Molybdenum

Status: No national drinking water standard exists

Molybdenum is a metal that occurs naturally in soil, minerals and water. People who ingest large amounts can have increased levels of uric acid and gout-like symptoms.

2013-2019:

FOUND

FOUND ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES

states detected

4,552

utilities detected

155 million

people served

states over health guideline

utilities over health guideline

305,000

people served over health guideline

Health concerns for molybdenum

Change in blood chemistry

Gout

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 40 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 40 ppb for molybdenum was defined by the Environmental Protection Agency as a benchmark for testing under the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule program. This health guideline protects against metabolic changes and excess formation of uric acid in the blood.

ppb = parts per billion

States reporting molybdenum in drinking water

	UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES			UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION
State	Utilities	People Served		Utilities	People Served
California		3	17,527			477	33,703,593
Texas		0	0			661	20,171,554
Florida		6	149,577			209	12,524,043
Illinois		2	5,845			427	9,954,338
Ohio		1	10,867			323	8,319,173
Pennsylvania		0	0			117	5,649,436
Arizona		0	0			91	5,608,621
New York		0	0			104	5,291,687
Colorado		0	0			147	4,922,486
Indiana		3	31,496			139	3,712,331
Missouri		0	0			133	3,496,036
Minnesota		0	0			81	2,776,961
Virginia		0	0			33	2,751,070
Kentucky		3	80,907			112	2,656,961
Nevada		0	0			22	2,640,731
Utah		0	0			71	2,531,307
New Jersey		0	0			52	2,441,245
Louisiana		0	0			63	2,361,679
Kansas		0	0			135	2,224,833
Oklahoma		0	0			100	2,122,682
Michigan		0	0			86	1,959,695
Wisconsin		0	0			55	1,877,988
Alabama		0	0			48	1,708,508
Iowa		0	0			180	1,505,271
New Mexico		0	0			44	1,479,053
Washington		0	0			55	1,442,477
South Carolina		0	0			59	1,188,856
Nebraska		0	0			36	1,141,641
Georgia		1	9,274			41	1,082,723
North Carolina		0	0			76	969,482
Idaho		0	0			20	737,021
District Of Columbia		0	0			2	648,882
South Dakota		0	0			102	455,560
North Dakota		0	0			22	443,197
Montana		0	0			43	380,117
West Virginia		0	0			35	355,093
Oregon		0	0			22	334,877
Connecticut		0	0			10	256,414
Alaska		0	0			6	241,484
Massachusetts		0	0			15	231,353
Tennessee		0	0			12	225,586
Wyoming		0	0			39	180,485
Rhode Island		0	0			8	170,431
Delaware		0	0			5	155,861
Hawaii		0	0			6	124,262
Maryland		0	0			6	115,667
Mississippi		0	0			6	95,889
Arkansas		0	0			10	41,405
Maine		0	0			1	34,250
Vermont		0	0			4	11,006
New Hampshire		0	0			1	11,000

LESS

Filtering technologies that reduce molybdenum

Utilities with the highest amounts of molybdenum, 2013-2019

ALL UTILITIES

LARGE UTILITIES

Utility	Location	Tests	Average level	People served
Lake Gibson Estates	Lakeland, FL	8 of 8	92.5 ppb	1,897
City of California City	California City, CA	24 of 24	84.9 ppb	14,212
Hillview Water Company-oakhurst/sierra Lakes*	Oakhurst, CA	12 of 12	83.1 ppb	2,805
Broadview Terrace Mutual Water Company	Oakhurst, CA	12 of 12	83.1 ppb	510
Indiana American Water - Sheridan	Greenwood, IN	4 of 4	62.3 ppb	3,133
Grandwood Park Subdivision - Lake Co. Pw	Libertyville, IL	7 of 7	62.2 ppb	5,745
Lake Co. Pw - Arden Shores Estates	Libertyville, IL	1 of 1	55.5 ppb	100
Bluffs Basin Utility Company	Marion, IN	4 of 4	55.0 ppb	36
Marion City Water Works*	Marion, IN	4 of 4	55.0 ppb	28,327
Owensboro Municipal Utilities*	Owensboro, KY	6 of 6	54.6 ppb	58,408
City of Punta Gorda	Punta Gorda, FL	2 of 8	47.4 ppb	36,302
Cairo	Cairo, GA	4 of 4	45.8 ppb	9,274
Winter Garden Water Department*	Winter Garden, FL	12 of 12	45.3 ppb	74,326
Ocud/magnolia Woods Consecutive Water System	Ocoee, FL	12 of 12	45.3 ppb	347
Ocud/partlow Acres(consec.)	Winter Garden, FL	12 of 12	45.3 ppb	102
Wapakoneta City	Wapakoneta, OH	6 of 6	43.0 ppb	10,867
Clermont East Water System	Clermont, FL	8 of 8	42.1 ppb	36,603
Whitesville Water Works	Whitesville, KY	8 of 8	41.1 ppb	3,672
S E Daviess County Water District*	Owensboro, KY	8 of 8	41.1 ppb	18,827
E Daviess County Water Assoc Inc*	Knottsville, KY	4 of 4	39.0 ppb	11,997
US Army Fort Irwin	Fort Irwin, CA	8 of 8	35.9 ppb	16,000
City of Mount Dora	Mount Dora, FL	4 of 4	34.0 ppb	34,224
Lindenhurst	Lindenhurst, IL	12 of 12	33.2 ppb	14,467
Lompoc Water Utility Division	Lompoc, CA	12 of 12	33.0 ppb	39,846
Oasis Mobile Home Park	Des Plaines, IL	1 of 1	32.5 ppb	2,456
St Marys City	St. Marys, OH	4 of 4	30.2 ppb	10,001
Clarks Hill Water Works	Clarks Hill, IN	2 of 2	30.0 ppb	660
Sheldon	Sheldon, IL	1 of 1	29.0 ppb	1,232
Lcpw - Highland Lake Subdivision	Libertyville, IL	2 of 2	28.9 ppb	345
Cws - Lakeland	San Jose, CA	45 of 45	28.4 ppb	686
Southwest Licking Community Water	Etna, OH	4 of 4	28.3 ppb	12,088
Buckingham	Buckingham, IL	3 of 3	28.2 ppb	300
Pauls Mobile Home Park	Libertyville, IL	1 of 1	27.8 ppb	38
Groveland Water Department	Groveland, FL	12 of 12	27.6 ppb	12,985
East Alton	East Alton, IL	1 of 1	26.3 ppb	6,300
City of Auburndale	Auburndale, FL	12 of 12	25.9 ppb	30,761
Ashkum	Ashkum, IL	2 of 2	25.5 ppb	724
Southwest/Polk County Utility	Lakeland, FL	17 of 20	25.1 ppb	39,209
Beecher	Beecher, IL	1 of 1	24.8 ppb	4,360
Huntington Water Department	Huntington, IN	4 of 4	24.8 ppb	17,300
Lawrenceville	Lawrenceville, GA	8 of 12	23.6 ppb	30,000
Grand Ridge	Peru, IL	1 of 1	23.6 ppb	560
Herscher	Herscher, IL	1 of 1	23.5 ppb	1,600
City of Greenfield	Greenfield, CA	6 of 6	23.3 ppb	17,898
Minburn Waterworks	Minburn, IA	4 of 4	23.1 ppb	365
Xenia Rural Water District (woodward)*	Bouton, IA	4 of 4	23.1 ppb	3,350
Monee	Monee, IL	1 of 1	23.0 ppb	5,148
Rockland Mobile Home Park	Chicago, IL	4 of 4	22.8 ppb	165
Aurora Community Water Association	Aurora, IL	1 of 1	22.8 ppb	150
Lake Villa	Lake Villa, IL	1 of 1	22.8 ppb	8,829

* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Molybdenum, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

Utility	Location	Tests	Average level	People served
City of California City	California City, CA	24 of 24	84.9 ppb	14,212
Marion City Water Works*	Marion, IN	4 of 4	55.0 ppb	28,327
Owensboro Municipal Utilities*	Owensboro, KY	6 of 6	54.6 ppb	58,408
City of Punta Gorda	Punta Gorda, FL	2 of 8	47.4 ppb	36,302
Winter Garden Water Department*	Winter Garden, FL	12 of 12	45.3 ppb	74,326
Wapakoneta City	Wapakoneta, OH	6 of 6	43.0 ppb	10,867
Clermont East Water System	Clermont, FL	8 of 8	42.1 ppb	36,603
S E Daviess County Water District*	Owensboro, KY	8 of 8	41.1 ppb	18,827
E Daviess County Water Assoc Inc*	Knottsville, KY	4 of 4	39.0 ppb	11,997
US Army Fort Irwin	Fort Irwin, CA	8 of 8	35.9 ppb	16,000
City of Mount Dora	Mount Dora, FL	4 of 4	34.0 ppb	34,224
Lindenhurst	Lindenhurst, IL	12 of 12	33.2 ppb	14,467
Lompoc Water Utility Division	Lompoc, CA	12 of 12	33.0 ppb	39,846
St Marys City	St. Marys, OH	4 of 4	30.2 ppb	10,001
Southwest Licking Community Water	Etna, OH	4 of 4	28.3 ppb	12,088
Groveland Water Department	Groveland, FL	12 of 12	27.6 ppb	12,985
City of Auburndale	Auburndale, FL	12 of 12	25.9 ppb	30,761
Southwest/Polk County Utility	Lakeland, FL	17 of 20	25.1 ppb	39,209
Huntington Water Department	Huntington, IN	4 of 4	24.8 ppb	17,300
Lawrenceville	Lawrenceville, GA	8 of 12	23.6 ppb	30,000
City of Greenfield	Greenfield, CA	6 of 6	23.3 ppb	17,898
Lake Utility Services Inc North	Clermont, FL	23 of 23	22.3 ppb	21,518
Mission Springs WD	Desert Hot Springs, CA	22 of 22	22.1 ppb	34,626
Suburban Water Systems - La Mirada	Covina, CA	16 of 16	22.1 ppb	56,953
Paso Robles Water Department	Paso Robles, CA	36 of 37	21.5 ppb	30,500
Windermere Community	Pflugerville, TX	24 of 24	20.0 ppb	20,091
Nipomo Comm. Services District	Nipomo, CA	19 of 20	19.7 ppb	10,867
Auburn Water Department	Auburn, IN	8 of 8	18.8 ppb	12,800
Antioch	Antioch, IL	16 of 16	18.5 ppb	14,365
Richton Park	Richton Park, IL	8 of 10	18.1 ppb	13,646
Fairfield County Utilities PWS	Carroll, OH	4 of 4	17.9 ppb	12,882
West Daviess County Water District*	Owensboro, KY	4 of 4	17.8 ppb	13,264
City of Hays*	Hays, KS	4 of 4	17.5 ppb	20,852
Plainfield Water Works*	Plainfield, IN	8 of 8	17.5 ppb	18,857
City of Gillette*	Gillette, WY	7 of 7	17.0 ppb	32,222
Moultrie	Moultrie, GA	6 of 6	16.8 ppb	14,361
Marina Coast Water District	Marina, CA	16 of 16	16.4 ppb	31,218
Circleville City PWS	Circleville, OH	4 of 4	16.3 ppb	13,444
Coachella Water Authority	Coachella, CA	24 of 24	16.1 ppb	41,904
Military Highway WSC - Progreso	Progreso, TX	8 of 8	16.0 ppb	11,136
Grover Beach Water Department	Grover Beach, CA	16 of 16	15.9 ppb	13,156
Northwest	Lakeland, FL	21 of 23	15.6 ppb	28,082
City of Alamo	Alamo, TX	8 of 8	15.5 ppb	18,363
Lebanon Utilities	Lebanon, IN	8 of 8	15.3 ppb	16,098
City of Eustis	Eustis, FL	12 of 12	15.3 ppb	35,089
City of Mercedes*	Mercedes, TX	8 of 8	14.7 ppb	15,700
Park Forest	Park Forest, IL	4 of 4	14.3 ppb	21,975
Arvin Community Services District	Arvin, CA	11 of 11	14.1 ppb	19,000
Cape Girardeau	Cape Girardeau, MO	8 of 8	13.9 ppb	39,628
Arizona Water Company - Apache Junction	Phoenix, AZ	8 of 8	13.6 ppb	57,647