1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene
Status: No national drinking water standard exists
1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene is a chemical intermediate, industrial solvent and component of gasoline, coal tar and petroleum products. In laboratory animal studies, it harms the adrenal glands.
2017-2019:
24
states detected
150
utilities detected
731,000
people served
Health concerns for 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene
Harm to the central nervous system
Harm to the adrenal gland
Change to blood cells
States reporting 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene in drinking water
UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION | |||
---|---|---|---|
State | Utilities | People Served | |
New York | 13 | 231,367 | |
Texas | 27 | 156,578 | |
Wisconsin | 15 | 67,493 | |
Minnesota | 7 | 65,076 | |
Alabama | 3 | 53,822 | |
Iowa | 18 | 30,074 | |
Washington | 5 | 23,558 | |
Nevada | 3 | 18,359 | |
Michigan | 4 | 12,747 | |
Georgia | 14 | 10,729 | |
Maryland | 4 | 10,541 | |
New Jersey | 2 | 10,300 | |
Massachusetts | 3 | 9,450 | |
Missouri | 1 | 9,375 | |
Ohio | 2 | 6,450 | |
Arkansas | 6 | 4,788 | |
Virginia | 11 | 3,098 | |
California | 1 | 2,300 | |
Utah | 2 | 1,860 | |
South Carolina | 3 | 1,347 | |
Vermont | 3 | 926 | |
Nebraska | 1 | 462 | |
Illinois | 1 | 450 | |
New Hampshire | 1 | 26 |
Filtering technologies that reduce 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene

Activated Carbon

Reverse Osmosis
Utilities with the highest amounts of 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, 2017-2019
Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
---|---|---|---|---|
Central Garage Water System | King William, VA | 1 of 1 | 11.0 ppb | 2,100 |
Quinton Park Subdivision | New Kent, VA | 2 of 2 | 7.05 ppb | 147 |
Murray, Village of | Murray, NE | 1 of 2 | 6.65 ppb | 462 |
Kilmarnock, Town of | Kilmarnock, VA | 1 of 1 | 5.80 ppb | 1,487 |
Fairlee | Chestertown, MD | 1 of 2 | 5.00 ppb | 725 |
Hudson Water Supply | Hudson, IA | 5 of 5 | 4.12 ppb | 2,282 |
Parrott | Parrott, GA | 1 of 9 | 3.44 ppb | 234 |
De Land | De Land, IL | 2 of 4 | 2.88 ppb | 450 |
Minitree Glen | New Kent, VA | 1 of 1 | 2.80 ppb | 165 |
Panama Water Works | Panama, IA | 1 of 1 | 2.60 ppb | 221 |
Carl Junction PWS | Carl Junction, MO | 2 of 16 | 2.39 ppb | 7,445 |
Atlantic Municipal Utilities | Atlantic, IA | 1 of 1 | 2.20 ppb | 7,232 |
City of Mount Calm | Mount Calm, TX | 2 of 5 | 2.12 ppb | 447 |
Panora Water Works | Panora, IA | 7 of 7 | 1.99 ppb | 1,272 |
Saint Thomas Aquinas Seminary | Dillwyn, VA | 2 of 2 | 1.80 ppb | 150 |
Roland Water Supply | Roland, IA | 1 of 1 | 1.80 ppb | 1,284 |
Wayland Water Supply | Wayland, IA | 2 of 2 | 1.70 ppb | 966 |
Griswold Water Supply | Griswold, IA | 1 of 1 | 1.60 ppb | 1,036 |
Pine Hill Water Company | Waldorf, MD | 1 of 1 | 1.55 ppb | 140 |
Coloma Waterworks | Coloma, WI | 1 of 1 | 1.50 ppb | 454 |
Camano Shores Community | Oak Harbor, WA | 3 of 3 | 1.47 ppb | 67 |
Badger Water Supply | Badger, IA | 3 of 3 | 1.33 ppb | 561 |
Winterset Municipal Waterworks | Winterset, IA | 1 of 1 | 1.30 ppb | 5,190 |
Kanarraville Town Water System | Kanarraville, UT | 1 of 6 | 1.23 ppb | 355 |
Ainsworth Water Works | Ainsworth, IA | 3 of 3 | 1.23 ppb | 567 |
Foxcroft School | Middleburg, VA | 1 of 1 | 1.20 ppb | 300 |
Liberty Ridge | Williamsburg, VA | 3 of 3 | 1.17 ppb | 68 |
Belleville Waterworks | Belleville, WI | 1 of 1 | 1.10 ppb | 2,385 |
Stetsonville Waterworks | Stetsonville, WI | 1 of 1 | 1.10 ppb | 563 |
Minong Waterworks | Minong, WI | 1 of 1 | 1.10 ppb | 561 |
Prescott Waterworks | Prescott, WI | 1 of 1 | 1.10 ppb | 4,258 |
Whitewood Forest | Warrenton, VA | 5 of 5 | 1.000 ppb | 70 |
West Bend Water Department | West Bend, IA | 2 of 2 | 1.000 ppb | 785 |
Botha Subdivision | Warrenton, VA | 2 of 2 | 1.000 ppb | 46 |
Deer Butte Subdivision | Austin, TX | 4 of 6 | 0.997 ppb | 213 |
Mesa Grande Water Supply Corporation | Granbury, TX | 1 of 12 | 0.942 ppb | 423 |
Ellsworth Waterworks | Ellsworth, WI | 1 of 1 | 0.940 ppb | 3,304 |
Gladbrook Water Supply | Gladbrook, IA | 1 of 1 | 0.900 ppb | 945 |
Winchendon Water Department* | Winchendon, MA | 1 of 1 | 0.900 ppb | 5,706 |
Shawano Co. Utility | Shawano, WI | 15 of 15 | 0.879 ppb | 100 |
Peshtigo Waterworks | Peshtigo, WI | 3 of 3 | 0.870 ppb | 3,449 |
Ostrander | Ostrander, MN | 1 of 5 | 0.860 ppb | 256 |
Pound Waterworks | Pound, WI | 1 of 1 | 0.860 ppb | 377 |
City of Weinert | Weinert, TX | 1 of 6 | 0.833 ppb | 162 |
Green Meadows Subdivision | Warrenton, VA | 6 of 6 | 0.833 ppb | 340 |
Twiggs County- General Twiggs Drive | Jeffersonville, GA | 6 of 17 | 0.812 ppb | 34 |
Keswick Farms | Roanoke, VA | 1 of 1 | 0.800 ppb | 60 |
Blencoe Municipal Waterworks | Blencoe, IA | 1 of 1 | 0.800 ppb | 224 |
Amery Waterworks | Amery, WI | 1 of 1 | 0.760 ppb | 2,962 |
Melvin Waterworks | Sibley, IA | 2 of 2 | 0.750 ppb | 214 |
* 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 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.
Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kaukauna Utilities | Kaukauna, WI | 1 of 1 | 0.750 ppb | 13,430 |
City of Cleburne | Cleburne, TX | 4 of 37 | 0.597 ppb | 30,573 |
Fort Atkinson Waterworks | Fort Atkinson, WI | 4 of 4 | 0.543 ppb | 12,125 |
Wapello Rural Water Assoc.* | Ottumwa, IA | 1 of 1 | 0.500 ppb | 15,601 |
Cedar City Waterworks | Cedar City, UT | 1 of 18 | 0.489 ppb | 31,223 |
River Falls Waterworks | River Falls, WI | 1 of 1 | 0.420 ppb | 15,229 |
West Sound Utility District #1 | Port Orchard, WA | 3 of 24 | 0.413 ppb | 19,117 |
Porter SUD* | Porter, TX | 2 of 31 | 0.410 ppb | 15,892 |
Hudson Waterworks | Hudson, WI | 4 of 4 | 0.338 ppb | 17,100 |
Fort Leonard Wood | Ft Leonard Wood, MO | 1 of 22 | 0.234 ppb | 34,000 |
Larchmont Utilities | Savannah, GA | 3 of 41 | 0.144 ppb | 11,799 |
Tifton-Tift County Water System* | Tifton, GA | 3 of 41 | 0.0998 ppb | 26,452 |
White Bear Township | White Bear Lake, MN | 1 of 17 | 0.0882 ppb | 13,610 |
Edina | Edina, MN | 1 of 58 | 0.0862 ppb | 49,050 |
US Army Aviation and Missile Command | Redstone Arsenal, AL | 2 of 13 | 0.0805 ppb | 38,700 |
City of Pleasanton | Pleasanton, TX | 2 of 35 | 0.0800 ppb | 13,776 |
City of Kyle | Kyle, TX | 1 of 16 | 0.0750 ppb | 29,118 |
City of Jasper | Jasper, TX | 1 of 21 | 0.0571 ppb | 11,825 |
City of Wichita Falls* | Wichita Falls, TX | 1 of 13 | 0.0531 ppb | 104,553 |
Sheppard Air Force Base | Sheppard Afb, TX | 1 of 13 | 0.0531 ppb | 19,500 |
Virgin Valley Water District | Mesquite, NV | 1 of 19 | 0.0479 ppb | 18,000 |
Nixa | Nixa, MO | 1 of 18 | 0.0344 ppb | 21,000 |
City of Beatrice* | Beatrice, NE | 1 of 32 | 0.0200 ppb | 12,496 |
Sardis Lone Elm WSC | Midlothian, TX | 1 of 32 | 0.0169 ppb | 18,612 |
Acton MUD* | Granbury, TX | 1 of 83 | 0.0161 ppb | 19,125 |
Wallingford Water Department | Wallingford, CT | 1 of 35 | 0.0143 ppb | 37,267 |
Fort Rucker - American Water | Fort Rucker, AL | 1 of 62 | 0.00807 ppb | 13,880 |
Hammonton Water Department | Hammonton, NJ | 1 of 29 | 0.00724 ppb | 12,153 |
Elmira Water Board* | Elmira, NY | 1 of 115 | 0.00539 ppb | 65,631 |
Long Beach Water Department | Long Beach, CA | 1 of 173 | 0.00370 ppb | 470,292 |
Willingboro MUA* | Riverside, NJ | 1 of 26 | 0.00115 ppb | 35,000 |
New York American Water - Lynbrook | Merrick, NY | 1 of 974 | 0.000832 ppb | 220,000 |
* 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 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.