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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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MTBE

City of Santa Barbara Water Department

MTBE was used as gasoline oxygenation additive to boost the octane number. In 2005, MTBE was replaced by ethanol as a gasoline additive. MTBE causes cancers in rats.

 

21

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND50ND
2015ND20ND
2016ND20ND
2017ND40ND
2018ND40ND
2019ND40ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 13 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 13 ppb for MTBE 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

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-02-199590-015-1322ND
2014-10-219590-042-0758ND
2014-10-219590-035-0931ND
2014-10-219590-015-0843ND
2014-10-229590-004-1014ND
2015-05-129590-055-0842ND
2015-11-109590-005-1050ND
2016-11-029590-031-1120ND
2016-11-029590-053-1152ND
2017-05-189590-058-1734ND
2017-11-079590-004-0955ND
2017-11-149590-042-0848ND
2017-11-149590-035-0930ND
2018-07-309590-058-0815ND
2018-09-259590-055-1120ND
2018-09-259590-015-0947ND
2018-09-269590-004-1131ND
2019-09-049590-058-1240ND
2019-10-299590-031-0904ND
2019-10-299590-004-1034ND
2019-12-059590-053-1403ND