Alkalinity
Recommended	60 mg/l
Risks or effects	Low Alkalinity (i.e. high acidity) causes deterioration of plumbing and increases the chance for many heavy metals in water are present in pipes, solder or plumbing fixtures.
Sources	Pipes, landfills Hazardous waste landfills
Treatment	Aeration , Neutralizing Filter

Detergents
SMCL	0.5 mg/l
Risks or effects	Gastrointestinal illness
Sources	Septic system Waste water
Treatment	Distillation

Coliform Bacteria
MCL	0 for 95% of samples
Risks or effects	Gastrointestinal illness
Sources	Livestock facitilies, septic systems, manure lagoons Household waste water Naturally occuring
Treatment	Chlorination , Ultraviolet, Distillation

Erosion and Sedimentation
Recommended	minimum
Risks or effects	Clogs the gills of fish, covers spawning area, reduces the amount of sunlight available to aquatic plants, shortened economic life of lake property, farm ponds and water reservoirs, plug filters, damaged pumping equipment and sprinkler nozzles, decreases quality of drinking water.
Sources	Fields New home construction Construction sites, open pit mines
Treatment	Mechanical Filters

Hardness
Risks or effects	Scale in utensils and hot water system, soap scums
Sources	Dissolved calcium and magnesium from soil and aquifer minerals containing limestone or dolomite
Treatment	Water Softener Ion Exchanger , Reverse Osmosis

Radium
MCL	5 pc/l
Risks or effects	Anemia, cataracts, fractured teeth, cancer; especially bone
Sources
Treatment	Reverse Osmosis , Ion Exchange