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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Styrene

South Bend Water Works

Styrene is a volatile cancer-causing chemical used for manufacturing Styrofoam (polystyrene) and other plastics. Releases from industrial production sites and hazardous waste landfills cause styrene contamination in drinking water. Read More.

In addition to increasing the risk of cancer, styrene can also damage the liver and the nervous system. California set a public health goal for styrene in drinking water at 0.5 parts per billion. The federal Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) allows up to 100 parts per billion of styrene in water, which is 200 times more than the California recommended level.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

131

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
2014ND90ND
2015N/A00N/A
2016ND30ND
2017ND560ND
2018ND270ND
2019ND360ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.5 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.5 ppb for styrene 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) 100 ppb

The legal limit for styrene, established in 1991, was based on a toxicity study in laboratory animals conducted in the 1970s. This limit may not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to styrene exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-05-213030221RV-1402ND
2014-05-223031802RV-1402ND
2014-05-293034659RV-1402ND
2014-06-053038372RV-1402ND
2014-06-053038373RV-1402ND
2014-06-053038374RV-1402ND
2014-07-183065664RV-1403ND
2014-07-183065665RV-1403ND
2014-07-183065666RV-1403ND
2016-09-22373269RV-1603ND
2016-10-04374000RV-1604ND
2016-10-24375485RV-1604ND
2017-02-073632950RV-1701ND
2017-02-073632952RV-1701ND
2017-02-083634164RV-1701ND
2017-02-093635284RV-1701ND
2017-02-093635286RV-1701ND
2017-02-173640283RV-1701ND
2017-02-243644353RV-1701ND
2017-02-283646158RV-1701ND
2017-03-083650536RV-1701ND
2017-03-08384204RV-1701ND
2017-03-093651411RV-1701ND
2017-03-09384337RV-1701ND
2017-03-103652024RV-1701ND
2017-03-103652025RV-1701ND
2017-03-10384409RV-1701ND
2017-03-133652961RV-1701ND
2017-03-13384476RV-1701ND
2017-03-14284557RV-1701ND
2017-03-143653637RV-1701ND
2017-03-143653638RV-1701ND
2017-03-14384557RV-1701ND
2017-03-203656620RV-1701ND
2017-03-20384865RV-1701ND
2017-03-283662056RV-1701ND
2017-03-293663301RV-1701ND
2017-03-293855496RV-1701ND
2017-03-303664183RV-1701ND
2017-04-183676153RV-1702ND
2017-04-203678270RV-1702ND
2017-04-203678272RV-1702ND
2017-04-273683089RV-1702ND
2017-05-033686136RV-1702ND
2017-05-053688270RV-1702ND
2017-05-093690243RV-1702ND
2017-06-063707076RV-1702ND
2017-06-063707077RV-1702ND
2017-06-083709605RV-1702ND
2017-06-223718872RV-1702ND
2017-06-283722069RV-1702ND
2017-06-293723855RV-1702ND
2017-07-133731290RV-1703ND
2017-07-193735753RV-1703ND
2017-07-193735754RV-1703ND
2017-08-153756533RV-1703ND
2017-08-153756552RV-1703ND
2017-09-123776266RV-1703ND
2017-09-123776267RV-1703ND
2017-09-253785511RV-1703ND
2017-09-28399192RV-1703ND
2017-10-25401366RV-1704ND
2017-10-26401432RV-1704ND
2017-11-16402987RV-1704ND
2017-11-27403480RV-1704ND
2017-12-19405161RV-1704ND
2017-12-21405404RV-1704ND
2017-12-29405734RV-1704ND
2018-04-25414680RV-1802ND
2018-04-25414920RV-1802ND
2018-05-163937315RV-1802ND
2018-05-173939542RV-1802ND
2018-05-183939978RV-1802ND
2018-06-07418614RV-1802ND
2018-06-14419357RV-1802ND
2018-07-113985111RV-1803ND
2018-07-113985112RV-1803ND
2018-07-113985113RV-1803ND
2018-07-193995449RV-1803ND
2018-08-09425426RV-1803ND
2018-08-09425532RV-1803ND
2018-09-194060738RV-1803ND
2018-09-194060739RV-1803ND
2018-09-204063034RV-1803ND
2018-09-214063574RV-1803ND
2018-09-274070482RV-1803ND
2018-10-24434025RV-1804ND
2018-10-25434064RV-1804ND
2018-11-08435404RV-1804ND
2018-11-09435524RV-1804ND
2018-11-28437015RV-1804ND
2018-12-064142438RV-1804ND
2018-12-064142439RV-1804ND
2018-12-064145752RV-1804ND
2018-12-064154072RV-1804ND
2019-01-024161766RV-1901ND
2019-01-024161767RV-1901ND
2019-01-074165628RV-1901ND
2019-02-144197825RV-1901ND
2019-02-144197826RV-1901ND
2019-02-144197827RV-1901ND
2019-02-214204952RV-1901ND
2019-02-274209984RV-1901ND
2019-03-12445768RV-1901ND
2019-03-29447366RV-1901ND
2019-04-174262712RV-1902ND
2019-04-174262713RV-1902ND
2019-04-244270770RV-1902ND
2019-04-244270771RV-1902ND
2019-05-02450735RV-1902ND
2019-05-02452296RV-1902ND
2019-05-02453728RV-1902ND
2019-05-30453858RV-1902ND
2019-06-06454412RV-1902ND
2019-06-25456374RV-1902ND
2019-07-10457913RV-1903ND
2019-07-25459662RV-1903ND
2019-07-31460126RV-1903ND
2019-08-084379218RV-1903ND
2019-08-094380516RV-1903ND
2019-08-2908/30/2019ND
2019-08-294403462RV-1903ND
2019-08-304405111RV-1903ND
2019-09-26466586RV-1903ND
2019-09-30466851RV-1903ND
2019-10-23469018RV-1904ND
2019-11-05469985RV-1904ND
2019-11-18471319RV-1904ND
2019-12-09473040RV-1904ND
2019-12-09473436RV-1904ND
2019-12-194518947ND