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.

Methyl ethyl ketone is an unregulated disinfection by-product from ozonation; and a solvent for coatings, adhesives, magnetic tape, printing inks, and other industrial and consumer goods. Potential health impacts associated with Methyl ethyl ketone include cardiovascular or blood toxicity, developmental toxicity, gastrointestinal or liver toxicity, kidney toxicity, neurotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, respiratory toxicity, and skin sensitivity.

Sources of Methyl ethyl ketone:

	Industry
	Water Treatment and Distribution Byproducts (pipes and fixtures, treatment chemicals and byproducts)

An Environmental Working Group analysis of Methyl ethyl ketone tests reported by 6,976 public water suppliers in 12 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 1.2 million people in 89 communities drank water contaminated with Methyl ethyl ketone. Methyl ethyl ketone remains unregulated in tap water, without a maximum legal limit.

Exposure Summary

1,162,235 People drinking water contaminated with Methyl ethyl ketone 89 Communities served water contaminated with Methyl ethyl ketone

Table. Methyl ethyl ketone Exposure by State

1.2 million Americans in 6 states were served tap water contaminated with Methyl ethyl ketone between 1998 and 2003.

State	Water suppliers with Methyl ethyl ketone contamination
	Systems	Population
New Jersey	24	539,861
California	9	370,443
Texas	39	100,318
Pennsylvania	4	78,398
Minnesota	6	68,188
Michigan	7	5,027
Total	89	1,162,235

Table. The most polluted communities

1.2 million Americans in 89 communities were served tap water contaminated with Methyl ethyl ketone between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average Methyl ethyl ketone level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	Wilderness Cove MARBLE FALLS, TX	0	1 of 1	2782 ppb (2782 to 2782 ppb)
2	Winslow's Mobile Home Terrace Southfield, MI	210	1 of 4	1462.5 ppb (0 to 5850 ppb)
3	Canyon Regional Water Authority Crwa Hay NEW BRAUNFELS, TX	200	1 of 1	452 ppb (452 to 452 ppb)
4	Country Mobile Home Court Westland, MI	50	1 of 3	106.67 ppb (0 to 320 ppb)
5	Grand Village Mobile Home Park Lake Park, GA	50	1 of 2	85 ppb (0 to 170 ppb)
6	Misty Cove Apartments Lansing, MI	66	1 of 1	80 ppb (80 to 80 ppb)
7	Lake View Mutual Water Co. Redwood Valley, CA	90	2 of 2	54 ppb (18 to 90 ppb)
8	Countryside Estates Watervliet, MI	24	2 of 5	40 ppb (0 to 180 ppb)
9	Murdock Murdock, MN	282	1 of 1	35 ppb (35 to 35 ppb)
10	Timberland Estates Porter, TX	537	1 of 4	34 ppb (0 to 136 ppb)

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Health based limits for Methyl ethyl ketone

Health Limit	Limit Value	Limit Description
Children's health-based limit for 1-day exposure	75000 ppb	Concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects for up to one day of exposure. The One-Day health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is typically set to protect a 10-kg child consuming 1 liter of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Children's health-based limit for 10-day exposure	7500 ppb	Concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic effects for up to ten days of exposure. The Ten-Day health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is typically set to protect a 10-kg child consuming 1 liter of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Lifetime health-based limit, non-cancer risk	4000 ppb	Concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects for a lifetime of exposure. The Lifetime health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is based on exposure for a a 70-kg adult consuming 2 liters of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Drinking Water Equivalent Level	20000 ppb	A lifetime exposure concentration protective of adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects, that assumes all of the exposure to a contaminant is from drinking water. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Testing Summary for Methyl ethyl ketone

Water suppliers report an average of 0.8 Methyl ethyl ketone tests per year. 32,775 water suppliers failed to report any Methyl ethyl ketone tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for Methyl ethyl ketone by federal law? No Water suppliers reporting tests for Methyl ethyl ketone (1998-2003): 6,976 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): 0.8 per year

Methyl ethyl ketone Violations

Because Methyl ethyl ketone 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 Methyl ethyl ketone, and any level is legal in tap water.