Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Styrene

Salem, Village of

NOTE: Salem, Village of purchases water from Richardson County Rural Water District 2 which is required to test for styrene. Sample information shown below was taken by Richardson County Rural Water District 2.

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.

 

38

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND10ND
2019ND10ND
2020ND10ND
2021ND10ND
2022ND10ND
2023ND10ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

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

NOTE: Salem, Village of purchases water from Richardson County Rural Water District 2 which is required to test for styrene. Sample information shown below was taken by Richardson County Rural Water District 2.

Date Lab ID Result
2018-09-17571937ND
2018-09-17571936ND
2019-09-03630425ND
2019-09-03630424ND
2019-12-02646925ND
2019-12-02646926ND
2020-03-02659230ND
2020-03-02659229ND
2020-06-01672133ND
2020-06-01672132ND
2020-09-08689827ND
2020-09-08689826ND
2020-12-21712550ND
2020-12-21712551ND
2021-03-01721934ND
2021-03-01721933ND
2021-06-07736641ND
2021-06-07736640ND
2021-09-07757673ND
2021-09-07757672ND
2021-12-06773059ND
2021-12-06773058ND
2022-03-07783077ND
2022-03-07783076ND
2022-06-07804076ND
2022-06-07804077ND
2022-09-06822998ND
2022-09-06822999ND
2022-12-05835786ND
2022-12-05835785ND
2023-03-06851383ND
2023-03-06851382ND
2023-06-05864101ND
2023-06-05864100ND
2023-09-05879902ND
2023-09-05879903ND
2023-12-04891486ND
2023-12-04891487ND