Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Benzene

Gowc North Water System

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.

 

18

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018N/A00N/A
2019N/A00N/A
2020ND10ND
2021ND30ND
2022ND70ND
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

Date Lab ID Result
2020-12-0235596280001ND
2021-02-0135608834004ND
2021-05-0335630681004ND
2021-05-0335630681005ND
2022-02-0935696474003ND
2022-02-0935696474004ND
2022-04-0435708518003ND
2022-04-0435708518004ND
2022-09-2735750438002ND
2022-10-2435755885002ND
2022-10-2435755885001ND
2023-01-2335774809001ND
2023-01-2735777481001ND
2023-02-2235781903001ND
2023-04-0335790249001ND
2023-04-0335790249002ND
2023-07-1035812564001ND
2023-07-1035812564002ND