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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Benzene

Moore County Public Util. - Pinehurst

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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

37

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
2014ND160ND
2015ND20ND
2016ND20ND
2017ND20ND
2018N/A00N/A
2019ND150ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

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
2014-08-1837729_14-25388ND
2014-08-1837729_14-25386ND
2014-08-1837729_14-25402ND
2014-08-1837729_14-25400ND
2014-08-1837729_14-25395ND
2014-08-1837729_14-25393ND
2014-08-1837729_14-25390ND
2014-08-1837729_14-25389ND
2014-08-1937729_14-25392ND
2014-08-1937729_14-25394ND
2014-08-1937729_14-25391ND
2014-08-1937729_14-25396ND
2014-08-1937729_14-25397ND
2014-08-1937729_14-25398ND
2014-08-1937729_14-25399ND
2014-08-1937729_14-25401ND
2015-10-14ND
2015-10-14ND
2016-02-1737729_16-05058ND
2016-02-1737729_16-05059ND
2017-06-0737729_17-18950ND
2017-06-0737729_17-18951ND
2019-01-2337729_19-03128 ND
2019-01-2337729_19-03127 ND
2019-01-2337729_19-03126 ND
2019-02-0537729_19-05284 ND
2019-02-0537729_19-05285 ND
2019-03-0537729_19-09256 ND
2019-03-0537729_19-09257 ND
2019-03-0537729_19-09258 ND
2019-03-0537729_19-09259 ND
2019-03-0537729_19-09260 ND
2019-03-0537729_19-09261 ND
2019-03-0537729_19-09262 ND
2019-03-0537729_19-09255 ND
2019-03-0537729_19-09254 ND
2019-03-0537729_19-09253 ND