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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2019 UPDATE

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Monochlorobenzene (chlorobenzene)

Status: National drinking water standard exists

 

Monochlorobenzene is used as a solvent for pesticides, a degreasing agent and an intermediate for manufacturing other chemicals. It causes liver and kidney damage in studies of laboratory animals.

2015-2017:

FOUND
FOUND ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES

16

states detected

63

utilities detected

1.9 million

people served

0

states over health guideline

0

utilities over health guideline

0

people served over health guideline

Health concerns for monochlorobenzene

Harm to the liver

Harm to the kidney

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 70 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 70 ppb for monochlorobenzene 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 monochlorobenzene, established in 1991, was based on a toxicity study in laboratory animals conducted in the 1960s.

ppb = parts per billion

States reporting monochlorobenzene in drinking water

UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION
State UtilitiesPeople Served
Florida211,115,037
Massachusetts9265,173
Tennessee7184,855
Kentucky8129,964
New Jersey4126,255
Connecticut137,267
South Carolina113,616
Ohio16,400
Georgia13,866
Wisconsin23,358
Arizona22,905
North Carolina12,881
Virginia22,195
Minnesota1400
Louisiana1342
Maryland160
MORE
LESS

Filtering technologies that reduce monochlorobenzene

carbon filter icon

Activated Carbon

reverse osmosis icon

Reverse Osmosis

Utilities with the highest amounts of monochlorobenzene, 2015-2017

ALL UTILITIES
LARGE UTILITIES
UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
HogansvilleHogansville, GA1 of 139.0 ppb3,866
Palm Lakes Estates SouthRiviera Bch, FL12 of 440.944 ppb700
Riviera Beach Utility District*Riviera Beach, FL12 of 440.944 ppb31,500
Palm Lakes Estates NorthRiviera Beach, FL12 of 440.944 ppb480
Harpeth Valley Utility District*Nashville, TN3 of 50.753 ppb59,392
Mallory Valley Utility Distric*Franklin, TN3 of 50.753 ppb21,530
Mayo Center and ApartmentsAnnapolis, MD3 of 30.690 ppb60
Carderview Utility DistrictButler, TN1 of 10.629 ppb1,077
City Of South Shore Water WorksSouth Shore, KY1 of 10.600 ppb6,798
Rose CreekRose Creek, MN1 of 20.495 ppb400
Dayton Water DepartmentDayton, TN4 of 80.412 ppb26,125
Elfrida Water Improvement DistrictElfrida, AZ1 of 60.400 ppb800
Venice Ranch Mobile Home EstatesVenice, FL1 of 10.360 ppb295
Manchester By The Sea DPWManchester By The Sea, MA1 of 40.350 ppb5,664
North Attleboro Water Department*North Attleborough, MA1 of 190.326 ppb28,712
Woodland Water DistrictAuburn, MA1 of 60.317 ppb465
Elm Hill Water DistrictAuburn, MA1 of 60.317 ppb2,260
Cherry Valley/ Rochdale Water DistrictLeicester, MA1 of 60.317 ppb3,255
Worcester Department of Public Works*Worcester, MA1 of 60.317 ppb181,045
Paxton Water DepartmentPaxton, MA1 of 60.317 ppb4,028
Millbury Ind. Park/ Park Hill VillageMillbury, MA1 of 60.317 ppb400
Fairmont, Town ofFairmont, NC1 of 80.263 ppb2,881
Indiantown CompanyIndiantown, FL1 of 20.250 ppb5,000
Reflections VillageRichfield, WI1 of 60.200 ppb47
Groveland Water DepartmentGroveland, FL1 of 30.167 ppb12,243
Pound, Town of*Pound, VA1 of 40.125 ppb1,986
South Mountain/wise County Public Service AuthorityWise, VA1 of 40.125 ppb209
Paducah Water Works*Paducah, KY1 of 60.117 ppb64,013
West Mccracken County Water DistrictWest Paducah, KY1 of 60.117 ppb4,410
Warsaw Water Works*Warsaw, KY1 of 80.116 ppb2,114
Needham Water Department (MWRA)Needham, MA2 of 150.107 ppb32,285
City of Camden*Camden, SC1 of 70.1000 ppb13,616
South Broward Utility/sunriseFort Lauderdale, FL1 of 30.0900 ppb9,457
Fern Crest Utilities Inc.Ft Lauderdale, FL1 of 30.0833 ppb4,643
Kentucky American Water- Millersburg*Lexington, KY1 of 100.0700 ppb1,366
Paris Water Works*Paris, KY1 of 100.0700 ppb14,479
Bullock Pen Water DistrictCrittenden, KY1 of 90.0667 ppb20,048
Waterloo WaterworksWaterloo, WI1 of 140.0464 ppb3,311
Miramar (East & West) PlantsMiramar, FL1 of 60.0417 ppb128,729
Marana Municipal - Airline LambertTucsonc, AZ1 of 150.0400 ppb2,105
Atlantis, City ofAtlantis, FL1 of 150.0393 ppb3,000
Palm Beach County Water Utilities*West Palm Beach, FL1 of 150.0393 ppb529,876
Wallingford Water DepartmentWallingford, CT1 of 170.0294 ppb37,267
Milford City Public Water SystemMilford, OH1 of 190.0263 ppb6,400
City of Broussard Highway 90 Water SystemBroussard, LA2 of 220.0255 ppb342
Woodbine Municipal Utilities AuthorityWoodbine, NJ1 of 30.0233 ppb2,800
Maynard DPW, Water DivisionMaynard, MA1 of 220.0227 ppb10,314
Lee County Utilities*Fort Myers, FL1 of 70.0143 ppb236,944
Tamiami Village Mobile Home ParkN. Fort Myers, FL1 of 70.0143 ppb1,200
Gateway Services DistrictFort Myers, FL1 of 70.0143 ppb9,092

* 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 Monochlorobenzene (chlorobenzene), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Riviera Beach Utility District*Riviera Beach, FL12 of 440.944 ppb31,500
Mallory Valley Utility Distric*Franklin, TN3 of 50.753 ppb21,530
Harpeth Valley Utility District*Nashville, TN3 of 50.753 ppb59,392
Dayton Water DepartmentDayton, TN4 of 80.412 ppb26,125
North Attleboro Water Department*North Attleborough, MA1 of 190.326 ppb28,712
Worcester Department of Public Works*Worcester, MA1 of 60.317 ppb181,045
Groveland Water DepartmentGroveland, FL1 of 30.167 ppb12,243
Paducah Water Works*Paducah, KY1 of 60.117 ppb64,013
Needham Water Department (MWRA)Needham, MA2 of 150.107 ppb32,285
City of Camden*Camden, SC1 of 70.1000 ppb13,616
Paris Water Works*Paris, KY1 of 100.0700 ppb14,479
Bullock Pen Water DistrictCrittenden, KY1 of 90.0667 ppb20,048
Miramar (East & West) PlantsMiramar, FL1 of 60.0417 ppb128,729
Palm Beach County Water Utilities*West Palm Beach, FL1 of 150.0393 ppb529,876
Wallingford Water DepartmentWallingford, CT1 of 170.0294 ppb37,267
Maynard DPW, Water DivisionMaynard, MA1 of 220.0227 ppb10,314
Lee County Utilities*Fort Myers, FL1 of 70.0143 ppb236,944
Southeast Morris County Municipal Utilities Authority*Cedar Knolls, NJ1 of 560.0107 ppb62,050
United Water CamdenCamden, NJ2 of 210.00905 ppb46,585
Clearwater Water SystemClearwater, FL1 of 160.00625 ppb110,000
City of Stuart - Water PlantStuart, FL1 of 490.00592 ppb19,000

* 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 Monochlorobenzene (chlorobenzene), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.