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Contaminant
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WQA Recommended Treatment Methods
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Potential Health Effects from Ingestion of Water
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Sources of Contaminant in Drinking Water
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Antimony
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Reverse Osmosis
Coagulation/Filtration
Submicron Filtration
Ultrafiltration
Distillation
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Increase in blood cholesterol
Decrease in blood glucose
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Fire retardants
Ceramics
Electronics
Solder
Discharge from petroleum refineries
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Arsenic (+3)
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Reverse Osmosis
Chemical Oxidation
Distillation
Iron Based Media
Anion Exchange
Activated Alumina
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Skin damage
Circulatory system problems
Increased risk of cancer
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Discharge from semiconductor manufacturing
Petroleum refining
Wood preservatives
Animal feed additives
Herbicides
Erosion of natural deposits
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Arsenic (+5)
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Coagulation/Filtration
Submicron Filtration
Anion Exchange
Activated Alumina
Reverse Osmosis
Distillation
Electrodialysis
Iron Based Media
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See Arsenic (+3) above
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See Arsenic (+3) above
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Arsenic (organic complexes)
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Activated Carbon
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See Arsenic (+3) above
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See Arsenic (+3) above
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Asbestos (fibers > 10µm)
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Coagulation/Filtration
Submicron Filtration
Reverse Osmosis
Ultrafiltration
Distillation
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Increased risk of developing benign intestinal polyps
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Asbestos cement in water systems
Natural Deposits
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Barium
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Cation Exchange
Reverse Osmosis
Distillation
Electrodialysis
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Circulatory system effects
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Natural deposits
Discharge of drilling wastes
Discharge from metal refineries
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Beryllium
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Coagulation/Filtration
Submicron Filtration
Activated Carbon
Activated Alumina
Cation Exchange
Reverse Osmosis
Distillation
Electrodialysis
Ultrafiltration
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Intestinal lesions
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Discharge from electrical, aerospace, defense industries
Discharge from metal refineries and coal-burning factories
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Cadmium
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Coagulation/Filtration
Submicron Filtration
Cation Exchange
Reverse Osmosis
Distillation
Electrodialysis
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Kidney effects
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Galvanized pipe corrosion
Natural deposits
Batteries
Paints
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Chlorine
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Activated Carbon
Reverse Osmosis
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Cancer
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Chemical added to disinfect municipal water
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Chromium (+3)
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Coagulation/Filtration
Cation Exchange
Reverse Osmosis
Distillation
Electrodialysis
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Liver disorders
Kidney disorders
Circulatory disorders
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Natural deposits
Steel and pulp mills
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Chromium (+6)
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Anion Exchange
Reverse Osmosis
Distillation
Electrodialysis
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See Chromium (+3) above
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See Chromium (+3) above
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Chromium (organic complexes)
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Activated Carbon |
See Chromium (+3) above
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See Chromium (+3) above
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Copper
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Cation Exchange (20% – 90%)
Reverse Osmosis
Distillation
Electrodialysis
Corrosion control
Polyphosphate/Silicate feed
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Gastrointestinal irritation
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Natural/industrial deposits
Wood preservatives
Plumbing
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Cyanide
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Chemical Oxidation
Anion Exchange
Reverse Osmosis
Distillation
Electrodialysis
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Thyroid damage
Nervous system damage
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Electroplating
Steel
Plastics
Mining
Fertilizer
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Fluoride
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Activated Alumina
Bone Char
Reverse Osmosis
Distillation
Electrodialysis
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Skeletal & dental fluorosis
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Natural deposits
Fertilizer
Aluminum industries
Water additive
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Lead
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Cation Exchange (20% – 90%)
Coagulation/Filtration
Reverse Osmosis
Distillation
Electrodialysis
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Kidney damage
Nervous system damage
Impedes mental and physical development
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Natural/industrial deposits
Plumbing
Solder
Brass alloy faucets
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Mercury (organic complexes)
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Activated Carbon
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Kidney damage
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Crop runoff
Natural deposits
Batteries
Electrical switches
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Mercury (+2)
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Submicron Filtration/ Activated Carbon
Cation Exchange (20% – 90%)
Reverse Osmosis
Distillation
Electrodialysis
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See Mercury (organic) above
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See Mercury (organic) above
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Mercury (HgCl3-)
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Anion Exchange
Reverse Osmosis
Distillation
Electrodialysis
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See Mercury (organic) above
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See Mercury (organic) above
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Nickel
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Cation Exchange
Reverse Osmosis
Distillation
Electrodialysis
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Heart damage
Liver damage
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Metal alloys
Electroplating
Batteries
Chemical production
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Nitrate (as nitrogen)
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Anion Exchange
Reverse Osmosis
Distillation
Electrodialysis
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Methemo-globulinemia
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Animal waste
Fertilizer
Natural deposits
Septic tanks
Sewage
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Nitrite (as nitrogen)
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Chemical Oxidation
Anion Exchange
Reverse Osmosis
Distillation
Electrodialysis
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Methemo-globulinemia
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Same as nitrate; rapidly converted to nitrate.
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Selenium (+4)
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Coagulation/Filtration
Submicron Filtration/ Activated Carbon
Anion Exchange
Activated Alumina
Reverse Osmosis
Distillation
Electrodialysis
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Hair and fingernail loss
Circulatory problems
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Natural deposits
Mining
Smelting
Coal/Oil combustion
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Selenium (+6)
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Anion Exchange
Activated Alumina
Reverse Osmosis
Distillation
Electrodialysis
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See Selenium (+4) above
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See Selenium (+4) above
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Sulfate
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Anion Exchange
Reverse Osmosis
Distillation
Electrodialysis
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Diarrhea
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Natural deposits
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