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.
2017-2019:
17
states detected
71
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 | 21 | 378,629 | |
Pennsylvania | 6 | 238,602 | |
Illinois | 7 | 201,818 | |
Minnesota | 6 | 137,183 | |
California | 4 | 86,390 | |
New York | 11 | 42,242 | |
Kentucky | 1 | 35,714 | |
Montana | 1 | 31,005 | |
Alabama | 2 | 23,978 | |
Wisconsin | 2 | 23,240 | |
Louisiana | 3 | 11,497 | |
Ohio | 1 | 6,400 | |
Michigan | 1 | 6,366 | |
New Jersey | 2 | 3,528 | |
Virginia | 1 | 1,728 | |
Indiana | 1 | 953 | |
New Hampshire | 1 | 88 |
Filtering technologies that reduce trans-1,2-dichloroethylene

Activated Carbon

Reverse Osmosis
Utilities with the highest amounts of trans-1,2-dichloroethylene, 2017-2019
Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
---|---|---|---|---|
Whitehall Twp Authority | Whitehall, PA | 16 of 38 | 1.03 ppb | 13,063 |
Marell Courts and Rentals Llc | Hillsboro, WI | 3 of 11 | 0.919 ppb | 60 |
Ireton Water Supply | Ireton, IA | 1 of 1 | 0.900 ppb | 615 |
Coalton | Nokomis, IL | 3 of 34 | 0.868 ppb | 350 |
Nokomis* | Nokomis, IL | 3 of 34 | 0.868 ppb | 2,370 |
Ausable Heights Water System | Keeseville, NY | 1 of 1 | 0.500 ppb | 46 |
Saint Louis Park | St. Louis Park, MN | 33 of 45 | 0.448 ppb | 47,221 |
Hydro Public Works Authority | Hydro, OK | 2 of 24 | 0.433 ppb | 1,060 |
Highland Links Colony | Campton, NH | 10 of 24 | 0.408 ppb | 88 |
Paw Homesite | Scranton, PA | 16 of 40 | 0.383 ppb | 63 |
Arlington | Arlington, IL | 5 of 13 | 0.375 ppb | 150 |
Andrews Water Department | Andrews, IN | 1 of 2 | 0.350 ppb | 1,149 |
East Alton | East Alton, IL | 15 of 26 | 0.349 ppb | 6,300 |
Milford, Village of | Lansing, MI | 9 of 28 | 0.296 ppb | 6,366 |
Florida Pines Mobile Home Park | Venice, FL | 1 of 2 | 0.250 ppb | 280 |
City of Hutchinson* | Hutchinson, KS | 1 of 3 | 0.207 ppb | 40,623 |
Reno County Rural Water District 4 | Hutchinson, KS | 1 of 3 | 0.207 ppb | 635 |
Montara Water and Sanitary District | Montara, CA | 30 of 152 | 0.197 ppb | 4,374 |
Cottondale Water System | Cottondale, FL | 1 of 3 | 0.177 ppb | 950 |
Burnhaven | Merrimack, NH | 1 of 4 | 0.175 ppb | 150 |
Erie City Water Authority* | Erie, PA | 1 of 28 | 0.171 ppb | 220,001 |
Mckean Township Waterworks | Erie, PA | 1 of 28 | 0.171 ppb | 1,100 |
Fairview Township Water Authority* | Fairview, PA | 1 of 28 | 0.171 ppb | 4,100 |
Saint Marys Home Of Erie | Erie, PA | 1 of 28 | 0.171 ppb | 275 |
St. Lucie Mobile Village | Indiantown, FL | 1 of 3 | 0.167 ppb | 750 |
Waynetown Water Works | Waynetown, IN | 1 of 5 | 0.140 ppb | 953 |
Waupun Correctional Inst | Waupun, WI | 3 of 9 | 0.137 ppb | 4,901 |
Swan Lake Resort | New River, NJ | 5 of 21 | 0.128 ppb | 70 |
Silver Lake Institute - Castile Water District #1 | , NY | 1 of 4 | 0.125 ppb | 440 |
Perry Center Water District | Perry, NY | 1 of 4 | 0.125 ppb | 150 |
Perry Village* | , NY | 1 of 4 | 0.125 ppb | 4,348 |
Gardeau Water District | Castile, NY | 1 of 4 | 0.125 ppb | 60 |
California Domestic Water Company* | Whittier, CA | 5 of 138 | 0.118 ppb | 1,200 |
Cedarburg L & W Commission | Cedarburg, WI | 21 of 136 | 0.113 ppb | 11,900 |
Village of Morse Water System | Morse, LA | 2 of 8 | 0.113 ppb | 957 |
Black River Village* | Black River, NY | 1 of 5 | 0.1000 ppb | 4,240 |
Rutland Town Water District 1 | Black River, NY | 1 of 5 | 0.1000 ppb | 1,500 |
Marshall Waterworks | Warrenton, VA | 5 of 37 | 0.0919 ppb | 1,728 |
Rockford | Rockford, IL | 12 of 105 | 0.0873 ppb | 147,051 |
Eglin West/housing | Eglin Afb, FL | 7 of 22 | 0.0827 ppb | 3,500 |
Fox River Grove | Fox River Grove, IL | 2 of 17 | 0.0753 ppb | 4,854 |
Clearwater | Clearwater, MN | 4 of 11 | 0.0727 ppb | 1,784 |
Coraopolis Water & Sewer Authority* | Coraopolis, PA | 1 of 8 | 0.0701 ppb | 6,000 |
St. George Fire District 1 | St George, VT | 1 of 12 | 0.0667 ppb | 42 |
Sunrise Southwest | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 1 of 5 | 0.0620 ppb | 9,457 |
Springhill Mobile Home Park | Wappingers Falls, NY | 1 of 9 | 0.0556 ppb | 150 |
Farm-to-market Associates | Brewster, NY | 1 of 9 | 0.0556 ppb | 48 |
Faribault | Faribault, MN | 3 of 12 | 0.0458 ppb | 23,718 |
Eglin Aux. 6 Ranger Camp | Eglin Afb, FL | 2 of 4 | 0.0450 ppb | 125 |
Mossy Head, Town of | Defuniak Springs, FL | 1 of 6 | 0.0450 ppb | 3,511 |
* 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 | 16 of 38 | 1.03 ppb | 13,063 |
Saint Louis Park | St. Louis Park, MN | 33 of 45 | 0.448 ppb | 47,221 |
City of Hutchinson* | Hutchinson, KS | 1 of 3 | 0.207 ppb | 40,623 |
Erie City Water Authority* | Erie, PA | 1 of 28 | 0.171 ppb | 220,001 |
Cedarburg L & W Commission | Cedarburg, WI | 21 of 136 | 0.113 ppb | 11,900 |
Rockford | Rockford, IL | 12 of 105 | 0.0873 ppb | 147,051 |
Faribault | Faribault, MN | 3 of 12 | 0.0458 ppb | 23,718 |
Waupun Utilities | Waupun, WI | 1 of 12 | 0.0417 ppb | 11,340 |
Helena Water System | Helena, MT | 1 of 14 | 0.0407 ppb | 31,005 |
Edina | Edina, MN | 5 of 19 | 0.0384 ppb | 49,050 |
Menomonee Falls WW - Surface Water | Menomonee Falls, WI | 2 of 15 | 0.0347 ppb | 23,867 |
Camas Municipal Water Sewer System | Camas, WA | 1 of 15 | 0.0347 ppb | 23,020 |
Georgetown Municipal Water Service | Georgetown, KY | 1 of 24 | 0.0333 ppb | 35,714 |
Irondale Water System | Irondale, AL | 1 of 30 | 0.0267 ppb | 10,098 |
Collingswood Water Depar | Collingswood, NJ | 1 of 50 | 0.0228 ppb | 24,500 |
East Pasadena Water Company | Pasadena, CA | 1 of 24 | 0.0221 ppb | 10,978 |
Crystal Lake | Crystal Lake, IL | 2 of 49 | 0.0208 ppb | 40,743 |
Alexandria | Alexandria, MN | 3 of 37 | 0.0195 ppb | 13,340 |
Miramar (East & West) Plants | Miramar, FL | 1 of 13 | 0.0192 ppb | 127,700 |
Gateway Services District | Fort Myers, FL | 2 of 18 | 0.0161 ppb | 12,717 |
Lee County Utilities* | Fort Myers, FL | 2 of 18 | 0.0161 ppb | 251,502 |
Liberty Utilities - Bellflower - Norwalk | Downey, CA | 1 of 38 | 0.0153 ppb | 72,884 |
Wallingford Water Department | Wallingford, CT | 1 of 35 | 0.0143 ppb | 37,267 |
Huber Heights Public Water System | Huber Heights, OH | 1 of 119 | 0.0141 ppb | 38,278 |
City of Stuart - Water Plant | Stuart, FL | 9 of 214 | 0.0105 ppb | 19,000 |
Fort Rucker - American Water | Fort Rucker, AL | 1 of 62 | 0.00807 ppb | 13,880 |
Riviera Beach Utility District* | Riviera Beach, FL | 2 of 46 | 0.00719 ppb | 34,700 |
Bethpage WD | Bethpage, NY | 2 of 941 | 0.00588 ppb | 33,000 |
Peoples Water Service Company | Pensacola, FL | 5 of 249 | 0.00502 ppb | 24,081 |
Hicksville WD | Hicksville, NY | 2 of 1,392 | 0.000984 ppb | 48,000 |
Monterey Park Water Department | Monterey Park, CA | 1 of 4,807 | 0 ppb | 62,183 |
* 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.