The EPA Office of Water is issuing this advisory to provide guidance to communities that may be exposed to drinking water contaminated with high sulfate concentrations. The advisory provides an analysis of the current health hazard information and an evaluation of available data on the organoleptic (i.e., taste and odor) problems associated with sulfate-contaminated water, because organoleptic problems will affect consumer acceptance of water resources. This advisory does not recommend a Reference Dose (RfD) because of limitations of available data for assessing risks. However, the advisory does provide guidance on the concentrations at which health and organoleptic problems would likely occur. This Drinking Water Advisory does not mandate a standard for action; rather it provides practical guidelines for addressing sulfate contamination problems and supersedes previous draft advisories for sulfate.

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