tap water sample to a state-certified testing lab for accurate results.
Experts can perform professional tests on your water samples and look for hard-to-detect chemicals like PFCs.
They will also look at the levels of arsenic, chlorine, lead, bacteria, pesticides, and VOCs in your water.
A home water testing kit can give you a general idea of water quality, but it won’t tell you everything that’s in your water.
Although they are not as accurate as professional laboratory testing, they can be a good place to start.
So, Your Water Is Contaminated, Now What?
We've got some encouraging news…
If you live in a state where tap water is of poor quality, a high-quality water filtration system can be an effective and affordable way to protect you and your family.
Filtering tap water at home can remove harmful contaminants and improve your health.
However, not all filtration systems are created equal…
Arsenic, in particular, can be especially difficult to remove.
Luckily, reverse osmosis systems can remove up to 99.9% of all harmful pollutants, including hard-to-remove ones like arsenic, lead, viruses, and nuclear waste.
Cloud Water RO Filters combine several stages of filtration, including:
- Sediment filters to remove dirt, rust and debris
- Activated carbon filters to remove chlorine and bacteria
- Ion exchange resins to remove “hard” minerals, like calcium and magnesium
- RO membranes to remove the worst contaminants, like arsenic
- Polishing filters to catch anything still lingering
- Final remineralization stage to add healthy minerals back into the water
Cloud Filters even include built-in software to monitor your water quality 24/7 through an app on your phone!
