Why is the Health Goal different from the Allowable Limit?
A Health Goal is the level of a chemical contaminant in drinking water that does not pose a significant risk to health. This level is what the USEPA refers to as the Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG). The Public Water Allowable Limit is the USEPA Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL). The MCLs are legally enforceable.
If public water supplies comply with all MCLs, the water is considered safe to drink, even if some contaminants exceed health goal levels. We refer to this water as “Safe With Risks.”
