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EWG Statement, 03/10/2008

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

n-Nitrosodiphenylamine is a bubber additive,an intermediate in chemical manufacturing, and an anti-scorching agent. Potential health impacts associated with n-Nitrosodiphenylamine include cancer, kidney toxicity, and respiratory toxicity. [read more]

Sources of n-Nitrosodiphenylamine:

Industry

An Environmental Working Group analysis of n-Nitrosodiphenylamine tests reported by 54 public water suppliers in 2 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 529 thousand people in 8 communities drank water contaminated with n-Nitrosodiphenylamine. n-Nitrosodiphenylamine remains unregulated in tap water, without a maximum legal limit.

Exposure Summary

529,273 People drinking water contaminated with n-Nitrosodiphenylamine 8 Communities served water contaminated with n-Nitrosodiphenylamine

Table. n-Nitrosodiphenylamine Exposure by State

529 thousand Americans in 1 states were served tap water contaminated with n-Nitrosodiphenylamine between 1998 and 2003.

State	Water suppliers with n-Nitrosodiphenylamine contamination
	Systems	Population
California	8	529,273
Total	8	529,273

Table. The most polluted communities

529,000 Americans in 8 communities were served tap water contaminated with n-Nitrosodiphenylamine between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average n-Nitrosodiphenylamine level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	California Domestic Water Company Whittier, CA	1,200	91 of 162	0.04 ppb (0 to 5.5 ppb)
2	Industry Waterworks System City Of Industry, CA	5,000	4 of 6	0.01 ppb (0 to 0.03 ppb)
3	La Puente Valley Cwd La Puente, CA	7,500	8 of 116	0.01 ppb (0 to 0.34 ppb)
4	City of Pomona Water Department Pomona, CA	149,793	23 of 24	< 0.01 ppb (0 to 0.02 ppb)
5	Crescenta Valley Consolidated Water Divi La Crescenta, CA	31,000	1 of 1	< 0.01 ppb (< .01 to 0.004 ppb)
6	Suburban Water Systems - San Jose Covina, CA	132,940	8 of 72	< 0.01 ppb (0 to 0.03 ppb)
7	City of Pasadena Water Department Pasadena, CA	160,000	1 of 2	< 0.01 ppb (< .01 to 0.002 ppb)
8	Southern California Water Company - Cord Rancho Cordova, CA	41,840	9 of 43	< 0.01 ppb (< .01 to 0.009 ppb)

Health based limits for n-Nitrosodiphenylamine

Health Limit	Limit Value	Limit Description
EPA Human Health Water Quality Criteria	3.3 ppb	Water quality criteria set by the US EPA provide guidance for states and tribes authorized to establish water quality standards under the Clean Water Act (CWA) to protect human health. These are non-enforceable standards based upon exposure by both drinking water and the contribution of water contamination to other consumed foods. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Testing Summary for n-Nitrosodiphenylamine

Water suppliers report an average of 1.9 n-Nitrosodiphenylamine tests per year. 39,697 water suppliers failed to report any n-Nitrosodiphenylamine tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for n-Nitrosodiphenylamine by federal law? No Water suppliers reporting tests for n-Nitrosodiphenylamine (1998-2003): 54 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): 1.9 per year

n-Nitrosodiphenylamine Violations

Because n-Nitrosodiphenylamine 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 n-Nitrosodiphenylamine, and any level is legal in tap water.