Water in Kitsap County commonly comes from groundwater sources, with the Silverdale Water District #16 serving over 35,000 residents. Groundwater naturally picks up minerals and elements like chromium in various chemical forms as it travels through underground rock and soil layers before it reaches household taps. This page helps you interpret chromium-6 data reported by government surveys for your area and understand options to address it based on your specific water test results.
If you want to know how chromium-6 in Kitsap compares to industrial sources
Chromium exists mainly in two forms: trivalent chromium (Cr(III)) and hexavalent chromium (chromium-6 or Cr(VI)). Chromium-6 often forms from industrial processes involving plating or manufacturing, which can release contaminants into water. Conversely, in many groundwater aquifers like Kitsap’s, chromium-6 presence is often geogenic—naturally occurring due to rock mineral content and water chemistry, especially in alkaline and arid conditions. Unlike heavily industrialized sites, Kitsap’s groundwater chromium-6 levels arise mostly from natural sources, which influences treatment and monitoring priorities.
If you want to understand how chromium’s oxidation state changes from source to tap
Chromium-6 is not always stable throughout water’s journey. It may be transformed chemically into other chromium forms, including less mobile or less soluble species. Between the well, distribution pipes, and your tap, factors like pH, organic matter, and disinfectant presence can affect chromium’s speciation. Monitoring data from Silverdale Water District show chromium-6 and total chromium present at measured levels, but the form found at the tap may differ depending on these chemical processes. This dynamic means measuring chromium-6 at the tap is essential to know household exposure.
If you want to know what a certified laboratory reports about chromium-6 and how to read it
Tests conducted by certified labs for chromium-6 report concentrations in micrograms per liter (µg/L), also expressed as parts per billion (ppb). The Silverdale Water District’s federal monitoring (UCMR3, 2013–2015) recorded chromium-6 in 44 samples, detecting it above 0.03 µg/L in 38 samples. The highest recorded concentration was 9.9 µg/L, with a median detection of 5.8 µg/L. These figures are measurements, not safety violations, and federal law does not yet set a maximum contaminant level (MCL) specifically for chromium-6. Total chromium’s MCL is 100 µg/L, and none of these samples approached that level.
If you want to track seasonal and long-term variation in chromium-6 in Kitsap’s water
The data available come from a federal occurrence study of the district’s water conducted between December 2014 and June 2015. This snapshot provides insight into chromium-6 levels over that period but does not represent daily or seasonal variation fully. Chromium-6 concentrations can fluctuate due to changing groundwater chemistry, rainfall patterns, and local water management. To understand your household’s exposure, testing your own water at intervals is advisable because the public system data reflect averages and detections over many sites and times.
If you want to understand why California’s chromium-6 limit is relevant but not definitive for Kitsap
California established a public health goal of 10 µg/L for chromium-6, which is used as a guideline for treatment and monitoring there. This regulatory action reflects specific scientific and policy decisions that do not apply federally or necessarily to Washington water supplies. The Kitsap area’s highest chromium-6 measurement was 9.9 µg/L, just under that goal, but no federal standard currently regulates chromium-6. This history highlights the complexity of chromium-6 management and why personalized testing and appropriate equipment can help address local water quality demands.
For households in Kitsap County seeking to manage chromium-6 levels measured in their water, the Pentair Chromium-6 Filter is a documented solution. This filtration technology ships ready to configure for residential use and is designed to address chromium-6 based on the specific concentration you identify in your water test, providing a targeted approach suited to your household’s needs.
Where this information comes from
Source: EPA SDWIS public water system record. Sampled 2015-06-29. These figures describe the public water system's record, not the plumbing inside any individual building.
On record: EPA UCMR3 monitoring (2013-2015) for Silverdale Water District #16 (WA5379300), WA: 88 results across 2 listed contaminants, 78 detections above the reporting level; no federal MCL for hexavalent chromium; total chromium MCL 100 ug/L
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