We analyzed tap water quality data for hundreds of cities across the United States to identify those with the highest levels of chromium. This ranking is based on 2026 data from the EPA and EWG databases.
Chromium is a contaminant of growing concern in drinking water. The cities below have the highest detected levels based on the most recent testing data available.
Rankings at a Glance
Clairfield, Tennessee
Clairfield has chromium detected at 431 ppb. 12 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
See full Clairfield water report →Prunedale, California
Prunedale has chromium detected at 105 ppb. 23 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
See full Prunedale water report →Pembroke, Massachusetts
Pembroke has chromium detected at 98.60 ppb. 30 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
See full Pembroke water report →Newberry Springs, California
Newberry Springs has chromium detected at 85 ppb. 15 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
See full Newberry Springs water report →Carefree, Arizona
Carefree has chromium detected at 46 ppb. 12 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
See full Carefree water report →Dushore, Pennsylvania
Dushore has chromium detected at 43.30 ppb. 11 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
See full Dushore water report →Westmorland, California
Westmorland has chromium detected at 42.50 ppb. 17 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
See full Westmorland water report →Morristown, Arizona
Morristown has chromium detected at 41 ppb. 7 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
See full Morristown water report →Pepperell, Vermont
Pepperell has chromium detected at 40.50 ppb. 4 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
See full Pepperell water report →Imperial, California
Imperial has chromium detected at 40 ppb. 20 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
See full Imperial water report →Norman, Oklahoma
Norman has chromium detected at 39.30 ppb. 36 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
See full Norman water report →Wenden, Arizona
Wenden has chromium detected at 38 ppb. 6 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
See full Wenden water report →Heber, California
Heber has chromium detected at 34 ppb. 19 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
See full Heber water report →Dolan Springs, Arizona
Dolan Springs has chromium detected at 33.30 ppb. 7 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
See full Dolan Springs water report →Yucca, Arizona
Yucca has chromium detected at 33 ppb. 6 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
See full Yucca water report →Los Banos, California
Los Banos has chromium detected at 32.90 ppb. 23 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
See full Los Banos water report →Holtville, California
Holtville has chromium detected at 32.50 ppb. 16 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
See full Holtville water report →Kerman, California
Kerman has chromium detected at 31.70 ppb. 15 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
See full Kerman water report →Kingman, Arizona
Kingman has chromium detected at 31.60 ppb. 23 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
See full Kingman water report →Sun City, Arizona
Sun City has chromium detected at 31 ppb. 6 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
See full Sun City water report →Clarendon, Arkansas
Clarendon has chromium detected at 30.80 ppb. 14 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
See full Clarendon water report →El Centro, California
El Centro has chromium detected at 30 ppb. 24 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
See full El Centro water report →Buckeye, Arizona
Buckeye has chromium detected at 29 ppb. 18 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
See full Buckeye water report →Huttig, Arkansas
Huttig has chromium detected at 28.70 ppb. 18 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
See full Huttig water report →Surprise, Arizona
Surprise has chromium detected at 28.30 ppb. 25 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
See full Surprise water report →What We Found: Key Patterns
The most frequently detected contaminants exceeding health guidelines across these cities are Arsenic, Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Bromodichloromethane. These appear repeatedly across different water systems and regions.
Geographically, the states most represented in this ranking are California (9), Arizona (9), Arkansas (2). Regional water sources, industrial activity, and agricultural runoff all contribute to local water quality variation.
Across all ranked cities, 228 contaminant readings exceed EWG health guidelines, but only 7 exceed EPA legal limits. This gap of 221 highlights how legal standards may not fully protect public health — EPA limits haven't been updated for many contaminants in decades.
Full Rankings Table
| Rank | City | State | Detected | Above Guidelines | Above Legal | People Served |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clairfield | TN | 12 | 11 | 2 | 1,305 |
| 2 | Prunedale | CA | 23 | 16 | 2 | 108 |
| 3 | Pembroke | MA | 30 | 16 | 0 | 19,189 |
| 4 | Newberry Springs | CA | 15 | 12 | 2 | 40 |
| 5 | Carefree | AZ | 12 | 9 | 0 | 2,750 |
| 6 | Dushore | PA | 11 | 8 | 0 | 400 |
| 7 | Westmorland | CA | 17 | 10 | 0 | 2,202 |
| 8 | Morristown | AZ | 7 | 5 | 0 | 120 |
| 9 | Pepperell | VT | 4 | 1 | 0 | 55 |
| 10 | Imperial | CA | 20 | 12 | 0 | 21,347 |
| 11 | Norman | OK | 36 | 17 | 0 | 100,939 |
| 12 | Wenden | AZ | 6 | 3 | 0 | 360 |
| 13 | Heber | CA | 19 | 10 | 0 | 6,979 |
| 14 | Dolan Springs | AZ | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1,985 |
| 15 | Yucca | AZ | 6 | 3 | 0 | 244 |
| 16 | Los Banos | CA | 23 | 13 | 0 | 46,639 |
| 17 | Holtville | CA | 16 | 10 | 0 | 6,355 |
| 18 | Kerman | CA | 15 | 7 | 1 | 16,995 |
| 19 | Kingman | AZ | 23 | 9 | 0 | 45,000 |
| 20 | Sun City | AZ | 6 | 3 | 0 | 962 |
| 21 | Clarendon | AR | 14 | 10 | 0 | 1,320 |
| 22 | El Centro | CA | 24 | 11 | 0 | 44,158 |
| 23 | Buckeye | AZ | 18 | 10 | 0 | 15,783 |
| 24 | Huttig | AR | 18 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Surprise | AZ | 25 | 11 | 0 | 40,007 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What cities have the highest levels of chromium?
Our analysis of 2026 data identified the cities with the highest detected levels of chromium. See the full ranking above.
Is chromium dangerous in drinking water?
Chromium has known health risks at elevated levels. The EWG sets health guidelines that are often stricter than EPA legal limits to account for the latest research on long-term exposure.
How do I remove chromium from my water?
Reverse osmosis (RO) systems are the most effective at removing a wide range of contaminants. Check the specific contaminant details for recommended filtration technology.
What is the EPA legal limit for chromium?
EPA legal limits vary by contaminant and may differ from EWG health guidelines. See individual city reports for specific legal limit comparisons.
Related Reports
Data sources: Environmental Working Group (EWG) Tap Water Database, U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
Last updated: April 2026
Methodology: Contaminant levels are compared against both EPA legal limits (Maximum Contaminant Levels) and EWG health guidelines, which are often stricter and based on the latest scientific research.
