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.

Beta-Lindane is a component of the insecticide HCH (hexachlorocyclohexane) formerly used for gardens, lumber, cattle and phased out of use in the U.S. in the 1970s. Potential health impacts associated with beta-Lindane include cancer, cardiovascular or blood toxicity, endocrine toxicity, gastrointestinal or liver toxicity, immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and reproductive toxicity.

Sources of beta-Lindane:

	Agriculture (pesticides, fertilizer, factory farms)
	Sprawl and Urban Areas (road runoff, lawn pesticides, human waste)

An Environmental Working Group analysis of beta-Lindane tests reported by 1,208 public water suppliers in 9 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 3,578 people in 2 communities drank water contaminated with beta-Lindane. In all of these communities, tap water was contaminated at levels above health-based thresholds. beta-Lindane remains unregulated in tap water, without a maximum legal limit.

Exposure Summary

3,578 People drinking water contaminated with beta-Lindane 2 Communities served water contaminated with beta-Lindane 3,578 People drinking water contaminated with beta-Lindane over health based limits 2 Communities served water with beta-Lindane above health based limits

Table. beta-Lindane Exposure by State

3,578 Americans in 1 states were served tap water contaminated with beta-Lindane at levels above health-based limits between 1998 and 2003.

State	Water suppliers with beta-Lindane contamination		Water suppliers reporting beta-Lindane above health-based limits
	Systems	Population	Systems	Population
Wisconsin	2	3,578	2	3,578
Total	2	3,578	2	3,578

Table. The most polluted communities

3,578 Americans in 2 communities were served tap water contaminated with beta-Lindane above health based limits between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average beta-Lindane level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	Boscobel Waterworks Boscobel, WI	3,228	1 of 1	4800 ppb (4800 to 4800 ppb)
2	Fitchburg Utility District 1 South Fitchburg, WI	350	1 of 1	1400 ppb (1400 to 1400 ppb)

Health based limits for beta-Lindane

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 beta-Lindane

Water suppliers report an average of 0.4 beta-Lindane tests per year. 38,543 water suppliers failed to report any beta-Lindane tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for beta-Lindane by federal law? No Water suppliers reporting tests for beta-Lindane (1998-2003): 1,208 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): 0.4 per year

beta-Lindane Violations

Because beta-Lindane 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 beta-Lindane, and any level is legal in tap water.