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Status: Unregulated - EPA has not established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant. Naphthalene is an intermediate in chemical manufacturing, a moth repellent, a fungicide, and a pollutant from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels. Potential health impacts associated with Naphthalene include cancer, cardiovascular or blood toxicity, developmental toxicity, gastrointestinal or liver toxicity, kidney toxicity, neurotoxicity, respiratory toxicity, and skin sensitivity. [read more] Sources of Naphthalene:  | Sprawl and Urban Areas (road runoff, lawn pesticides, human waste) |  | Industry |
An Environmental Working Group analysis of Naphthalene tests reported by 20,449 public water suppliers in 33 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 921 thousand people in 116 communities drank water contaminated with Naphthalene. Naphthalene remains unregulated in tap water, without a maximum legal limit. Exposure Summary 921,499 | People drinking water contaminated with Naphthalene | 116 | Communities served water contaminated with Naphthalene |
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Table. Naphthalene Exposure by State921 thousand Americans in 24 states were served tap water contaminated with Naphthalene between 1998 and 2003. | State | Water suppliers with Naphthalene contamination |
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| Systems | Population |
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| Alabama | 4 | 272,224 | | Wisconsin | 5 | 207,500 | | Arkansas | 22 | 133,500 | | New Jersey | 4 | 75,485 | | Pennsylvania | 5 | 58,730 | | California | 3 | 45,336 | | Ohio | 3 | 43,510 | | North Carolina | 17 | 32,860 | | Texas | 5 | 12,980 | | Idaho | 1 | 8,000 | | New Hampshire | 10 | 7,169 | | New York | 3 | 5,805 | | Iowa | 3 | 3,458 | | Alaska | 2 | 3,157 | | Nevada | 2 | 3,027 | | Washington | 4 | 2,538 | | Oklahoma | 2 | 1,821 | | Colorado | 11 | 1,385 | | Utah | 1 | 820 | | Nebraska | 3 | 723 | | New Mexico | 2 | 600 | | Virginia | 2 | 381 | | Maine | 1 | 250 | | Montana | 1 | 240 | | Total | 116 | 921,499 |
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Table. The most polluted communities921,000 Americans in 116 communities were served tap water contaminated with Naphthalene between 1998 and 2003 Ranked by highest average Naphthalene level | Rank | System
| Population Served
| Positive test results of total reported tests
| Average Level
(Range) |
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| 1 | Hillcrest Water District
Brewster, NY | 305 | 1 of 1 | 11 ppb
(11 to 11 ppb) | | 2 | Hughes Public Water Supply
Hughes, AK | 65 | 4 of 5 | 5 ppb
(0 to 8.6 ppb) | | 3 | Sandpoint Water Department
Sandpoint, ID | 8,000 | 1 of 7 | 3.79 ppb
(0 to 26.5 ppb) | | 4 | Hemlock Haven
Hampton, NH | 207 | 3 of 3 | 2.8 ppb
(0.5 to 6.2 ppb) | | 5 | Farmington Water Department
Farmington, NH | 3,000 | 3 of 3 | 2.4 ppb
(0.2 to 4.2 ppb) | | 6 | Kingstowne Mhp
Epsom, NH | 335 | 1 of 1 | 2.1 ppb
(2.1 to 2.1 ppb) | | 7 | Bridgeview Homesites Water Association
Yakima, WA | 80 | 1 of 1 | 2 ppb
(2 to 2 ppb) | | 8 | Bedford Water Works
Bedford, IA | 1,620 | 1 of 1 | 1.8 ppb
(1.8 to 1.8 ppb) | | 9 | Carmel Water Department 2
Mahopac, NY | 5,000 | 1 of 1 | 1.5 ppb
(1.5 to 1.5 ppb) | | 10 | Hermon Village
Hermon, NY | 500 | 1 of 1 | 1.4 ppb
(1.4 to 1.4 ppb) |
Next --> Health based limits for Naphthalene
| Health Limit | Limit Value | Limit Description |
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| Children's health-based limit for 1-day exposure | 500 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 | 500 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 | 100 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 | 700 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 Naphthalene Water suppliers report an average of 0.7 Naphthalene tests per year. 19,302 water suppliers failed to report
any Naphthalene tests at all. | Are tests routinely required for Naphthalene by federal law? | No | | Water suppliers reporting tests for Naphthalene (1998-2003): | 20,449 of 39,751 | | Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): | 0.7 per year |
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Naphthalene Violations Because Naphthalene 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 Naphthalene, and any level is legal in tap water.
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