Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Benzene

East Lyme Water & Sewer Commission

NOTE: East Lyme Water & Sewer Commission purchases water from New London Department of Public Utilities which is required to test for benzene. Sample information shown below was taken by New London Department of Public Utilities.

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.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

 

6

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND100ND
2019ND100ND
2020ND40ND
2021ND30ND
2022ND60ND
2023ND70ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 0.15 ppb

The EWG 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.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL): 5 ppb

The legal limit for benzene, established in 1987, was based on analytical detection limits at the time that the standard was set. This limit may not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to benzene exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

NOTE: East Lyme Water & Sewer Commission purchases water from New London Department of Public Utilities which is required to test for benzene. Sample information shown below was taken by New London Department of Public Utilities.

Date Lab ID Result
2018-11-2928423VOC1ND
2019-11-2030476VOC1ND
2020-12-0132749VOC1ND
2021-10-2734804VOC1ND
2022-09-1536585VOC1ND
2023-09-1438755VOC1ND