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EWG Statement, 03/10/2008

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National Contaminant Report

p-Chlorotoluene

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

p-Chlorotoluene is a solvent and intermediate for ogranic chemicals and dyes; and a potential by-product of water disinfection. No information on potential health impacts for p-Chlorotoluene was identified in standard government and academic sources.

Sources of p-Chlorotoluene:
IndustryIndustry

An Environmental Working Group analysis of p-Chlorotoluene tests reported by 23,726 public water suppliers in 35 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 253 thousand people in 12 communities drank water contaminated with p-Chlorotoluene. p-Chlorotoluene remains unregulated in tap water, without a maximum legal limit.

Exposure Summary

253,039

People drinking water contaminated with p-Chlorotoluene

12

Communities served water contaminated with p-Chlorotoluene


Table. p-Chlorotoluene Exposure by State

253 thousand Americans in 8 states were served tap water contaminated with p-Chlorotoluene between 1998 and 2003.

StateWater suppliers with p-Chlorotoluene contamination
SystemsPopulation
New Jersey2246,364
Delaware21,734
Washington11,700
Arkansas11,525
Alaska21,061
Nevada2237
California1210
North Carolina1208
Total12253,039

Table. The most polluted communities

253,000 Americans in 12 communities were served tap water contaminated with p-Chlorotoluene between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average p-Chlorotoluene level

RankSystem Population Served Positive test results of total reported tests Average Level
(Range)
1Thomas Cove
Newark, DE
8011 of 201.25 ppb
(0 to 25 ppb)
2Mulberry Waterworks
Mulberry, AR
1,5254 of 100.36 ppb
(0 to 2.3 ppb)
3Riverview Mobile Home Park
Gardnerville, NV
2102 of 100.25 ppb
(0 to 1.5 ppb)
4Moab Irrigation District #20
Newman Lake, WA
1,7001 of 20.25 ppb
(0 to 0.5 ppb)
5Nsbu - Point Hope
Barrow, AK
8342 of 50.15 ppb
(0 to 0.48 ppb)
6NJ American Water Company - Western Divi
Delran, NJ
246,3292 of 560.11 ppb
(0 to 4.4 ppb)
7Kirkwood Meadows Pubilc Utilit
Kirkwood, CA
2101 of 100.1 ppb
(0 to 1 ppb)
8Devils Gate Gid District 1
Eureka, NV
271 of 80.09 ppb
(0 to 0.7 ppb)
9Chestnut Grove (willow Grove)
Newark, DE
9331 of 130.06 ppb
(0 to 0.8 ppb)
10Rocky Ridge S / D
Concord, NC
2081 of 110.05 ppb
(0 to 0.54 ppb)

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Health based limits for p-Chlorotoluene

Health LimitLimit ValueLimit Description
Children's health-based limit for 1-day exposure2000 ppbConcentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects for up to one day of exposure. The One-Day health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is typically set to protect a 10-kg child consuming 1 liter of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Children's health-based limit for 10-day exposure2000 ppbConcentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic effects for up to ten days of exposure. The Ten-Day health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is typically set to protect a 10-kg child consuming 1 liter of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Lifetime health-based limit, non-cancer risk100 ppbConcentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects for a lifetime of exposure. The Lifetime health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is based on exposure for a a 70-kg adult consuming 2 liters of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Drinking Water Equivalent Level700 ppbA 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 p-Chlorotoluene

Water suppliers report an average of 0.6 p-Chlorotoluene tests per year. 16,025 water suppliers failed to report any p-Chlorotoluene tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for p-Chlorotoluene by federal law?No
Water suppliers reporting tests for p-Chlorotoluene (1998-2003):23,726 of 39,751
Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003):0.6 per year


p-Chlorotoluene Violations

Because p-Chlorotoluene 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 p-Chlorotoluene, and any level is legal in tap water.