The EPA’s sampling data for the MO American Water Co. system serving St. Charles, St. Louis County, shows chromium-6 was detected in all tested samples from 2013 to 2015, with concentrations ranging from 0.03 to 1.55 micrograms per liter (µg/L). This record reflects conditions in the public water system, serving over 1.1 million people, not individual household plumbing or wells.
What Should You Note Before Seeking Treatment Advice?
It is important to write down the official water system name and the dates of the EPA’s sampling period: MO American Water Co. - St. Louis County, tested between February and November 2013. Also note the detection levels reported (highest 1.55 µg/L, median 1.28 µg/L) and that no health-based violations were recorded. Having this information helps in understanding the context and discussing potential water treatment options relevant to your household.
What Does the Record Reveal About Seasonal or Multi-Year Changes?
The federal occurrence monitoring covered a specific timeframe in 2013, not continuous or seasonal sampling. Within this window, all 40 chromium-6 detections fell between 0.03 µg/L and 1.55 µg/L, showing some variability but remaining well below any federal regulatory limits for total chromium. This data offers a snapshot rather than a detailed year-round trend but indicates that chromium-6 presence is consistent in this water system during that period.
Interpreting the Median and Range of Chromium-6 as a Homeowner
The median value of 1.28 µg/L means half of the detected samples were above and half below this level, with the highest reaching only 1.55 µg/L. Because no maximum contaminant level (MCL) exists specifically for chromium-6, the total chromium standard of 100 µg/L applies to regulatory compliance. The sampling results from the water system are far below this figure. Understanding these numbers helps prevent misconceptions about water safety based solely on detection.
How Does Chromium-6 Enter Water in This Region?
In St. Charles and St. Louis County, chromium-6 originates primarily from surface water sources feeding into the municipal supply. It can arise naturally in the environment or from industrial activities upstream. The public water system treats surface water before distribution, but small amounts of chromium-6 can remain detectable without constituting a regulatory violation.
How the C-Series System Addresses Chromium-6
For households seeking to reduce chromium-6 presence in their water, the C-Series Chromium-6 Filter offers a targeted solution. This system uses proven filtration technology designed to remove chromium-6 from water supplies effectively. It ships ready to configure with a household’s existing water setup and requires no specialized assistance to operate. While the EPA’s record pertains only to the system level, testing your household water specifically can validate if this treatment is suitable for your needs.
In summary, the EPA public water system record for MO American Water Co. in St. Charles, St. Louis County documents chromium-6 detection in all samples tested during 2013 but no health-based violations. This data reflects system-wide conditions from surface water sources, not individual household plumbing. For more details, visit the EPA’s Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule data page.
Where this information comes from
Source: EPA SDWIS public water system record. Sampled 2013-11-06. These figures describe the public water system's record, not the plumbing inside any individual building.
On record: EPA UCMR3 monitoring (2013-2015) for MO American Water Co. - St. Louis County (MO6010716), MO: 80 results across 2 listed contaminants, 80 detections above the reporting level; no federal MCL for hexavalent chromium; total chromium MCL 100 ug/L