Emerging Contaminants
This page contains links to information about new and emerging contaminants that pertain to drinking water and to recycled water.
New and emerging contaminants are unregulated and may be new contaminants (e.g., MTBE, now regulated in California) or those that may have been present but not detected (e.g., perchlorate, now also regulated in California). Other examples such contaminants are 1,2,3-trichloropropane, NDMA and other nitrosamines and 1,4-dioxane.
Also among the emerging contaminants are pharmaceuticals and personal care products, industrial chemicals present at low concentrations, and chemicals that may affect hormone status, referred to as "endocrine disruptors."
Listed below are links for more information about emerging contaminants.
- USEPA's analytical methods for unregulated contaminants.
- Monitoring Strategies for Chemicals of Emerging Concern (CECs) in Recycled Water - Recommendations of a Scientific Advisory Panel (PDF, 4.2MB) , June 2010. The panel was convened by the State Water Resources Control Board.
- No Drugs Down the Drain - an effective means of source water protection is to keep pharmaceuticals out of wastewater. This program is to remind people not to flush old pharmaceuticals down the drain.
- Pharmaceuticals - information from Cal/EPA's Department of Toxic Substances Control.
- Pharmaceuticals and other product categories - information from The Product Stewardship Institute.
- Chemicals and contaminants in drinking water - information from the Division of Drinking Water, including chemicals with drinking water notification levels.
More Information
Division of Drinking Water's Recycled Water Information