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.

Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene is a pollutant from the incomplete combustion of coal, wood, and gasoline combustion; pollutant from municipal waste incineration, coke ovens and cigarette smoke; constituent in gasoline, fresh and used motor oil; pollutant in road runoff. Potential health impacts associated with Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene include cancer.

Sources of Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene:

	Sprawl and Urban Areas (road runoff, lawn pesticides, human waste)
	Industry

An Environmental Working Group analysis of Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene tests reported by 2,980 public water suppliers in 12 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 3.8 million people in 3 communities drank water contaminated with Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene. In 2 of these communities, tap water was contaminated at levels above health-based thresholds. Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene remains unregulated in tap water, without a maximum legal limit.

Exposure Summary

3,832,944 People drinking water contaminated with Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene 3 Communities served water contaminated with Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene 4,244 People drinking water contaminated with Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene over health based limits 2 Communities served water with Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene above health based limits

Table. Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene Exposure by State

4,244 Americans in 1 states were served tap water contaminated with Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene at levels above health-based limits between 1998 and 2003.

State	Water suppliers with Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene contamination		Water suppliers reporting Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene above health-based limits
	Systems	Population	Systems	Population
Arkansas	2	4,244	2	4,244
California	1	3,828,700	0	0
Total	3	3,832,944	2	4,244

Table. The most polluted communities

4,244 Americans in 2 communities were served tap water contaminated with Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene above health based limits between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	Holly Grove Waterworks Holly Grove, AR	2,281	1 of 3	0.19 ppb (0 to 0.58 ppb)
2	Elaine Waterworks Elaine, AR	1,963	1 of 3	0.18 ppb (0 to 0.53 ppb)

Health based limits for Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene

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 Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene

Water suppliers report an average of 0.5 Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene tests per year. 36,771 water suppliers failed to report any Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene by federal law? No Water suppliers reporting tests for Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene (1998-2003): 2,980 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): 0.5 per year

Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene Violations

Because Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene 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 Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, and any level is legal in tap water.