What is EPA’s standard for monochloramine in drinking water?
The EPA has a regulatory standard and a health goal for disinfectants. The enforceable standard is the highest level of a disinfectant that is allowed in drinking water. The health goal is the level of a drinking water disinfectant, below which there is no known or expected risk to health. The EPA sets the standard as close to the health goal as feasible. In the case of monochloramine, the standard and the health goal are the same (4.0 milligrams per liter (mg/L) or 4.0 parts per million (ppm) measured as chlorine as an annual average). This is the standard set for a drinking water disinfectant with no known or expected risk to health. This is the maximum allowed. In practice, most systems use half this amount.
