EWG INVESTIGATION

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EWG Statement, 03/10/2008

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NATIONAL SUMMARY

Quality Varies Across the U.S.

CONTAMINANTS DATABASE

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Status: Unregulated - EPA has not established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant.

Ethyl ether is a solvent for waxes, fats, oils, perfumes, and other products and chemicals; it is used in the production of chemicals, pharmaceuticals, smokeless gun powder and as a primer for gasoline engines; it is also used as a medical anesthetic. Potential health impacts associated with Ethyl ether include neurotoxicity and skin sensitivity.

Sources of Ethyl ether:

Industry

An Environmental Working Group analysis of Ethyl ether tests reported by 1,057 public water suppliers in 6 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 63 thousand people in 5 communities drank water contaminated with Ethyl ether. No health-based limit has been established by the federal government.Ethyl ether remains unregulated in tap water, without a maximum legal limit.

Exposure Summary

63,024 People drinking water contaminated with Ethyl ether 5 Communities served water contaminated with Ethyl ether

Table. Ethyl ether Exposure by State

63 thousand Americans in 2 states were served tap water contaminated with Ethyl ether between 1998 and 2003.

State	Water suppliers with Ethyl ether contamination
	Systems	Population
New Jersey	3	62,750
New Hampshire	2	274
Total	5	63,024

Table. The most polluted communities

63,000 Americans in 5 communities were served tap water contaminated with Ethyl ether between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average Ethyl ether level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	Adams Mhp Rye, NH	158	2 of 2	2.75 ppb (2.6 to 2.9 ppb)
2	Wentworth Cove Estates Laconia, NH	116	1 of 1	0.61 ppb (0.61 to 0.61 ppb)
3	Gloucester City Water Department Gloucester, NJ	12,600	2 of 5	0.58 ppb (0 to 1.63 ppb)
4	Brainard's Mutual Water Assoc. Phillipsburg, NJ	150	1 of 11	0.11 ppb (0 to 1.24 ppb)
5	Camden City Water Dept Camden City, NJ	50,000	1 of 16	0.03 ppb (0 to 0.51 ppb)

Testing Summary for Ethyl ether

Water suppliers report an average of 0.6 Ethyl ether tests per year. 38,694 water suppliers failed to report any Ethyl ether tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for Ethyl ether by federal law? No Water suppliers reporting tests for Ethyl ether (1998-2003): 1,057 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): 0.6 per year

Ethyl ether Violations

Because Ethyl ether is unregulated in tap water, no violations are recorded in EPA's violations database, the Safe Drinking Water Information System. Under the federal tap water law, water suppliers are not required to routinely test for Ethyl ether, and any level is legal in tap water.