Is chromium-6 the same as total chromium?

No. Chromium-6 is one form of chromium. Total chromium measures the combined amount of chromium forms in a sample and does not show how much is specifically chromium-6. Ask for Cr(VI)-specific analysis when that is the contaminant you need to evaluate.

Does every reverse osmosis system remove chromium-6?

No. Hexavalent chromium reduction is an optional performance claim under NSF/ANSI 58. Confirm that the exact RO model and configuration have current, verified performance for chromium-6 reduction.

Can a water softener remove chromium-6?

A conventional residential softener is intended to reduce calcium and magnesium hardness. It should not be relied upon as a chromium-6 treatment system. Besco recommends a properly selected RO system for drinking water when testing identifies a chromium-6 concern.

Should I test city water for chromium-6?

Public water systems monitor total chromium, and their Consumer Confidence Reports are a useful starting point. A separate tap-water analysis may be appropriate if you want a chromium-6-specific result, if your utility reports total chromium without identifying its forms, or if a local environmental issue gives you reason for concern.

Chromium-6 Water Filtration for Michigan Homes

Chromium-6, also called hexavalent chromium or Cr(VI), is a form of chromium that can enter drinking water from natural deposits or industrial activity. It has no taste or odor, so its presence cannot be confirmed by looking at a glass of water or turning on your tap.

Besco Water Treatment helps Michigan homeowners arrange appropriate testing, understand the results, and select a reverse osmosis system with verified chromium-6 reduction performance when treatment is needed. To learn more about this contaminant, schedule your water analysis, or have your existing chromium-6 removal equipment serviced, call us or reach out online.

What Is Chromium-6?

Chromium is a naturally occurring metallic element that can exist in several forms. Two forms that may occur in water are chromium-3 (trivalent chromium) and chromium-6 (hexavalent chromium). These are different chemical forms of the element, and each form moves through water and interacts with the body differently.

Chromium-3 is generally less toxic, and many chromium-3 compounds do not dissolve as readily in water.

Chromium-6 is more toxic and dissolves in water more easily. This is why chromium-6 receives greater attention as a drinking-water concern. However, that does not mean chromium-3 should be ignored

Conditions in water and soil can also cause chromium to change from one form to another. Because chromium cannot be reliably identified by appearance, taste, or smell, Michigan homeowners should not assume that clear water is free of it. This applies whether a home receives municipal water or draws from a private well.

A water analysis from Besco will determine the total amount of chromium in your water. Besco helps homeowners in Battle Creek, Grand Rapids, Mason, Muskegon, and surrounding Michigan communities understand their results and determine whether additional chromium-6-specific analysis or water treatment is appropriate.

Chromium-6 Health Concerns and Drinking Water Standards

When chromium-6 is present in drinking water, exposure can occur when that water is consumed or used for cooking. The potential health effects depend on the concentration and how long the exposure continues.

The EPA’s 2024 health assessment concludes that chromium-6 is likely to be carcinogenic to humans when swallowed. This conclusion is based largely on laboratory animal studies considered relevant to people. In drinking-water studies, the National Toxicology Program found that a chromium-6 compound caused oral cancers in rats and small-intestine cancers in mice.

Cancer is not the only potential concern. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry reports that ingesting high levels of chromium-6 may also cause anemia or damage to the stomach and intestines.

The EPA’s federal drinking water standard is 0.1 milligrams per liter, or 100 parts per billion, for total chromium. This standard includes chromium-6 but is not a separate chromium-6 limit. EPA explains that chromium forms can change under different environmental conditions and that measuring only one form may not capture all chromium present.

If a report shows elevated total chromium or detects chromium-6, seek guidance appropriate to the result. Confirm the analyte, units, reporting limit, and comparison value before drawing conclusions.

How Does Chromium-6 Get Into Drinking Water?

Chromium occurs naturally in rocks and soil. Chromium-6 can enter groundwater as natural deposits erode and interact with water. Industrial activity can also release chromium into soil, surface water, or groundwater.

Improper storage, waste disposal, leaks, or accidental releases can allow chromium to move into the environment. While your proximity to any of these activities can make you more likely to have chromium in your water, water analysis is the only dependable way to detect it.

Chromium compounds have been used in:

Electroplating
Metal finishing
Welding
Stainless-steel production
Pigments
Leather tanning
Wood preservation

Can Chromium-6 Be Found in City and Well Water?

Yes. Chromium-6 can occur in groundwater that supplies private wells, and it can also be present in sources used by municipal water systems. Public water suppliers must test for total chromium and notify customers if the federal standard is exceeded. However, that means there’s still the potential for chromium-6 to be in your municipal water.

Private well owners are responsible for monitoring their own water. If your water source is near a metal-finishing operation, industrial site, landfill, documented environmental release, or other potential contamination source, you are likely to have chromium-6 in your water. As mentioned earlier, a water test is the only way to know for certain.

Do Water Filters Remove Chromium-6?

Some water filters can reduce chromium-6, but the word “filter” alone does not establish that capability. Sediment filters remove particles, while many carbon filters focus on chlorine, taste, and odor. Refrigerator filters, faucet filters, and filter pitchers should not be assumed to reduce chromium-6 unless their current performance documentation explicitly includes that contaminant.

Conventional water softeners are designed for hardness minerals, not chromium-6. Ultraviolet systems disinfect water by addressing microorganisms and do not remove dissolved chromium.

Besco recommends a properly selected reverse osmosis system for chromium-6 removal from drinking water.

What Water Filters Remove Chromium-6?

Besco’s recommended chromium-6 water filter is a reverse osmosis system with independently verified performance for hexavalent chromium reduction. RO uses pressure to move water through a semipermeable membrane while reducing selected dissolved contaminants in the treated stream.

Besco will consider your water test results, water pressure, broader water chemistry, available installation space, and household demand to recommend an appropriate reverse osmosis system.
How to Remove Chromium-6 From Drinking Water

For most homes, a point-of-use RO system focuses on water used for drinking, cooking, beverages, and ice. It is commonly installed at the kitchen sink and may also supply a refrigerator or ice maker, depending on the plumbing and equipment. Have your drinking water tested after installing an RO system to make sure it’s removing chromium-6 as intended.

Why Choose Besco for Chromium-6 Water Treatment?

Chromium-6 concerns require more than an off-the-shelf filter and a broad promise. You need a partner who can:

Identify chromium in your water
Recommend equipment with appropriate performance
Verify your treated water

Over our decades in business, Besco has done all of this many times. Our team can help coordinate appropriate testing, explain the results, recommend and install equipment based on the home’s water conditions, and provide ongoing service.

Chromium-6 in Water FAQs

Is chromium-6 the same as total chromium?

No. Chromium-6 is one form of chromium. Total chromium measures the combined amount of chromium forms in a sample and does not show how much is specifically chromium-6. Ask for Cr(VI)-specific analysis when that is the contaminant you need to evaluate.
Does every reverse osmosis system remove chromium-6?

No. Hexavalent chromium reduction is an optional performance claim under NSF/ANSI 58. Confirm that the exact RO model and configuration have current, verified performance for chromium-6 reduction.
Can a water softener remove chromium-6?

A conventional residential softener is intended to reduce calcium and magnesium hardness. It should not be relied upon as a chromium-6 treatment system. Besco recommends a properly selected RO system for drinking water when testing identifies a chromium-6 concern.
Should I test city water for chromium-6?

Public water systems monitor total chromium, and their Consumer Confidence Reports are a useful starting point. A separate tap-water analysis may be appropriate if you want a chromium-6-specific result, if your utility reports total chromium without identifying its forms, or if a local environmental issue gives you reason for concern.

Get Clear Answers About Chromium-6 in Your Water

You should not have to guess whether your water contains chromium-6 or whether a general-purpose filter can address it. Besco can help you take a test-first approach and select reverse osmosis equipment with verified reduction performance when treatment is appropriate.

Contact Besco Water Treatment today. Tell our team that you are concerned about chromium-6 so we can discuss the appropriate testing process, review your results, and recommend the next step for your drinking water.