Chromium And Drinking Water: What You Should Know
What is chromium and how does it contaminate your home's drinking water? Learn about chromium-contaminated water and how Kinetico can help.
What is Chromium
Chromium is a tasteless and odorless metallic element naturally found in rocks, soil, and plants. There are two common forms of naturally occurring chromium, each with very different effects on human health.
Trivalent Chromium (Chromium-III) is an essential nutrient for the body, playing a role in metabolism and glucose regulation. It is naturally present in foods such as fruits, vegetables, meats, yeast, and grains.
Hexavalent Chromium (Chromium-VI), on the other hand, is much more toxic. While it can occur naturally through erosion, it is also produced by industrial processes and can enter the environment through poor storage, leakage, or improper disposal of industrial waste. Hexavalent chromium is associated with significant health risks when ingested over time, including increased risk of certain cancers and liver or kidney damage.
Both forms of chromium are used in industry for applications such as chrome plating, dyes and pigments, leather tanning, and wood preservation. Workers in these industries or residents living near hazardous waste sites are at the highest risk for exposure. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the maximum safe limit for total chromium in drinking water is 100 parts per billion (ppb). In 2025, homeowners concerned about chromium exposure are encouraged to have their water tested and consider installing water filtration systems certified to reduce hexavalent chromium, ensuring safer drinking water for the whole family.
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Chromium-III is an essential dietary element. Chromium-VI can be dangerous.
How To Reduce Chromium Levels In Water
Consuming water with elevated levels of chromium can be dangerous and can cause adverse health effects. It can be difficult to know for sure what’s in your water and the potential effects it can have. The best way to learn more about your water is to schedule a water test with your local Kinetico water professional.
Simply boiling your water or using an activated charcoal filter will not work as a way to reduce the levels of chromium in your home's drinking water, but using a Kinetico drinking water system is a great solution. Installing a point-of-use reverse osmosis system, like Kinetico's K5 Drinking Water Station, will help improve the quality of your drinking water by significantly reducing chromium and other contaminants that could be in your drinking water.
Knowing more about your water is the first step in determining which drinking water system is best for your home. Once you know what you are dealing with, you can install the correct system and have peace of mind that the water you and your family consume is truly clean and refreshing.
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