<p>Groundwater contamination by arsenic (As) is documented in 107 countries, leading to various regulatory standards for As in drinking water. The World Health Organization (WHO) initially set the As limit at 200 µgl⁻¹ in 1958, later lowering it to 50 µgl⁻¹ in 1963, and to 10 µgl⁻¹ in 1993, following cases of human arsenicosis. At present, 138 countries adhere to the 10 µgl⁻¹ limit, 34 still follow the older standard of 50 µgl⁻¹, while 18 have not set any limit for As in drinking water. Five countries have adopted different national standards for As, with the Netherlands’ voluntary limit of 1 µgl⁻¹ being the lowest globally. The risk of cancer from As is greatly influenced by dietary habits. Consuming 3 L of water per day with 10 µgl⁻¹ As poses an incremental cancer risk of 750 individuals per million, while reducing intake to 2 L lowers the risk to 500 individuals per million. Arsenic levels of 200 µgkg⁻¹ in cooked rice and 1000 µgkg⁻¹ in vegetables increases the risk of cancer to 1650 and 6000 persons per million, respectively. Lowering these limits to 150 µgkg⁻¹ in both matrices can reduce the risk to 1170 and 900 persons per million, respectively. A potential cancer risk of up to 8400 individuals per million is expected through cumulative dietary exposure to As, highlighting a significant public health concern. These alarming figures underscore the urgent need to revise existing permissible limits. Governments worldwide should consider lowering As concentrations to 3 µgl⁻¹ in drinking water and 150 µgkg⁻¹ in rice and vegetables, which could potentially reduce As induced cancer risks by over 70%. Appropriate enforcement of these guidelines, in accordance with, state sovereignty is crucial for protecting public health.</p>