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.

Acenaphthene is a pollutant in automobile exhaust and other emissions from fossil fuel combustion, and an intermediate in the manufacture of dyes and other chemicals; it is used in manufacture of plastics and pharmaceuticals; insecticide; fungicide, and is a pollutant from petroleum refining, coal tar distillation, and coal combustion. Potential health impacts associated with Acenaphthene include gastrointestinal or liver toxicity. Potential health impacts associated with Acenaphthene include gastrointestinal or liver toxicity.

Sources of Acenaphthene:

Industry

An Environmental Working Group analysis of Acenaphthene tests reported by 2,635 public water suppliers in 7 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 43 thousand people in 15 communities drank water contaminated with Acenaphthene. Acenaphthene remains unregulated in tap water, without a maximum legal limit.

Exposure Summary

42,952 People drinking water contaminated with Acenaphthene 15 Communities served water contaminated with Acenaphthene

Table. Acenaphthene Exposure by State

43 thousand Americans in 3 states were served tap water contaminated with Acenaphthene between 1998 and 2003.

State	Water suppliers with Acenaphthene contamination
	Systems	Population
California	12	23,846
Texas	1	14,862
Arkansas	2	4,244
Total	15	42,952

Table. The most polluted communities

43,000 Americans in 15 communities were served tap water contaminated with Acenaphthene between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average Acenaphthene level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	Stallion Springs Csd Tehachapi, CA	1,800	2 of 2	108.5 ppb (103 to 114 ppb)
2	Mojave Pud Mojave, CA	4,500	1 of 1	107 ppb (107 to 107 ppb)
3	Buttonwillow Cwd Buttonwillow, CA	1,500	1 of 1	106 ppb (106 to 106 ppb)
4	June Lake Public Utility District Villag June Lake, CA	330	1 of 1	105 ppb (105 to 105 ppb)
5	Tejon Ranch Main Headquarters Lebec, CA	100	1 of 1	104 ppb (104 to 104 ppb)
6	Krista Mutual Water Company Frazier Park, CA	530	1 of 1	103 ppb (103 to 103 ppb)
7	South Kern Mutual Water Company Bakersfield, CA	39	1 of 1	103 ppb (103 to 103 ppb)
8	Old River Mutual Water Company Bakersfield, CA	66	1 of 1	102 ppb (102 to 102 ppb)
9	June Lake P.u.d. - Down Canyon June Lake, CA	400	1 of 1	102 ppb (102 to 102 ppb)
10	Manon Manor Mutual Water Company Bakersfield, CA	200	1 of 1	101 ppb (101 to 101 ppb)

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Health based limits for Acenaphthene

Health Limit	Limit Value	Limit Description
EPA Human Health Water Quality Criteria	670 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.
Drinking Water Equivalent Level	2000 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 Acenaphthene

Water suppliers report an average of 0.5 Acenaphthene tests per year. 37,116 water suppliers failed to report any Acenaphthene tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for Acenaphthene by federal law? No Water suppliers reporting tests for Acenaphthene (1998-2003): 2,635 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): 0.5 per year

Acenaphthene Violations

Because Acenaphthene 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 Acenaphthene, and any level is legal in tap water.