Xylenes (total)
Status: National drinking water standard exists
Xylenes are solvents used in industrial and consumer products, such as cleaning agents and paint thinners. Xylenes cause nervous system damage and may harm developing fetuses.
2017-2019:
48
states detected
2,335
utilities detected
20 million
people served
0
states over health guideline
0
utilities over health guideline
0
people served over health guideline
0
states over legal limit
0
utilities over legal limit
0
people served over legal limit
Health concerns for xylenes
Harm to the brain and nervous system
Change to the central nervous system
Change to fetal growth and development
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 1,800 ppb
The EWG Health Guideline of 1,800 ppb for xylenes 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 harm to the brain and nervous system.
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 10,000 ppb
The legal limit for xylenes, established in 1991, was based on a toxicity study in laboratory animals conducted in the 1980s. This limit may not fully protect against harm to the brain and nervous system due to xylene exposure.
ppb = parts per billion
States reporting xylenes in drinking water
| UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| State | Utilities | People Served | |
| Texas | 786 | 8,100,531 | |
| Arizona | 57 | 2,537,986 | |
| California | 19 | 958,760 | |
| Colorado | 60 | 879,663 | |
| New Mexico | 25 | 739,292 | |
| Florida | 73 | 709,468 | |
| New Jersey | 34 | 662,612 | |
| Wisconsin | 79 | 627,285 | |
| Alabama | 33 | 446,333 | |
| Mississippi | 115 | 437,958 | |
| Illinois | 59 | 401,442 | |
| Iowa | 164 | 359,535 | |
| Minnesota | 46 | 299,971 | |
| Georgia | 81 | 226,320 | |
| Missouri | 55 | 190,501 | |
| North Carolina | 116 | 185,796 | |
| Michigan | 44 | 184,281 | |
| Washington | 10 | 164,044 | |
| Utah | 11 | 156,284 | |
| New York | 36 | 154,790 | |
| Ohio | 39 | 154,647 | |
| Arkansas | 54 | 148,712 | |
| Pennsylvania | 50 | 122,468 | |
| Tennessee | 8 | 114,173 | |
| Connecticut | 15 | 94,962 | |
| Massachusetts | 9 | 85,481 | |
| Louisiana | 16 | 79,265 | |
| Nebraska | 21 | 75,583 | |
| Delaware | 17 | 61,319 | |
| Alaska | 29 | 53,174 | |
| Rhode Island | 3 | 47,347 | |
| Oregon | 15 | 39,446 | |
| Kansas | 11 | 35,996 | |
| Virginia | 68 | 35,747 | |
| Indiana | 10 | 14,664 | |
| West Virginia | 7 | 13,882 | |
| Oklahoma | 11 | 12,444 | |
| Maryland | 7 | 11,544 | |
| Hawaii | 2 | 6,405 | |
| South Carolina | 6 | 6,075 | |
| North Dakota | 3 | 4,886 | |
| Wyoming | 8 | 4,282 | |
| Kentucky | 3 | 2,806 | |
| Nevada | 5 | 1,089 | |
| South Dakota | 1 | 766 | |
| Vermont | 2 | 626 | |
| New Hampshire | 9 | 550 | |
| Montana | 3 | 378 | |
Filtering technologies that reduce xylenes
Activated Carbon
Reverse Osmosis
Utilities with the highest amounts of xylenes, 2017-2019
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keswick Farms | Roanoke, VA | 3 of 4 | 53.8 ppb | 60 |
| Meridian Naval Air Station | Meridian, MS | 1 of 1 | 49.1 ppb | 2,800 |
| City of St. Clair Shores | St. Clair Shores, MI | 1 of 1 | 47.0 ppb | 59,715 |
| Beverly Town Of | Beverly, WV | 1 of 6 | 43.3 ppb | 2,555 |
| Murray, Village of | Murray, NE | 1 of 2 | 42.9 ppb | 462 |
| Tv Hills Water | Wetmore, CO | 1 of 2 | 39.8 ppb | 38 |
| Holston Utility District | Bristol, TN | 1 of 1 | 38.6 ppb | 2,806 |
| Mount Ebo Ws | Brewster, NY | 2 of 3 | 37.7 ppb | 1,500 |
| Mountain Falls Water System Gbwc | Pahrump, NV | 1 of 5 | 36.0 ppb | 1,718 |
| Grande San Jacinto Water System | Magnolia, TX | 4 of 6 | 33.4 ppb | 72 |
| Forks Municipal Water Department | Forks, WA | 1 of 3 | 31.7 ppb | 4,350 |
| Carl Junction PWS | Carl Junction, MO | 7 of 16 | 31.6 ppb | 7,445 |
| Cedar Valley Subdivision | Pflugerville, TX | 4 of 6 | 31.2 ppb | 182 |
| Quinton Park Subdivision | New Kent, VA | 6 of 6 | 30.6 ppb | 147 |
| Pinos Altos Mutual Domestic Water Consumers Association | Pinos Altos, NM | 1 of 2 | 30.0 ppb | 320 |
| Stinson Beach County Water District | Stinson Beach, CA | 1 of 3 | 28.7 ppb | 1,500 |
| Corrotoman By The Bay | Warsaw, VA | 12 of 12 | 28.5 ppb | 417 |
| Wagon Wheel | Londondery, NH | 5 of 14 | 28.4 ppb | 88 |
| Carson | Carson, WA | 2 of 4 | 28.0 ppb | 2,750 |
| North Slope Borough - Point Lay | Barrow, AK | 8 of 9 | 28.0 ppb | 237 |
| Hawaii Volcanoes Nat.park | Hawaii National Park, HI | 6 of 8 | 25.7 ppb | 5,205 |
| Parrott | Parrott, GA | 3 of 9 | 24.7 ppb | 234 |
| North Slope Borough - Point Hope | Barrow, AK | 6 of 10 | 24.3 ppb | 881 |
| Red Cedar Pt Homeowners Association Inc. | Branson, MO | 3 of 4 | 23.0 ppb | 90 |
| Spinnaker Point | Cary, NC | 8 of 13 | 22.7 ppb | 144 |
| Suddenview | Wa, WA | 1 of 3 | 22.7 ppb | 60 |
| SNO PUD 1 - Lake Stevens* | Everett, WA | 1 of 3 | 22.7 ppb | 51,625 |
| Granite Falls City Of | Granite Falls, WA | 1 of 3 | 22.7 ppb | 3,647 |
| City of Mount Calm | Mount Calm, TX | 3 of 5 | 21.5 ppb | 447 |
| Spade Water Supply Corporation | Spade, TX | 2 of 5 | 20.9 ppb | 125 |
| El Dorado Utility District | Houston, TX | 4 of 9 | 20.6 ppb | 4,083 |
| Mesa Grande Water Supply Corporation | Granbury, TX | 5 of 12 | 20.2 ppb | 423 |
| Bluewater Acres Water Users Association | Thoreau, NM | 3 of 8 | 19.6 ppb | 307 |
| Tonopah Public Utilities | Tonopah, NV | 1 of 9 | 18.9 ppb | 2,853 |
| Welsh Mountain Home | New Holland, PA | 6 of 8 | 18.8 ppb | 53 |
| Whitetail Farm S/d | Cary, NC | 2 of 8 | 18.6 ppb | 40 |
| Sherwood Forest Shores | Warsaw, VA | 10 of 14 | 17.9 ppb | 421 |
| Newport Water District | Newport, ME | 1 of 4 | 17.3 ppb | 1,748 |
| North Slope Borough - Wainwright | Barrow, AK | 10 of 11 | 16.7 ppb | 600 |
| Beaumont Place | Cypress, TX | 1 of 8 | 16.5 ppb | 2,082 |
| Municipal Authority Sunbury | Sunbury, PA | 1 of 13 | 15.8 ppb | 11,043 |
| Pennfield Township | Battle Creek, MI | 1 of 4 | 15.5 ppb | 3,619 |
| Forman, City of | Forman, ND | 1 of 1 | 15.5 ppb | 504 |
| City of Lemoore | Lemoore, CA | 6 of 25 | 15.3 ppb | 24,945 |
| Metamora, Village of | Metamora, MI | 1 of 3 | 15.3 ppb | 565 |
| Tuckahoe S/d | Charlotte, NC | 8 of 15 | 15.3 ppb | 221 |
| Humphreys County W/a #1-midnight | Belzoni, MS | 1 of 4 | 14.9 ppb | 527 |
| North Slope Borough - Anaktuvuk Pass | Barrow, AK | 11 of 11 | 14.0 ppb | 350 |
| Fort Stanton Facility | Fort Stanton, NM | 6 of 6 | 13.7 ppb | 135 |
| Wayland Water Supply | Wayland, IA | 5 of 6 | 13.7 ppb | 966 |
* 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 Xylenes (total), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of St. Clair Shores | St. Clair Shores, MI | 1 of 1 | 47.0 ppb | 59,715 |
| SNO PUD 1 - Lake Stevens* | Everett, WA | 1 of 3 | 22.7 ppb | 51,625 |
| Municipal Authority Sunbury | Sunbury, PA | 1 of 13 | 15.8 ppb | 11,043 |
| City of Lemoore | Lemoore, CA | 6 of 25 | 15.3 ppb | 24,945 |
| Cedar City Waterworks | Cedar City, UT | 6 of 21 | 11.4 ppb | 31,223 |
| City of Levelland | Levelland, TX | 5 of 16 | 10.9 ppb | 14,278 |
| Manville WSC* | Coupland, TX | 16 of 42 | 9.74 ppb | 26,253 |
| Warren Water District* | Indianola, IA | 4 of 4 | 7.58 ppb | 18,045 |
| West Sound Utility District #1 | Port Orchard, WA | 3 of 24 | 5.81 ppb | 19,117 |
| University Water System | Iowa City, IA | 8 of 10 | 5.75 ppb | 26,684 |
| Quail Valley Utility District | Missouri, TX | 7 of 20 | 5.45 ppb | 13,317 |
| Kaukauna Utilities | Kaukauna, WI | 4 of 9 | 5.24 ppb | 13,430 |
| City of Cleburne | Cleburne, TX | 13 of 37 | 4.48 ppb | 30,573 |
| City of Kyle | Kyle, TX | 14 of 16 | 4.26 ppb | 29,118 |
| Lake Utility Services Inc North | Clermont, FL | 12 of 39 | 3.98 ppb | 21,518 |
| Marinette Waterworks | Marinette, WI | 10 of 13 | 3.87 ppb | 10,968 |
| Porter SUD* | Porter, TX | 10 of 31 | 3.02 ppb | 15,892 |
| Northwest | Lakeland, FL | 2 of 18 | 2.78 ppb | 28,082 |
| Kingsland Water Supply Corporation | Kingsland, TX | 9 of 16 | 2.73 ppb | 10,773 |
| Lake Arrowhead CSD | Lake Arrowhead, CA | 1 of 6 | 2.67 ppb | 12,424 |
| Ventnor City Water & Sewer Utility | Ventor City, NJ | 6 of 46 | 2.52 ppb | 22,150 |
| Marion City Water Works* | Marion, IN | 1 of 2 | 2.50 ppb | 28,327 |
| Greendale Waterworks | Greendale, WI | 2 of 2 | 2.45 ppb | 14,046 |
| City of Bay City | Bay City, TX | 16 of 34 | 2.44 ppb | 17,614 |
| Cypress Hill Municipal Utility District 1 | Houston, TX | 4 of 11 | 2.43 ppb | 10,068 |
| Fort Carson Army Base | Fort Carson, CO | 6 of 39 | 2.30 ppb | 42,000 |
| US Air Force Academy | Usaf Academy, CO | 6 of 39 | 2.30 ppb | 16,876 |
| Colorado Springs Utilities* | Colorado Springs, CO | 6 of 39 | 2.30 ppb | 450,461 |
| City of Kinston | Kinston, NC | 8 of 80 | 2.19 ppb | 27,475 |
| Whitefish Bay Waterworks | Whitefish Bay, WI | 1 of 1 | 2.10 ppb | 14,272 |
| Round Lake | Round Lake, IL | 1 of 1 | 2.04 ppb | 18,536 |
| City of Gulfport | Saucier, MS | 25 of 72 | 2.04 ppb | 72,935 |
| City of Buda | Buda, TX | 14 of 27 | 2.01 ppb | 11,530 |
| MS State University* | Mississippi State, MS | 1 of 4 | 2.01 ppb | 15,000 |
| Green Valley SUD* | Marion, TX | 8 of 14 | 1.81 ppb | 32,651 |
| Harris County MUD 165 | Houston, TX | 5 of 25 | 1.74 ppb | 17,763 |
| City of Cedar Hill | Cedar Hill, TX | 1 of 5 | 1.69 ppb | 48,710 |
| City of Jacksonville* | Jacksonville, TX | 5 of 34 | 1.62 ppb | 14,544 |
| Larchmont Utilities | Savannah, GA | 5 of 41 | 1.46 ppb | 11,799 |
| City of Brighton* | Brighton, CO | 13 of 19 | 1.44 ppb | 36,010 |
| Bethesda WSC | Burleson, TX | 2 of 75 | 1.39 ppb | 31,452 |
| Wapello Rural Water Assoc.* | Ottumwa, IA | 12 of 13 | 1.38 ppb | 15,601 |
| City of Jasper | Jasper, TX | 6 of 21 | 1.38 ppb | 11,825 |
| Hanover Water Department | Hanover, MA | 1 of 15 | 1.29 ppb | 14,899 |
| Ravenna City PWS | Ravenna, OH | 1 of 7 | 1.28 ppb | 14,000 |
| Douglas* | Douglas, AL | 1 of 3 | 1.27 ppb | 16,632 |
| Paw Blue Mountain Division | Norristown, PA | 4 of 13 | 1.15 ppb | 23,763 |
| Ft Madison Muni Water Works* | Fort Madison, IA | 1 of 2 | 1.15 ppb | 11,378 |
| New Brighton | New Brighton, MN | 2 of 15 | 1.13 ppb | 22,787 |
| City of Apache Junction | Apache Junction, AZ | 11 of 27 | 1.13 ppb | 13,657 |
* 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 Xylenes (total), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.