EWG INVESTIGATION

Findings

About The Data

News Release

EWG Statement, 03/10/2008

Related News Clips

WHAT'S IN YOUR WATER?

Find Your Water Company

NATIONAL SUMMARY

Quality Varies Across the U.S.

CONTAMINANTS DATABASE

Find a Contaminant

Credits

Sign up to receive email updates from EWG

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

Benzo[a]anthracene is a pollutant from combustion of organic matter, including fossil fuel and wood; research chemical. Potential health impacts associated with Benzo[a]anthracene include cancer.

Sources of Benzo[a]anthracene:

	Sprawl and Urban Areas (road runoff, lawn pesticides, human waste)
	Water Treatment and Distribution Byproducts (pipes and fixtures, treatment chemicals and byproducts)

An Environmental Working Group analysis of Benzo[a]anthracene tests reported by 2,839 public water suppliers in 11 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 27 thousand people in 4 communities drank water contaminated with Benzo[a]anthracene. In all of these communities, tap water was contaminated at levels above health-based thresholds. Benzo[a]anthracene remains unregulated in tap water, without a maximum legal limit.

Exposure Summary

27,206 People drinking water contaminated with Benzo[a]anthracene 4 Communities served water contaminated with Benzo[a]anthracene 27,206 People drinking water contaminated with Benzo[a]anthracene over health based limits 4 Communities served water with Benzo[a]anthracene above health based limits

Table. Benzo[a]anthracene Exposure by State

27 thousand Americans in 3 states were served tap water contaminated with Benzo[a]anthracene at levels above health-based limits between 1998 and 2003.

State	Water suppliers with Benzo[a]anthracene contamination		Water suppliers reporting Benzo[a]anthracene above health-based limits
	Systems	Population	Systems	Population
Texas	1	14,862	1	14,862
Nevada	1	8,100	1	8,100
Arkansas	2	4,244	2	4,244
Total	4	27,206	4	27,206

Table. The most polluted communities

27,000 Americans in 4 communities were served tap water contaminated with Benzo[a]anthracene above health based limits between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average Benzo[a]anthracene level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	Elaine Waterworks Elaine, AR	1,963	1 of 3	0.1 ppb (0 to 0.3 ppb)
2	Holly Grove Waterworks Holly Grove, AR	2,281	1 of 3	0.08 ppb (0 to 0.25 ppb)
3	City of White Settlement Fort Worth, TX	14,862	1 of 7	0.05 ppb (0 to 0.36 ppb)
4	Big Bend Water District Laughlin, NV	8,100	1 of 3	0.02 ppb (0 to 0.06 ppb)

Health based limits for Benzo[a]anthracene

Health Limit	Limit Value	Limit Description
EPA Human Health Water Quality Criteria	<0.01 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 Benzo[a]anthracene

Water suppliers report an average of 0.5 Benzo[a]anthracene tests per year. 36,912 water suppliers failed to report any Benzo[a]anthracene tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for Benzo[a]anthracene by federal law? No Water suppliers reporting tests for Benzo[a]anthracene (1998-2003): 2,839 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): 0.5 per year

Benzo[a]anthracene Violations

Because Benzo[a]anthracene 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 Benzo[a]anthracene, and any level is legal in tap water.