Chromium (Total) in Drinking Water: Health Risks, Sources, and How to Remove It
Chromium (Total) is an inorganic contaminant that can be found in drinking water. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 100 μg/L for this substance. While it is regulated to protect public health, its severity weight is moderate.
Health Effects
Consuming water containing Chromium (Total) can lead to adverse health effects. Specifically, exposure to this contaminant is associated with allergic dermatitis. It can also cause damage to the liver and kidneys.
How Chromium (Total) Gets Into Tap Water
Chromium (Total) can enter drinking water from both natural and industrial sources. It occurs naturally in geological deposits that erode over time. Industrial sources include wastewater discharges from steel mills and pulp mills.
How to Remove Chromium (Total) From Your Water
There are several established methods for removing Chromium (Total) from drinking water. These include coagulation/filtration, ion exchange, and reverse osmosis. Standard water treatment systems utilizing these technologies can be used to reduce its concentration.
Should You Test Your Water?
You can check for Chromium (Total) by reviewing your water utility's annual consumer confidence report or searching WaterQ. If you get your water from a private well, periodic testing through a certified laboratory is recommended. You can also look up your local water system on WaterQ or check the Chromium (Total) data page for reported levels in your area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chromium (Total) dangerous in drinking water?
At elevated levels, Chromium (Total) can pose health risks. Exposure can cause allergic dermatitis as well as damage to the liver and kidneys. The EPA sets an MCL of 100 μg/L to protect consumers from these effects.
How does Chromium (Total) get into tap water?
It enters water systems through the erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharges from steel mills and pulp mills.
How can I remove Chromium (Total) from my water?
You can remove it by using treatment technologies such as coagulation/filtration, ion exchange, and reverse osmosis.
Source: EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations and WaterQ National Database. For more contaminants, visit our contaminant library.
What actually removes chromium-6 (hexavalent chromium)
There is a real regulatory gap here: federal rules only limit total chromium at 100 ppb, which is far above the level health researchers flag for the hexavalent form. Reverse osmosis is the reliable home treatment. Some ion-exchange pitchers carry an NSF/ANSI 53 chromium claim and are a cheap partial measure, but check that the claim says chromium and not just lead.
Works
- Reverse osmosis (NSF 58)The broadest removal available at home: arsenic, nitrate, fluoride, PFAS, TDS.
- Ion-exchange pitcherDrives total dissolved solids near zero, but cartridges exhaust fast.
Will not fix this
- Basic activated carbon (NSF 42)
- Ion-exchange water softener
- UV disinfection (NSF 55)
- Boiling Makes it worse — evaporation concentrates what's left behind.
Test before you buy.Chromium-6 (hexavalent chromium) can't be seen, tasted or smelled, and the right hardware depends on the concentration you actually have. A certified lab test costs a fraction of the wrong filtration system. Start with your local water quality report, and get a mail-in lab test if you're on a private well.
Options that carry the right certification
Ordered cheapest-adequate first. Prices are indicative bands and move often.
| Product | Certification | Upfront | Per year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APEC ROES-50 EssenceUnder-sink | Built with WQA-certified components to NSF/ANSI 58.Catch:Needs an under-sink drain connection and a spare hole for the dedicated faucet. Strips minerals — some people dislike the flat taste. | $180–240 | $50–80 | Check price |
| ZeroWater 5-Stage PitcherPitcher | NSF/ANSI 42 and 53 certified for lead and chromium; drives TDS toward zero.Catch:Cartridges exhaust quickly in high-TDS or hard water, which is exactly where people buy it — running cost is the highest of any pitcher. | $30–50 | $100–180 | Check price |
| AquaTru Countertop Reverse OsmosisCountertop | NSF/ANSI 42, 53, 58, 401 and P473 certified.Catch:Takes counter space and you refill a tank by hand. Wastes some water as brine, like all RO. | $400–500 | $80–130 | Check price |
Certification listings change. Before buying, confirm the current listing for the exact model in the NSF certified products database — a manufacturer's marketing page is not a certification. WaterQ earns a commission on purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you; see our affiliate disclosure. This is general information, not medical or engineering advice.
For a full breakdown of certifications, running costs and the models worth considering, see our buying guide for chromium-6 (hexavalent chromium).