Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate
Status: National drinking water standard exists
Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, or DEHP, is a softener added to PVC plastics. Phthalates are hormone disruptors that target the male reproductive system. Read More.
DEHP can cross the placenta and disrupt steroid hormone synthesis, and may lead to cancer. In laboratory animals, exposure to DEHP during pregnancy harms fetal developmental and causes abnormalities in the male reproductive tract. Human epidemiological studies show certain phthalates, especially DEHP, are associated with reduced anogenital distance in human male infants, which is a measure of adverse developmental effects in human male infants exposed prenatally to endocrine disrupting chemicals. DEHP may also interfere with signaling related to the timing of birth and may have adverse effects on the immune system.
2015:
32
states detected
693
utilities detected
13 million
people served
17
states over health guideline
32
utilities over health guideline
83,802
people served over health guideline
1
states over legal limit
1
utilities over legal limit
115
people served over legal limit
Health concerns for di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate
Harm to the male reproductive system
Harm to the immune system
Change to fetal growth and development
Hormone disruption
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
Health Guideline 3 ppb
The health guideline of 3 ppb for di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate was defined by the Environmental Protection Agency as a one-in-a-million lifetime risk of cancer. Values greater than one-in-a-million cancer risk level can result in increased cancer cases above one in a million people.
ppb = parts per billion.
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 6 ppb
The enforceable federal standard that defines the highest level of a contaminant allowed in drinking water.
ppb = parts per billion.
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level Goal (MCLG)0 ppb
A non-enforceable federal health guideline. For cancer-causing chemicals, these health goals are typically set to zero.
ppb = parts per billion.
States reporting di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in drinking water
| UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES | UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Utilities | People Served | Utilities | People Served | |||
| Texas | 10 | 62,195 | 342 | 6,669,261 | |||
| Nevada | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1,349,507 | |||
| Louisiana | 4 | 10,758 | 83 | 1,317,858 | |||
| Florida | 2 | 159 | 30 | 1,316,870 | |||
| New York | 0 | 0 | 35 | 806,579 | |||
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 97 | 26 | 356,230 | |||
| Delaware | 0 | 0 | 5 | 318,625 | |||
| Colorado | 0 | 0 | 6 | 183,868 | |||
| Indiana | 1 | 653 | 19 | 125,355 | |||
| Utah | 0 | 0 | 4 | 121,432 | |||
| West Virginia | 0 | 0 | 22 | 97,181 | |||
| Maryland | 0 | 0 | 12 | 78,821 | |||
| Kentucky | 0 | 0 | 4 | 71,993 | |||
| Rhode Island | 0 | 0 | 7 | 71,628 | |||
| New Hampshire | 1 | 45 | 8 | 45,738 | |||
| Arizona | 1 | 1,740 | 4 | 43,438 | |||
| Illinois | 2 | 205 | 4 | 40,969 | |||
| Arkansas | 2 | 6,000 | 16 | 40,200 | |||
| Alabama | 0 | 0 | 9 | 26,019 | |||
| New Mexico | 0 | 0 | 5 | 22,749 | |||
| North Carolina | 1 | 267 | 13 | 16,445 | |||
| Connecticut | 1 | 26 | 6 | 9,093 | |||
| Idaho | 1 | 1,300 | 6 | 5,847 | |||
| Washington | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2,775 | |||
| Georgia | 0 | 0 | 2 | 715 | |||
| Wisconsin | 1 | 181 | 2 | 492 | |||
| Massachusetts | 1 | 25 | 4 | 394 | |||
| Minnesota | 0 | 0 | 2 | 190 | |||
| Oregon | 1 | 60 | 2 | 173 | |||
| Iowa | 1 | 25 | 3 | 173 | |||
| Montana | 0 | 0 | 2 | 135 | |||
| California | 1 | 66 | 1 | 66 | |||
Utilities with the highest amounts of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, 2015
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colonial Mobile Home Park | St Cloud, FL | 1 of 2 | 6.55 ppb | 115 |
| Jasper County Water Control and Improvement District 1 | Buna, TX | 1 of 1 | 5.60 ppb | 3,015 |
| Cedar Point | Austin, TX | 1 of 2 | 5.45 ppb | 926 |
| Harris County Municipal Utility District 109* | Houston, TX | 1 of 3 | 5.33 ppb | 8,592 |
| Helena Water Sewer* | Helena, AR | 1 of 1 | 5.07 ppb | 5,500 |
| Mount Hope Waterworks | Mount Hope, WI | 4 of 4 | 4.75 ppb | 181 |
| Ingham Mews Condominum Association | Langhorne, PA | 1 of 1 | 4.75 ppb | 97 |
| Willamettans, The | Marcola, OR | 1 of 1 | 4.59 ppb | 60 |
| One Five O Water Supply Corporation* | Coldspring, TX | 1 of 3 | 4.57 ppb | 2,798 |
| Cardinal Valley Estates 3rd Addition | Le Claire, IA | 3 of 4 | 4.42 ppb | 25 |
| West Side Mobile Home Park | Clinton, IL | 1 of 1 | 4.30 ppb | 100 |
| Weatherstone S/d | Oak Ridge, NC | 1 of 4 | 4.25 ppb | 267 |
| Lancaster Water Company | Lancaster, CA | 2 of 2 | 4.15 ppb | 66 |
| Heron Pond At Stockbridge | Stockbridge, MA | 1 of 3 | 4.00 ppb | 25 |
| City of Goldsmith | Goldsmith, TX | 3 of 3 | 3.90 ppb | 265 |
| Plantation Mobile Home Village | St. Amant, LA | 1 of 1 | 3.80 ppb | 132 |
| Harris County Municipal Utility District 149* | Houston, TX | 1 of 2 | 3.80 ppb | 3,675 |
| City of Deer Park | Deer Park, TX | 1 of 2 | 3.75 ppb | 32,964 |
| 1200013 | Edna, TX | 1 of 3 | 3.67 ppb | 5,499 |
| Hop River Homes | Andover, CT | 3 of 4 | 3.60 ppb | 26 |
| St. James Water District 1* | Convent, LA | 1 of 2 | 3.55 ppb | 6,120 |
| Town of Maringouin | Maringouin, LA | 2 of 3 | 3.50 ppb | 3,300 |
| Gator Wilderness Camp School | Punta Gorda, FL | 1 of 1 | 3.46 ppb | 44 |
| Driggs, City of | Driggs, ID | 2 of 2 | 3.42 ppb | 1,300 |
| Evergreen Terrace | Exeter, NH | 1 of 1 | 3.30 ppb | 45 |
| Forest Lakes Water Improvement District | Forest Lakes, AZ | 1 of 4 | 3.25 ppb | 1,740 |
| City of Malakoff | Malakoff, TX | 1 of 1 | 3.20 ppb | 2,343 |
| Westwind Estates | Pontiac, IL | 3 of 4 | 3.08 ppb | 105 |
| Fawn River Crossing | Lagrange, IN | 2 of 3 | 3.05 ppb | 653 |
| Lake Walter Water Association | Springville, PA | 3 of 5 | 2.98 ppb | 165 |
* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Deer Park | Deer Park, TX | 1 of 2 | 3.75 ppb | 32,964 |
| City of Cumberland* | Cumberland, MD | 1 of 2 | 2.29 ppb | 23,600 |
| Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA Major Grid)* | Jacksonville, FL | 3 of 9 | 1.87 ppb | 703,938 |
| City of Universal City | Universal City, TX | 2 of 5 | 1.46 ppb | 19,155 |
| Clarksburg Water Board* | Clarksburg, WV | 1 of 1 | 1.42 ppb | 47,689 |
| Crowley Water System (LAWCO) | Baton Rouge, LA | 1 of 2 | 1.15 ppb | 19,000 |
| St. George City Water System* | St George City, UT | 1 of 2 | 1.10 ppb | 80,000 |
| Camino Real Regional Utility Authority | Sunland Park, NM | 2 of 4 | 1.08 ppb | 20,881 |
| Warrington Twp Water&sew Dept* | Warrington, PA | 3 of 3 | 1.06 ppb | 18,400 |
| Henderson Municipal Water & Sewer* | Henderson, KY | 1 of 4 | 0.950 ppb | 31,705 |
| Chenango Consolidated WD #1* | Binghamton, NY | 1 of 2 | 0.800 ppb | 10,667 |
| West View Water Authority* | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 of 1 | 0.800 ppb | 200,000 |
| Cypress Springs SUD N Plant 1 and NE Plant* | Mount Vernon, TX | 2 of 2 | 0.750 ppb | 10,692 |
| Meadow District* | Dover, DE | 3 of 6 | 0.683 ppb | 10,500 |
| FKAA - Florida Keys RO Plants | Key West, FL | 1 of 7 | 0.663 ppb | 30,000 |
| Water Works District #1 of Vermilion* | Maurice, LA | 4 of 4 | 0.605 ppb | 21,300 |
| Ononedaga County Water Authority (OCWA)* | Syracuse, NY | 2 of 3 | 0.553 ppb | 563,444 |
| Concord Water Department | Concord, NH | 1 of 6 | 0.517 ppb | 44,000 |
| City of Tyler* | Tyler, TX | 5 of 8 | 0.513 ppb | 109,242 |
| Schriever Water Treatment Service Area* | Houma, LA | 1 of 2 | 0.500 ppb | 97,152 |
| Cash SUD* | Greenville, TX | 1 of 1 | 0.500 ppb | 16,542 |
| Covington Water Supply | Covington, LA | 1 of 3 | 0.467 ppb | 14,700 |
| Gloversville Water Works* | Gloversville, NY | 1 of 3 | 0.467 ppb | 18,601 |
| East Jefferson Waterworks District 1 | Jefferson, LA | 3 of 6 | 0.465 ppb | 243,782 |
| Baton Rouge Water Company* | Baton Rouge, LA | 8 of 31 | 0.406 ppb | 502,383 |
| Crystal Lake | Crystal Lake, IL | 2 of 10 | 0.384 ppb | 40,634 |
| City of Bloomington Utilities* | Bloomington, IN | 2 of 6 | 0.333 ppb | 63,580 |
| Elmira Water Board* | Elmira, NY | 1 of 2 | 0.315 ppb | 66,529 |
| City of Midlothian* | Midlothian, TX | 1 of 2 | 0.300 ppb | 16,608 |
| Marion Waterworks* | Marion, AR | 1 of 7 | 0.279 ppb | 12,345 |
* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.