Great Basin Water Burbank

What this violation means

Fluoride at the optimal level (~0.7 mg/L) reduces tooth decay, which is why most US utilities add it. The MCL of 4.0 mg/L exists to protect against skeletal fluorosis from naturally high-fluoride groundwater, while the EPA's secondary standard of 2.0 mg/L addresses dental fluorosis in children.

Recommended precautions

• →Reverse osmosis removes fluoride; standard carbon filters do NOT.
• →If your child uses fluoride toothpaste and drinks fluoridated water, supervise brushing to limit ingestion.
• →Bone meal supplements often contain fluoride and should be used cautiously.

What this violation means

Nitrate contamination is most acute in agricultural regions where fertilizer and animal waste leach into groundwater. The immediate risk is to formula-fed infants under 6 months — high nitrate levels prevent their blood from carrying oxygen, causing 'blue baby syndrome.' Pregnant women should also avoid high-nitrate water.

Recommended precautions

• →Never give untreated high-nitrate water to infants — use bottled water for formula.
• →Boiling does NOT remove nitrate. Boiling concentrates it.
• →Reverse osmosis, ion exchange, or distillation are the only effective home treatments.
• →Private well owners in farming areas should test annually for nitrate.