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Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL)

Written by the Fiveable Content Team โ€ข Last updated August 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโ€ขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โ€ข Last updated August 2025

Definition

The maximum contaminant level (MCL) is the highest allowable concentration of a particular contaminant in drinking water as set by regulatory agencies. It represents the legal limit for a specific pollutant to protect public health.

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