Pentek Chromium-6 Filter

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What the UCMR3 Nationwide Survey Reveals and Its Limits for Your Household

Laboratory test reports list concentrations in micrograms per litre (µg/L) or parts per billion (ppb), which are equivalent units for chromium-6.

The 2013-2015 EPA UCMR3 monitoring of the Kennebunk, Kennebunkport & Wells public water system detected chromium-6 in most samples above its 0.03 µg/L reporting level, with results ranging from non-detect to a highest measured value of 0.19 µg/L.

This survey covers the community water system as a whole, serving over 35,000 people through more than 14,000 connections in York County, ME, but does not assess individual household water quality.

The data are occurrence measurements for a regulatory evaluation and not compliance tests; they do not establish a violation or unsafe level in your home's water.

Information to Gather Before Seeking Water Treatment Options

Document any recent laboratory test results of your household's water, specifying chromium-6 concentration if tested.

Record symptoms or issues noticed with your prior water treatment equipment, including failure details and any water quality changes.

Note your household water usage patterns and flow rates, as these influence treatment capacity needs.

Include details on your water source—whether directly from the public system or supplemented by private wells.

Steps to Narrow Down the Source and Extent of Chromium-6 Concerns

First, verify if the water issue originated after water treatment equipment failure or from the water supply itself.

Check for any recent municipal water quality advisories or notices concerning chromium-6 in York County.

Arrange for a certified laboratory water test focusing on chromium-6 levels in your home's tap water to confirm your actual exposure.

Evaluate other common water quality factors that may mimic chromium-6 related issues, such as discoloration or taste changes, to rule them out.

Interpreting Measured Chromium-6 Ranges Against Federal Standards

Federal regulations currently do not set a maximum contaminant level (MCL) specifically for chromium-6, but total chromium has an MCL of 100 µg/L.

The highest chromium-6 concentration measured in the system's survey, 0.19 µg/L, is well below the total chromium MCL, indicating no exceedance of federal limits.

Detection above a reporting level indicates the presence of chromium-6 but is not itself evidence of a health violation or unsafe water.

The survey data reflect the system-wide water quality and do not determine the concentration in your household tap water.

Distinguishing Chromium-6 Issues from Similar Water Problems

Chromium-6 presence is chemically distinct from total chromium, which includes other chromium forms such as chromium-3, commonly found in water.

Chromium-6 is occasionally confused with iron or manganese staining, but those minerals have different taste and color profiles and require other testing.

Copper or lead plumbing corrosion can cause discoloration or metals in water; these do not correlate to chromium-6 presence.

Water hardness and pH shifts are unrelated to chromium-6 and are controlled through separate water treatment approaches.

Final Step: Confirming Your Household Chromium-6 Level

Order a laboratory test specifically measuring hexavalent chromium (chromium-6) concentration in your tap water. This test is the definitive method to know your household’s chromium-6 level, settling any uncertainty beyond the public system’s reported data.

For households experiencing equipment failure and associated water quality issues in York County, direct purchase of a Pentek Chromium-6 Filter is an available option. This technology is designed to address chromium-6 presence in residential water supplies and ships ready to configure for home use.

Where this information comes from

Source: EPA SDWIS public water system record. Sampled 2014-12-03. These figures describe the public water system's record, not the plumbing inside any individual building.

On record: EPA UCMR3 monitoring (2013-2015) for Kennebunk, Kennebunkport & Wells WD (ME0090760), ME: 24 results across 2 listed contaminants, 8 detections above the reporting level; no federal MCL for hexavalent chromium; total chromium MCL 100 ug/L