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EWG Statement, 03/10/2008

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NATIONAL SUMMARY

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CONTAMINANTS DATABASE

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

1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene is a chemical intermediate; industrial solvent; component of gasoline, coal tar, and petroleum products; and possible water disinfection by-product. Potential health impacts associated with 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene include cardiovascular or blood toxicity, neurotoxicity, and respiratory toxicity. Potential health impacts associated with 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene include cardiovascular or blood toxicity, neurotoxicity, and respiratory toxicity.

Sources of 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene:

Industry

An Environmental Working Group analysis of 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene tests reported by 21,736 public water suppliers in 34 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 721 thousand people in 89 communities drank water contaminated with 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene. No health-based limit has been established by the federal government.1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene remains unregulated in tap water, without a maximum legal limit.

Exposure Summary

720,660 People drinking water contaminated with 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene 89 Communities served water contaminated with 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene

Table. 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene Exposure by State

721 thousand Americans in 22 states were served tap water contaminated with 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene between 1998 and 2003.

State	Water suppliers with 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene contamination
	Systems	Population
California	10	243,165
Wisconsin	4	215,807
Michigan	10	174,583
Nebraska	4	25,091
Utah	2	9,700
Oklahoma	2	9,312
New Mexico	4	8,780
Iowa	6	6,243
Minnesota	2	5,649
New Jersey	2	3,882
Alaska	13	3,659
Colorado	2	3,100
Nevada	2	2,943
Texas	3	2,199
Washington	2	1,758
North Carolina	10	1,532
Maine	2	1,493
Arkansas	3	578
Missouri	1	505
Ohio	1	395
New Hampshire	3	261
Pennsylvania	1	25
Total	89	720,660

Table. The most polluted communities

721,000 Americans in 89 communities were served tap water contaminated with 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	Greene Municipal Water Supply Greene, IA	1,099	1 of 1	12 ppb (12 to 12 ppb)
2	Brookwood Park Madison, NH	50	1 of 1	11.06 ppb (11.06 to 11.06 ppb)
3	Rosepeak Water System Dayton, NV	2,735	1 of 6	9.18 ppb (0 to 55.1 ppb)
4	Jordanelle Ssd Heber, UT	6,500	1 of 4	4.95 ppb (0 to 19.8 ppb)
5	Wardtown Park Freeport, ME	150	1 of 1	4.1 ppb (4.1 to 4.1 ppb)
6	Colonial Villa Estates Salem, OH	395	2 of 4	2.03 ppb (0 to 4.2 ppb)
7	Golden Oaks Mobile Estates Orangevale, CA	86	1 of 2	1.9 ppb (0 to 3.8 ppb)
8	Village of Verdon Water Verdon, NE	223	1 of 3	1.65 ppb (0 to 4.95 ppb)
9	The Big W Derry, NH	84	1 of 1	0.92 ppb (0.92 to 0.92 ppb)
10	Double L Mobile Home Park Ferndale, WA	58	1 of 5	0.82 ppb (0 to 4.1 ppb)

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Testing Summary for 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene

Water suppliers report an average of 0.7 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene tests per year. 18,015 water suppliers failed to report any 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene by federal law? No Water suppliers reporting tests for 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene (1998-2003): 21,736 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): 0.7 per year

1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene Violations

Because 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene 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 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, and any level is legal in tap water.