Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Benzene

Martin County Water & Sewer District 2

NOTE: Martin County Water & Sewer District 2 purchases water from Martin County Regional WASA which is required to test for benzene. Sample information shown below was taken by Martin County Regional WASA.

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.

 

5

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND10ND
2019N/A00N/A
2020ND10ND
2021ND10ND
2022ND10ND
2023ND10ND

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: Martin County Water & Sewer District 2 purchases water from Martin County Regional WASA which is required to test for benzene. Sample information shown below was taken by Martin County Regional WASA.

Date Lab ID Result
2018-01-177442-011718-E01VND
2020-01-087442-010820-E01VND
2021-06-027451-060221-E01VND
2022-06-017451-060122-E01VND
2023-06-077451-060723-E01VND