Maximum Contaminant Level

Term · Environment · MLC-T-ENV-016720

1. The maximum level of certain contaminants permitted in drinking water supplied by a public water system as set by EPA under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.

2. The maximum permissible level of a contaminant in water which is delivered to the free flowing outlet of the ultimate user of a public water system; except in the case of turbidity where the maximum permissible level is measured at the point of entry to the distribution system. Contaminants added to the water under circumstances controlled by the user, except for those resulting from corrosion of piping and plumbing caused by water quality are excluded from this definition.

3. The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLG as feasible using the best available treatment technology and taking cost into consideration. MCLs are enforceable standards.

4. The highest level of a contaminant that EPA allows in drinking water. MCLs ensure that drinking water does not pose either a short-term or long-term health risk. EPA sets MCLs at levels that are economically and technologically feasible. Some states set MCLs which are more strict than EPA's.

5. The maximum permissible level of a contaminant in water which is delivered to the free flowing outlet of the ultimate user of a public water system, except in the case of turbidity where the maximum permissible level is measured at the point of entry to the distribution system. Contaminants added to the water under circumstances controlled by the user are excluded from this definition, except those contaminants resulting from the corrosion of piping and plumbing caused by water quality.

6. The maximum permissible level of a contaminant in water delivered to any user of a public system. MCLs are enforceable standards.

7. The threshold concentration of a contaminant above which water is not suitable for drinking. See the National Primary Drinking Water Standards web page http://www.epa.gov/safewater/mcl.html for more information. In the Safe Drinking Water act, an MCL is defined as "the maximum permissible level of a contaminant in water which is delivered to any user of a public water system."

8. The amount of a contaminant allowed in public drinking water under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).

9. The maximum permissible level of a contaminant in water delivered to any user of a public system. MCLs <http://www.epa.gov/safewater/contaminants/index.html> are enforceable standards.

10. The highest level of a contaminant that EPA allows in drinking water. MCLs are enforceable standards that ensure that drinking water does not pose either a short-term or long-term health risk. EPA sets MCLs at levels that are economically and technologically feasible. Some states set MCLs that are more strict than EPA’s.

11. Maximum permissible level, established by EPA, for a contaminant in water which is delivered to any user of a public water system.[40 CFR 159.153 (CFR 2013)]

12. Amount of a contaminant allowed in public drinking water under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).

13. Maximum permissible level of a contaminant in water which is delivered to the free flowing outlet of the ultimate user of public water system; except in the case of turbidity where the maximum permissible level is measured at the point of entry to the distribution system. Contaminants added to the water under circumstances controlled by the user, except for those resulting from corrosion of piping and plumbing caused by water quality are excluded from this definition.

14. This is a contaminant-specific standard for acceptable drinking water under SDWA. MCLs also may be used for purposes of RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act) ground water monitoring to reach contaminant-specific clean-up levels.

15. The highest level of a contaminant that EPA allows in drinking water. MCLs ensure that drinking water does not pose either a short-term or long-term health risk. EPA sets MCLs at levels that are economically and technologically feasible. Some states set MCLs which are more strict than EPA'

16. The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to Maximum Contaminant Goals (MCLGs) as feasible, considering costs and technology. MCLs are enforceable standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

17. The enforceable standard or number against which a system's treated water samples are judged for compliance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations.

18. This is a contaminant-specific standard for acceptable drinking water under SDWA. MCLs also may be used for purposes of RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act) ground water monitoring to reach contaminant-specific clean-up levels. {OW/EAD} {OW/TSC} {ORCR}

19. The highest level of a contaminant that EPA allows in drinking water. MCLs are enforceable standards that ensure that drinking water does not pose either a short-term or long-term health risk. EPA sets MCLs at levels that are economically and technologically feasible. Some states have set stricter MCLs than EPA.

20. The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water as delineated by the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations. These levels are based on consideration of health risks, technical feasibility of treatment, and cost-benefit analysis.

Table 1. Record
Identifier	MLC-T-ENV-016720
Field	Environment
Subject	Water
Abbreviation	MCL
References	Environmental Issues Terms & Acronyms; Pesticides Glossary; National Primary Drinking Water Regulations Implementation: Definitions; Safe Drinking Water Act Glossary; Drinking Water Glossary; Drinking Water Technical & Legal Terms; Terms of Environment; Underground Injection Control Terms; Radiation Protection Radiation Glossary; Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators (RSEI) Glossary; EPA Report on the Environment Glossary at http://www.epa.gov/ncea/roe/glossary.htm; 40 CFR 141.2 (CFR 2018); 40 CFR 142.2 (CFR 2018); Forum on Environmental Measurements (FEM) Glossary; Drinking Water Glossary 2009; DWMAPS Glossary; NPS Agriculture Glossary; Nonpoint Pollution Source from Agriculture Glossary; Report on the Environment (ROE) Glossary; America's Children and the Environment Terms

Record as JSON

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-016720",
  "term": "Maximum Contaminant Level",
  "field": "Environment",
  "definition": "1. The maximum level of certain contaminants permitted in drinking water supplied by a public water system as set by EPA under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.\n\n2. The maximum permissible level of a contaminant in water which is delivered to the free flowing outlet of the ultimate user of a public water system; except in the case of turbidity where the maximum permissible level is measured at the point of entry to the distribution system. Contaminants added to the water under circumstances controlled by the user, except for those resulting from corrosion of piping and plumbing caused by water quality are excluded from this definition.\n\n3. The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLG as feasible using the best available treatment technology and taking cost into consideration. MCLs are enforceable standards.\n\n4. The highest level of a contaminant that EPA allows in drinking water. MCLs ensure that drinking water does not pose either a short-term or long-term health risk. EPA sets MCLs at levels that are economically and technologically feasible. Some states set MCLs which are more strict than EPA's.\n\n5. The maximum permissible level of a contaminant in water which is delivered to the free flowing outlet of the ultimate user of a public water system, except in the case of turbidity where the maximum permissible level is measured at the point of entry to the distribution system. Contaminants added to the water under circumstances controlled by the user are excluded from this definition, except those contaminants resulting from the corrosion of piping and plumbing caused by water quality.\n\n6. The maximum permissible level of a contaminant in water delivered to any user of a public system. MCLs are enforceable standards.\n\n7. The threshold concentration of a contaminant above which water is not suitable for drinking. See the National Primary Drinking Water Standards web page http://www.epa.gov/safewater/mcl.html for more information. In the Safe Drinking Water act, an MCL is defined as \"the maximum permissible level of a contaminant in water which is delivered to any user of a public water system.\"\n\n8. The amount of a contaminant allowed in public drinking water under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).\n\n9. The maximum permissible level of a contaminant in water delivered to any user of a public system. MCLs <http://www.epa.gov/safewater/contaminants/index.html> are enforceable standards.\n\n10. The highest level of a contaminant that EPA allows in drinking water. MCLs are enforceable standards that ensure that drinking water does not pose either a short-term or long-term health risk. EPA sets MCLs at levels that are economically and technologically feasible. Some states set MCLs that are more strict than EPA’s.\n\n11. Maximum permissible level, established by EPA, for a contaminant in water which is delivered to any user of a public water system.[40 CFR 159.153 (CFR 2013)]\n\n12. Amount of a contaminant allowed in public drinking water under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).\n\n13. Maximum permissible level of a contaminant in water which is delivered to the free flowing outlet of the ultimate user of public water system; except in the case of turbidity where the maximum permissible level is measured at the point of entry to the distribution system. Contaminants added to the water under circumstances controlled by the user, except for those resulting from corrosion of piping and plumbing caused by water quality are excluded from this definition.\n\n14. This is a contaminant-specific standard for acceptable drinking water under SDWA. MCLs also may be used for purposes of RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act) ground water monitoring to reach contaminant-specific clean-up levels.\n\n15. The highest level of a contaminant that EPA allows in drinking water. MCLs ensure that drinking water does not pose either a short-term or long-term health risk. EPA sets MCLs at levels that are economically and technologically feasible. Some states set MCLs which are more strict than EPA'\n\n16. The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to Maximum Contaminant Goals (MCLGs) as feasible, considering costs and technology. MCLs are enforceable standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act.\n\n17. The enforceable standard or number against which a system's treated water samples are judged for compliance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations.\n\n18. This is a contaminant-specific standard for acceptable drinking water under SDWA. MCLs also may be used for purposes of RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act) ground water monitoring to reach contaminant-specific clean-up levels. {OW/EAD} {OW/TSC} {ORCR}\n\n19. The highest level of a contaminant that EPA allows in drinking water. MCLs are enforceable standards that ensure that drinking water does not pose either a short-term or long-term health risk. EPA sets MCLs at levels that are economically and technologically feasible. Some states have set stricter MCLs than EPA.\n\n20. The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water as delineated by the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations. These levels are based on consideration of health risks, technical feasibility of treatment, and cost-benefit analysis.",
  "abbreviation": "MCL",
  "subject": "Water",
  "references": [
    "Environmental Issues Terms & Acronyms; Pesticides Glossary",
    "National Primary Drinking Water Regulations Implementation: Definitions",
    "Safe Drinking Water Act Glossary",
    "Drinking Water Glossary",
    "Drinking Water Technical & Legal Terms",
    "Terms of Environment",
    "Underground Injection Control Terms",
    "Radiation Protection Radiation Glossary",
    "Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators (RSEI) Glossary",
    "EPA Report on the Environment Glossary at http://www.epa.gov/ncea/roe/glossary.htm",
    "40 CFR 141.2 (CFR 2018)",
    "40 CFR 142.2 (CFR 2018)",
    "Forum on Environmental Measurements (FEM) Glossary",
    "Drinking Water Glossary 2009",
    "DWMAPS Glossary",
    "NPS Agriculture Glossary; Nonpoint Pollution Source from Agriculture Glossary",
    "Report on the Environment (ROE) Glossary",
    "America's Children and the Environment Terms"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/maximum-contaminant-level/"
}

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