trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene
Status: National drinking water standard exists
1,2-Dichloroethylene, a neurotoxic solvent, exists in two different forms: trans-1,2-dichloroethylene and cis-1,2-dichloroethylene. A mixture of the two forms is used to manufacture other solvents and chemical products.
2015-2017:
17
states detected
48
utilities detected
1.2 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 trans-1,2-dichloroethylene
Harm to the brain and nervous system
Harm to the liver
Harm to the immune system
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 60 ppb
The EWG Health Guideline of 60 ppb for trans-1,2-dichloroethylene 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 internal organs.
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 100 ppb
The legal limit for trans-1,2-dichloroethylene, established in 1991, was based on a toxicity study in laboratory animals conducted in the 1980s.
ppb = parts per billion
States reporting trans-1,2-dichloroethylene in drinking water
UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION | |||
---|---|---|---|
State | Utilities | People Served | |
Florida | 12 | 406,908 | |
Pennsylvania | 5 | 197,750 | |
Illinois | 3 | 161,845 | |
Minnesota | 6 | 134,249 | |
California | 3 | 77,258 | |
New York | 4 | 54,880 | |
Connecticut | 1 | 37,267 | |
Kentucky | 1 | 35,714 | |
New Jersey | 3 | 24,528 | |
Washington | 1 | 23,020 | |
Wisconsin | 3 | 16,861 | |
Ohio | 1 | 6,400 | |
Virginia | 1 | 2,245 | |
Oklahoma | 1 | 1,060 | |
Indiana | 1 | 953 | |
New Hampshire | 1 | 88 | |
Vermont | 1 | 42 |
Filtering technologies that reduce trans-1,2-dichloroethylene

Activated Carbon

Reverse Osmosis
Utilities with the highest amounts of trans-1,2-dichloroethylene, 2015-2017
Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
---|---|---|---|---|
Marell Courts and Rentals Llc | Hillsboro, WI | 3 of 8 | 1.26 ppb | 60 |
Whitehall Twp Authority | Whitehall, PA | 12 of 33 | 0.900 ppb | 13,063 |
Hydro Public Works Authority | Hydro, OK | 2 of 18 | 0.578 ppb | 1,060 |
Saint Louis Park | St. Louis Park, MN | 22 of 27 | 0.543 ppb | 45,505 |
Erie City Water Authority* | Erie, PA | 1 of 10 | 0.480 ppb | 180,000 |
Fairview Township Water Authority* | Fairview, PA | 1 of 10 | 0.480 ppb | 3,532 |
Mckean Township Waterworks | Erie, PA | 1 of 10 | 0.480 ppb | 1,100 |
Pawc Homesite | Wilkes-barre, PA | 12 of 24 | 0.471 ppb | 55 |
East Alton | East Alton, IL | 9 of 13 | 0.430 ppb | 6,695 |
Highland Links Colony | Campton, NH | 5 of 12 | 0.367 ppb | 88 |
Waynetown Water Works | Waynetown, IN | 1 of 2 | 0.350 ppb | 953 |
Montara Water and Sanitary District | Montara, CA | 16 of 71 | 0.245 ppb | 4,374 |
Eglin West/housing | Eglin Afb, FL | 7 of 9 | 0.202 ppb | 3,500 |
Cedarburg L & W Commission | Cedarburg, WI | 16 of 72 | 0.170 ppb | 11,900 |
Rutland Town Water District 1 | Black River, NY | 1 of 3 | 0.167 ppb | 1,500 |
Black River Village* | Black River, NY | 1 of 3 | 0.167 ppb | 4,240 |
Waupun Correctional Inst | Waupun, WI | 2 of 5 | 0.164 ppb | 4,901 |
Arlington | Arlington, IL | 2 of 8 | 0.158 ppb | 150 |
St. George Fire District 1 | St George, VT | 1 of 7 | 0.114 ppb | 42 |
South Broward Utility/sunrise | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 1 of 3 | 0.103 ppb | 9,457 |
Fern Crest Utilities Inc. | Ft Lauderdale, FL | 1 of 3 | 0.0833 ppb | 4,643 |
Rockford | Rockford, IL | 5 of 48 | 0.0825 ppb | 155,000 |
Moore Creek Mount Carmel Utilities | Jay, FL | 1 of 3 | 0.0800 ppb | 3,741 |
Swan Lake Resort | New River, NJ | 3 of 11 | 0.0709 ppb | 70 |
Georgetown Municipal Water Service | Georgetown, KY | 1 of 12 | 0.0667 ppb | 35,714 |
Marshall Waterworks | Warrenton, VA | 2 of 20 | 0.0600 ppb | 2,245 |
Camas Municipal Water Sewer System | Camas, WA | 1 of 9 | 0.0578 ppb | 23,020 |
Faribault | Faribault, MN | 2 of 8 | 0.0538 ppb | 23,415 |
Collingswood Water Depar | Collingswood, NJ | 1 of 25 | 0.0456 ppb | 21,000 |
Miramar (East & West) Plants | Miramar, FL | 1 of 6 | 0.0417 ppb | 128,729 |
Clearwater | Clearwater, MN | 1 of 7 | 0.0371 ppb | 1,735 |
Liberty Utilities - Bellflower - Norwalk | Downey, CA | 1 of 16 | 0.0363 ppb | 72,884 |
Wallingford Water Department | Wallingford, CT | 1 of 17 | 0.0294 ppb | 37,267 |
Lee County Utilities* | Fort Myers, FL | 1 of 7 | 0.0286 ppb | 236,944 |
Gateway Services District | Fort Myers, FL | 1 of 7 | 0.0286 ppb | 9,092 |
Town of Fort Myers Beach (beach Water) | Fort Myers Beach, FL | 1 of 7 | 0.0286 ppb | 6,900 |
Old Bridge Village Mobile Home Park | North Fort Myers, FL | 1 of 7 | 0.0286 ppb | 1,000 |
Pine Lakes Mobile Home Park | N. Fort Myers, FL | 1 of 7 | 0.0286 ppb | 1,220 |
Tamiami Village Mobile Home Park | N. Fort Myers, FL | 1 of 7 | 0.0286 ppb | 1,200 |
Mobile Manor Mobile Home Park | N. Fort Myers, FL | 1 of 7 | 0.0286 ppb | 482 |
Milford City Public Water System | Milford, OH | 1 of 19 | 0.0263 ppb | 6,400 |
Edina | Edina, MN | 1 of 6 | 0.0250 ppb | 49,050 |
Alexandria | Alexandria, MN | 3 of 35 | 0.0206 ppb | 12,415 |
Springfield | Springfield, MN | 1 of 7 | 0.0171 ppb | 2,129 |
Chino Basin Desalter Authority - Desalter 2* | Ontario, CA | 1 of 78 | 0.00859 ppb | 0 |
Washington Township Mua-hager | Long Valley, NJ | 1 of 18 | 0.00556 ppb | 3,458 |
Hicksville WD | Hicksville, NY | 2 of 683 | 0.00201 ppb | 48,000 |
* 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 trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.
Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
---|---|---|---|---|
Whitehall Twp Authority | Whitehall, PA | 12 of 33 | 0.900 ppb | 13,063 |
Saint Louis Park | St. Louis Park, MN | 22 of 27 | 0.543 ppb | 45,505 |
Erie City Water Authority* | Erie, PA | 1 of 10 | 0.480 ppb | 180,000 |
Cedarburg L & W Commission | Cedarburg, WI | 16 of 72 | 0.170 ppb | 11,900 |
Rockford | Rockford, IL | 5 of 48 | 0.0825 ppb | 155,000 |
Georgetown Municipal Water Service | Georgetown, KY | 1 of 12 | 0.0667 ppb | 35,714 |
Camas Municipal Water Sewer System | Camas, WA | 1 of 9 | 0.0578 ppb | 23,020 |
Faribault | Faribault, MN | 2 of 8 | 0.0538 ppb | 23,415 |
Collingswood Water Depar | Collingswood, NJ | 1 of 25 | 0.0456 ppb | 21,000 |
Miramar (East & West) Plants | Miramar, FL | 1 of 6 | 0.0417 ppb | 128,729 |
Liberty Utilities - Bellflower - Norwalk | Downey, CA | 1 of 16 | 0.0363 ppb | 72,884 |
Wallingford Water Department | Wallingford, CT | 1 of 17 | 0.0294 ppb | 37,267 |
Lee County Utilities* | Fort Myers, FL | 1 of 7 | 0.0286 ppb | 236,944 |
Edina | Edina, MN | 1 of 6 | 0.0250 ppb | 49,050 |
Alexandria | Alexandria, MN | 3 of 35 | 0.0206 ppb | 12,415 |
Hicksville WD | Hicksville, NY | 2 of 683 | 0.00201 ppb | 48,000 |
* 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 trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.