Benzene
Status: National drinking water standard exists
Benzene is a known human carcinogen. It also damages blood cells and the nervous system. Emissions from petroleum processing, hazardous waste landfills and underground storage tanks contaminate drinking water with benzene. Read More.
To protect against cancer risks, California set a public health goal for benzene in drinking water at 0.15 parts per billion, 30 times lower than the federal legal limit of 5 parts per billion.
2015:
17
states detected
42
utilities detected
469,000
people served
13
states over health guideline
32
utilities over health guideline
337,000
people served over health guideline
0
states over legal limit
0
utilities over legal limit
0
people served over legal limit
Health concerns for benzene
Cancer
Harm to blood cells
Harm to the central nervous system
Harm to child development
Harm to the immune system
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
Health Guideline 0.15 ppb
The health guideline of 0.15 ppb for benzene 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 cancer.
ppb = parts per billion.
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 5 ppb
The enforceable federal standard that defines the highest level of a contaminant allowed in drinking water.
ppb = parts per billion.
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level Goal (MCLG)0 ppb
A non-enforceable federal health guideline. For cancer-causing chemicals, these health goals are typically set to zero.
ppb = parts per billion.
States reporting benzene in drinking water
| UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES | UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Utilities | People Served | Utilities | People Served | |||
| Virginia | 3 | 155,515 | 3 | 155,515 | |||
| New York | 0 | 0 | 3 | 103,960 | |||
| Tennessee | 1 | 92,506 | 1 | 92,506 | |||
| California | 3 | 46,360 | 4 | 46,446 | |||
| Texas | 11 | 32,955 | 11 | 32,955 | |||
| Minnesota | 1 | 1,963 | 3 | 14,488 | |||
| Wisconsin | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11,900 | |||
| Illinois | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2,720 | |||
| Utah | 2 | 1,830 | 2 | 1,830 | |||
| Oklahoma | 1 | 1,790 | 1 | 1,790 | |||
| New Hampshire | 1 | 1,688 | 1 | 1,688 | |||
| Louisiana | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1,001 | |||
| Georgia | 3 | 836 | 3 | 836 | |||
| New Jersey | 3 | 550 | 3 | 550 | |||
| North Carolina | 1 | 391 | 1 | 391 | |||
| Colorado | 1 | 383 | 1 | 383 | |||
| Florida | 1 | 45 | 1 | 45 | |||
Utilities with the highest amounts of benzene, 2015
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dalhart Municipal Water System | Dalhart, TX | 3 of 4 | 3.50 ppb | 8,256 |
| Wright City Water Supply Corporation 1 | Troup, TX | 1 of 1 | 2.75 ppb | 1,242 |
| Pineora System | Eden, GA | 8 of 8 | 1.49 ppb | 94 |
| City of Jacinto City | Jacinto City, TX | 3 of 3 | 1.43 ppb | 10,500 |
| Adrian | Adrian, GA | 4 of 4 | 1.38 ppb | 664 |
| Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 23 | Bellaire, TX | 3 of 4 | 1.35 ppb | 3,528 |
| Wakefield S/d | Raleigh, NC | 4 of 5 | 1.29 ppb | 391 |
| Comanche County Rural Water District #2 | Elgin, OK | 1 of 4 | 1.21 ppb | 1,790 |
| Linda County Water District | Marysville, CA | 15 of 24 | 1.13 ppb | 13,800 |
| Treichel Woods Estates | Pinehurst, TX | 1 of 1 | 0.900 ppb | 183 |
| Bethel Ash Water Supply Corporation Bethel Plant* | Athens, TX | 1 of 3 | 0.830 ppb | 183 |
| Hart Municipal Water System | Hart, TX | 1 of 1 | 0.830 ppb | 1,198 |
| Powder Mill Estates | Tomball, TX | 1 of 1 | 0.800 ppb | 342 |
| Picnic Grove Mobile Homes | Malaga, NJ | 7 of 8 | 0.760 ppb | 250 |
| Rollinsford Water and Sewer | Rollinsford, NH | 1 of 3 | 0.667 ppb | 1,688 |
| Red Cliff, Town of | Georgetown, CO | 1 of 2 | 0.550 ppb | 383 |
| Blooming Prairie | Blooming Prairie, MN | 1 of 1 | 0.500 ppb | 1,963 |
| M J C Water Supply Corporation | Pattonville, TX | 1 of 4 | 0.430 ppb | 942 |
| Tarkington Special Utility District | Cleveland, TX | 2 of 4 | 0.375 ppb | 4,031 |
| Stoney Field Mobile Home Park | Pittsford, NJ | 3 of 3 | 0.343 ppb | 200 |
| City of Norco* | Norco, CA | 2 of 4 | 0.288 ppb | 27,160 |
| Ferron - Castle Valley Special Service District* | Castledale, UT | 5 of 22 | 0.245 ppb | 1,630 |
| Western Virginia Water Authority* | Roanoke, VA | 3 of 14 | 0.226 ppb | 155,000 |
| Long`s Mobile Home Park | Fayetteville, GA | 1 of 3 | 0.213 ppb | 78 |
| Oak Grove Mobile Home Park | Wall, NJ | 1 of 1 | 0.210 ppb | 100 |
| Greenwich Township Water Department | Gibbstown, NJ | of 0 | ND | 0 |
| Hudson House Alf | Hudson, FL | 1 of 1 | 0.200 ppb | 45 |
| City of Hallettsville | Hallettsville, TX | 1 of 4 | 0.175 ppb | 2,550 |
| Jackson Water System | Jackson, TN | 14 of 96 | 0.162 ppb | 92,506 |
| Fort Polk South Water System | Ft. Polk, LA | 0 of 5 | ND | 5,610 |
* 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 Benzene, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Jacinto City | Jacinto City, TX | 3 of 3 | 1.43 ppb | 10,500 |
| Linda County Water District | Marysville, CA | 15 of 24 | 1.13 ppb | 13,800 |
| City of Norco* | Norco, CA | 2 of 4 | 0.288 ppb | 27,160 |
| Western Virginia Water Authority* | Roanoke, VA | 3 of 14 | 0.226 ppb | 155,000 |
| Jackson Water System | Jackson, TN | 14 of 96 | 0.162 ppb | 92,506 |
| Minden Water System | Minden, LA | of 0 | ND | 0 |
| Alexandria | Alexandria, MN | 2 of 16 | 0.0331 ppb | 12,415 |
| Cedarburg L & W Commission | Cedarburg, WI | 2 of 24 | 0.0142 ppb | 11,900 |
| Hempstead | Hempstead, NY | 1 of 60 | 0.00883 ppb | 56,000 |
| Monroe Twp MUA | Williamstown, NJ | of 0 | ND | 0 |
| Hicksville WD | Hicksville, NY | 1 of 170 | 0.00318 ppb | 47,810 |
* 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 Benzene, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.