Emerging Contaminants 

 Last Update:  November 21, 2011

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 - these methods are more pertinent to Clean Water Act- (discharge-) related analyses than to Safe Drinking Water Act- (drinking water-) related analyses.  For example, see Method 1694 (Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in Water, Soil, Sediment, and Biosolids by HPLC/MS/MS) and Method 1698 (Steroids and Hormones in Water, Soil, Sediment, and Biosolids by HRGC/HRMS).  Nevertheless, they may be of interest to analysts seeking to develop more sensitive drinking water-related methods.
• 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 personal care products - information from US EPA.
• Pharmaceuticals and other product categories - information from The Product Stewardship Institute. 
• Emerging Contaminants 2006 Symposium - Groundwater Resources Association of California - Program (PDF)
• Chemicals and contaminants in drinking water - information from CDPH's Drinking Water Program, including chemicals with drinking water notification levels.