MTBE
Status: No national drinking water standard exists
MTBE was used as gasoline oxygenation additive to boost the octane number. In 2005, MTBE was replaced by ethanol as a gasoline additive. MTBE causes cancers in rats.
2015:
22
states detected
291
utilities detected
4.8 million
people served
1
states over health guideline
1
utilities over health guideline
8,256
people served over health guideline
Health concerns for MTBE
Cancer
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
Health Guideline 13 ppb
The health guideline of 13 ppb for MTBE was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. This health guideline protects against cancer.
ppb = parts per billion.
States reporting MTBE in drinking water
| UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES | UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Utilities | People Served | Utilities | People Served | |||
| New York | 0 | 0 | 30 | 2,197,545 | |||
| New Jersey | 0 | 0 | 69 | 1,045,595 | |||
| California | 0 | 0 | 9 | 482,169 | |||
| Delaware | 0 | 0 | 12 | 312,753 | |||
| Massachusetts | 0 | 0 | 23 | 299,044 | |||
| Wisconsin | 0 | 0 | 25 | 132,160 | |||
| Pennsylvania | 0 | 0 | 6 | 69,013 | |||
| South Carolina | 0 | 0 | 15 | 63,116 | |||
| Missouri | 0 | 0 | 12 | 41,311 | |||
| Maryland | 0 | 0 | 17 | 40,440 | |||
| Virginia | 0 | 0 | 7 | 28,352 | |||
| Arkansas | 0 | 0 | 6 | 28,331 | |||
| Georgia | 0 | 0 | 8 | 27,269 | |||
| Connecticut | 0 | 0 | 4 | 15,768 | |||
| Illinois | 0 | 0 | 6 | 14,590 | |||
| Oklahoma | 0 | 0 | 3 | 11,562 | |||
| Texas | 1 | 8,256 | 4 | 9,755 | |||
| Iowa | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6,881 | |||
| New Hampshire | 0 | 0 | 23 | 4,955 | |||
| Vermont | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4,048 | |||
| Maine | 0 | 0 | 3 | 170 | |||
| Utah | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||
Utilities with the highest amounts of MTBE, 2015
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dalhart Municipal Water System | Dalhart, TX | 3 of 4 | 50.5 ppb | 8,256 |
| Woodbine Municipal Utilities Authority | Woodbine, NJ | 1 of 1 | 10.1 ppb | 2,800 |
| River Lake Subdivision | Mequon, WI | 1 of 1 | 8.10 ppb | 100 |
| Cassatt Water Kershaw-lee Company RWA | Cassatt, SC | 4 of 5 | 8.02 ppb | 24,879 |
| Deforest Waterworks | Deforest, WI | 2 of 3 | 7.93 ppb | 9,400 |
| City of Los Banos | Los Banos, CA | 4 of 4 | 7.65 ppb | 37,168 |
| Marston | Marston, MO | 2 of 2 | 6.98 ppb | 600 |
| Talbotton | Talbotton, GA | 1 of 1 | 6.30 ppb | 738 |
| Whispering Pines Mobile Home Park | New Castle, MD | 2 of 2 | 5.70 ppb | 325 |
| S & P Properties LLC | Mansfield, CT | 1 of 1 | 5.60 ppb | 42 |
| Theresa Waterworks | Theresa, WI | 2 of 2 | 5.45 ppb | 1,262 |
| Kennett | Kennett, MO | 9 of 15 | 5.36 ppb | 11,500 |
| Lakewood Twp MUA | Lakewood, NJ | 9 of 9 | 5.35 ppb | 17,400 |
| Shore Memorial Hospital | Nassawadox, VA | 4 of 5 | 5.18 ppb | 620 |
| Walnut Grove No. 1 | Rockville, VA | 1 of 1 | 5.00 ppb | 290 |
| Atkinson Woods | Atkinson, NH | 1 of 1 | 4.90 ppb | 140 |
| Picnic Grove Mobile Homes | Malaga, NJ | 8 of 8 | 4.85 ppb | 250 |
| Twin Coach / Edgeway Mobile Homes | Lakeville, MA | 4 of 4 | 4.75 ppb | 134 |
| Portageville* | Portageville, MO | 13 of 16 | 4.67 ppb | 3,250 |
| Ocean Pines | Berlin, MD | 1 of 1 | 4.40 ppb | 11,890 |
| Metropolitan Water District* | South Jordan, UT | 4 of 4 | 4.39 ppb | 0 |
| Miner* | Miner, MO | 7 of 11 | 4.33 ppb | 984 |
| Norcross Mobile Home Village | Farmington Hills, GA | 2 of 4 | 4.28 ppb | 543 |
| Maryland American Water Company* | Bel Air, MD | 10 of 11 | 3.98 ppb | 13,200 |
| Shermans Valley Apartments Perlo III | Loysville, PA | 9 of 9 | 3.81 ppb | 25 |
| Klondike Independent School District | Lamesa, TX | 3 of 3 | 3.67 ppb | 231 |
| Lawrenceville | Lawrenceville, GA | 5 of 6 | 3.60 ppb | 24,000 |
| Browns Lake Mobile Home Ct | Burlington, WI | 2 of 2 | 3.55 ppb | 225 |
| Millstone Apartments | Harpswell, ME | 1 of 1 | 3.30 ppb | 97 |
| Fairton Oaks M H Community | Brick, NJ | 1 of 1 | 2.95 ppb | 207 |
* 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 MTBE, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cassatt Water Kershaw-lee Company RWA | Cassatt, SC | 4 of 5 | 8.02 ppb | 24,879 |
| City of Los Banos | Los Banos, CA | 4 of 4 | 7.65 ppb | 37,168 |
| Kennett | Kennett, MO | 9 of 15 | 5.36 ppb | 11,500 |
| Lakewood Twp MUA | Lakewood, NJ | 9 of 9 | 5.35 ppb | 17,400 |
| Ocean Pines | Berlin, MD | 1 of 1 | 4.40 ppb | 11,890 |
| Maryland American Water Company* | Bel Air, MD | 10 of 11 | 3.98 ppb | 13,200 |
| Lawrenceville | Lawrenceville, GA | 5 of 6 | 3.60 ppb | 24,000 |
| Waunakee Waterworks | Waunakee, WI | 6 of 6 | 2.80 ppb | 12,097 |
| City of Waynesboro | Waynesboro, VA | 1 of 1 | 2.50 ppb | 21,006 |
| California Water Service (CWS) - Salinas | San Jose, CA | 1 of 42 | 2.10 ppb | 106,858 |
| NJ American Water - Atlantic County | Voorhees, NJ | 2 of 13 | 2.05 ppb | 120,000 |
| Manchester Twp Water Utility - Western* | Manchester, NJ | 2 of 3 | 1.30 ppb | 15,163 |
| Southeast Morris County Municipal Utilities Authority* | Cedar Knolls, NJ | 4 of 19 | 1.05 ppb | 62,050 |
| Yarmouth Water Department* | West Yarmouth, MA | 1 of 1 | 0.820 ppb | 39,635 |
| City of Torrance Water Department | Torrance, CA | 3 of 16 | 0.738 ppb | 145,438 |
| Collingswood Water Depar | Collingswood, NJ | 6 of 8 | 0.726 ppb | 20,002 |
| Dennis Water District | South Dennis, MA | 2 of 2 | 0.715 ppb | 65,000 |
| Merchantville Pennsauken | Camden City, NJ | 4 of 21 | 0.616 ppb | 47,144 |
| Breezy Hill WD* | Graniteville, SC | 4 of 11 | 0.590 ppb | 13,692 |
| Garfield Water Department | Garfield City, NJ | 9 of 15 | 0.439 ppb | 30,487 |
| Forrest City Waterworks* | Forrest City, AR | 4 of 8 | 0.425 ppb | 15,220 |
| Aqua NJ - Hamilton Square* | Hamilton, NJ | 10 of 17 | 0.406 ppb | 39,128 |
| Orleans Water Department | Orleans, MA | 3 of 12 | 0.367 ppb | 17,670 |
| Concord Water Department | Concord, MA | 1 of 7 | 0.343 ppb | 16,663 |
| New York American Water - Sea Cliff* | Merrick, NY | 8 of 19 | 0.333 ppb | 15,000 |
| Bridgeton City Water Department | Bridgeton, NJ | 1 of 2 | 0.300 ppb | 22,770 |
| East Lyme Water & Sewer Commission | East Lyme, CT | 4 of 16 | 0.294 ppb | 15,245 |
| Artesian Water Company* | Newark, DE | 10 of 40 | 0.294 ppb | 301,000 |
| United Water Rahway | Highland Lakes, NJ | 8 of 12 | 0.280 ppb | 27,300 |
| Vineland Water & Sewer Utility | Vineland, NJ | 16 of 25 | 0.278 ppb | 33,000 |
* 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 MTBE, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.