Manganese in Drinking Water

1. Manganese in Drinking Water Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Drinking Water Program July 2014

2. What is Manganese? • Naturally-occurring mineral in water, soil and air • Present in many common foods including infant formula • Essential nutrient in our diets • Found in both surface water and groundwater • Found in proximity to iron • Found throughout Massachusetts and the US

3. Where is Manganese found? USGS Map of Mn in groundwater in the US

4. Existing Regulation of Manganese in Drinking Water • EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations • Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (SMCL) • of 0.05 mg/L (For Mass. See 310 CMR 22.07D) • Aesthetics: taste, odor, color or staining laundry • MassDEP may require PWS to take action on SMCL per 310 CMR 22.07D if warranted by health concerns • EPA Health Advisory Level and ORSG Level established

5. Summary Table of Mn EPA Health Advisory (HA) Values MassDEP ORSG Levels Note: At Mn concentrations greater than 0.3 mg/L, parents are advised to use bottled or treated water for their children, in particular to make formula .

6. The Problem with Manganese • Adverse health effects from over-exposure (neurotoxin) • Recent studies have shown an association between intellectual impairment and consumption of manganese in drinking water by school age children.

7. Manganese Health Effects on Children Water Manganese Exposure and Children’s Intellectual Function in Araihazar Bangladesh”  by Wasserman e al. in EHP 2006

8. Children and Manganese2010 Canadian Study Findings • Ingestion of Mn from water is small compared to ingestion from food. 3 orders of magnitude! • 3.5 ug/kg/month versus 2335 ug/kg/month • Metabolized differently • Levels of manganese found in children’s hair increased with consumption of Mn in water but not food

9. MassDEP Regulationsfor SMCL 310 CMR 22.07D • 22.07 D (1) - SMCL apply to all PWS • 22.07 D (2) - Monitoring is at the discretion of MassDEP • 22.07 D (3) – If MassDEP determines that the water poses a risk to public health the PWS must take all actions necessary to reduce to levels deemed safe by the department • MassDEP Drinking Water program, and Office of Research and Standards (ORS)in consultation with the Mass Department of Public Health make this determination. • Actions include monitoring, reporting to DEP, public notice , reducing levels

10. What are Other States Doing to Address Manganese? Some States are requiring notifications to consumers and/or treatment. For example: New York has an MCL of 0.3 mg/L. If iron and manganese total concentration of both should not exceed 0.5 mg/L. Higher levels may be allowed by the State when justified by the supplier of water. (NY does not distinguish between primary and secondary MCLs.) California has enforceable SMCLs for Community Systems (manganese level of 0.05 mg/L). There is also a notification level of 0.5 mg/L.

11. MassDEP CERO Manganese Central Region has 827 active sources. To date, all sources in CERO have conducted some form of baseline monitoring with most conducting ongoing assessment monitoring for iron and manganese. MassDEP recommends that all sources be tested annually since secondary contaminants can affect water quality and quantity, damage to water equipment, treatment efficiency, consumer confidence, and aesthetics such as color, taste and odor. CERO continues to work cooperatively with PWSs to address finished water with a history of elevated manganese levels > 0.3 mg/L. Community systems in CERO continue to inform consumers of elevated manganese levels through their annual CCR. Benefits for systems that have successfully installed treatment include improvements in water quality, distribution maintenance and reduction in complaints.

12. PWS Response Actions Proposed Interim and long term actions have included: • Source replacement, source removal, limiting use of source, installation of treatment. • Distribution system flushing and additional testing. • Comprehensive water quality evaluation of PWS system, and subsequent updating of operations and master plans. • Improving efficiency in existing treatment operations (backwash, media changes, chemical applications, blending etc.) to lower levels and reduce risk of breakthroughs. • Routine iron and manganese monitoring to document changes in source water conditions over time, evaluate pumping configurations and treatment efficiencies.

13. Findings & Recommendations Wellfield sources (typically gravel developed wells) may differ from each other in water quality characteristics, especially in secondary contaminants such as iron and manganese. Recommend individual monitoring of key contaminants to determine optimum operating conditions and scheduled maintenance activities. Sources that are currently being treated for iron and/or manganese removal should routinely collect a set of raw and finished water samples to assess treatment efficiency and changes in groundwater quality. Breakthrough occurrences observed in water softeners and greensand treatment. If breakthrough observed,PWS should review and optimize treatment. Establish SMCL compliance goal to improve overall water quality delivery to consumers, limits damage to infrastructure and improve maintenance activities.

14. MassDEP Strategy - Timeline • Fall 2013, letters were sent to: • PWS • Medical professionals caring for infants and pregnant women (In conjunction with the Mass Dept of Public Health) Boards of Health, information is relevant for private well owners also • Manganese was added to the 2014-2016 Sampling Schedule for systems not already sampling for manganese.

15. Sampling/Reporting Requirements for PWS • Initial manganese baseline monitoring should include sampling of finished (treated) water at each entrance point to the distribution system, representative of each source in operation. • Please note that all sample results, whether required or voluntary, are reportable to the Department pursuant to 310 CMR 22.03(10). • Use the same sampling containers to collect the samples for manganese analysis that you normally use for other inorganic (i.e., metals) analyses. • MassDEP does not specifically certify laboratories for manganese. Use a lab certified for the analysis of other inorganic metals (cadmium, chromium, lead, etc.) • Request Methods 200.8, 200.9; Standard Method 3120B or equivalent. • Report all results on the MassDEP Secondary Contaminant Report Form (SEC) or electronically through eDEP.

16. Requirements for PWS (continued) • When manganese levels are over 0.3 mg/L, Community Systems, NTNCs, and day care centers will need to develop a long-term corrective action plans and should work with MassDEP Regional Offices to develop these plans. Public Notification • Community Systems must include manganese data and health information in their CCR if levels are over the SMCL of 0.05 mg/L • Starting July 1, 2014, Community PWS will be required to issue a (Tier 2, 30-day) Public Notice to customers if manganese level is over 0.3 mg/L (if consumers have not been previously informed through their 2013 CCR.) • NTNCs and day care centers over 0.3 mg/L as well as TNCs that are over 1.0 mg/L will be required to post a public notice

17. Options for Addressing Elevated Manganese Blending Treatment Taking a well offline Alternative water supply for sensitive consumers: • Bottled Water • Treated water from another Public Water Supplier • Also pitcher filters (some brands)

18. Most common treatment methods 1. Adsorption with an oxide coated media such as Greensand 2. Membrane filtration 3. Sequestration with (phosphate). Does not remove the manganese! Membrane filtration

19. Bottled Water Regulated by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) • Water Quality Standard for manganese of 0.05 mg/L • All In-state and Out-of-State bottled water sold in Mass must meet Water Quality Standard • Data on each brand is available on MDPH website • A few Mineral Waters are above 0.05 mg/L • Note: Mineral waters are held to a different standard

20. Questions? MassDEP Contacts