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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Styrene

Aqua Pennsylvania Main System

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

 

182

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
2014ND330ND
2015ND370ND
2016ND350ND
2017ND310ND
2018ND210ND
2019ND250ND

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
2014-01-06AE19666ND
2014-01-08AE19654ND
2014-01-08AE19653ND
2014-01-09AE19808ND
2014-01-09AE19814ND
2014-02-05AE22406ND
2014-02-06AE22395ND
2014-02-06AE22429ND
2014-02-19AE24127ND
2014-02-19AE24128ND
2014-02-19AE24152ND
2014-02-26AE23735ND
2014-04-14AE29526ND
2014-04-15AE29528ND
2014-04-15AE29507ND
2014-04-23AE29939ND
2014-04-23AE29914ND
2014-04-23AE29839ND
2014-04-23AE29840ND
2014-04-23AE29916ND
2014-04-24AE29947ND
2014-04-24AE29952ND
2014-07-21AE41025ND
2014-07-23AE41635ND
2014-07-23AE40895ND
2014-07-24AE40881ND
2014-07-24AE40886ND
2014-10-22AE53545ND
2014-10-22AE53537ND
2014-10-23AE53645ND
2014-10-23AE53646ND
2014-12-11AE59777ND
2014-12-29AE61209ND
2015-01-0512290026ND
2015-01-0712289953ND
2015-01-0712290041ND
2015-01-0712290059ND
2015-01-0712290099ND
2015-01-0812289954ND
2015-01-0812289986ND
2015-01-2212289932ND
2015-01-2312290009ND
2015-02-0312405409ND
2015-02-0312405535ND
2015-02-0412405367ND
2015-02-0412405388ND
2015-02-0412405430ND
2015-02-0412405451ND
2015-02-0412405472ND
2015-02-0412405493ND
2015-02-0412405514ND
2015-04-0612636868ND
2015-04-2212636889ND
2015-04-2312636826ND
2015-04-2912636847ND
2015-06-0312885175ND
2015-06-0412885154ND
2015-07-2013016819ND
2015-07-2213016585ND
2015-07-2213016606ND
2015-07-2313016543ND
2015-07-2313016564ND
2015-08-0513138457ND
2015-09-3013267572ND
2015-10-2113392033ND
2015-10-2213391970ND
2015-10-2213391991ND
2015-10-2213392012ND
2015-11-0213516771ND
2015-11-2313517526ND
2016-01-0613756210ND
2016-01-0613756231ND
2016-01-0613756315ND
2016-01-1113756168ND
2016-01-2013756147ND
2016-01-2013756189ND
2016-01-2113756084ND
2016-01-2113756105ND
2016-01-2113756126ND
2016-01-2813756252ND
2016-01-2813756273ND
2016-01-2813756294ND
2016-02-0513872923ND
2016-02-1013872944ND
2016-03-0313989337ND
2016-03-1513989379ND
2016-03-1713989358ND
2016-03-1813989400ND
2016-04-1114107139ND
2016-04-1114107160ND
2016-04-1114107181ND
2016-04-1114107223ND
2016-04-1114107244ND
2016-04-1414107202ND
2016-07-2914573700ND
2016-08-0214739168ND
2016-08-0414739103ND
2016-08-0414739117ND
2016-08-0414739144ND
2016-10-2415079398ND
2016-10-2415079419ND
2016-10-2415079440ND
2016-11-0715229354ND
2016-11-2115229375ND
2016-12-0115229919ND
2017-01-0315521182ND
2017-01-1615521224ND
2017-01-1815521119ND
2017-01-1815521140ND
2017-01-1815521203ND
2017-01-2415521161ND
2017-03-2815800271ND
2017-03-2915800292ND
2017-04-0315942289ND
2017-04-1215942331ND
2017-04-1715942226ND
2017-04-1715942247ND
2017-04-1915942268ND
2017-04-1915942310ND
2017-06-1916262191ND
2017-06-2016262212ND
2017-06-2016262233ND
2017-06-2116262254ND
2017-08-0716571189ND
2017-09-1516730781ND
2017-09-1816730718ND
2017-09-1816731952ND
2017-09-1916730739ND
2017-09-1916730760ND
2017-09-1916731868ND
2017-09-2016731889ND
2017-09-2016731910ND
2017-09-2016731931ND
2017-09-2716883592ND
2017-12-2017165313ND
2017-12-2117165330ND
2018-01-17AF74387ND
2018-01-29AF74797ND
2018-01-29AF74445ND
2018-01-29AF74447ND
2018-01-29AF74446ND
2018-01-29AF74448ND
2018-01-31AF74434ND
2018-01-31AF74435ND
2018-01-31AF74433ND
2018-01-31AF74431ND
2018-01-31AF74442ND
2018-01-31AF74441ND
2018-02-22AF74432ND
2018-02-26AF77278ND
2018-02-27AF77311ND
2018-02-27AF76921ND
2018-02-28AF77455ND
2018-02-28AF77456ND
2018-02-28AF77467ND
2018-03-26AF79915ND
2018-11-16AG01115ND
2019-01-28AG07059ND
2019-01-29AG07266ND
2019-03-04AG10320ND
2019-03-04AG10261ND
2019-03-06AG10532ND
2019-03-06AG10533ND
2019-03-06AG10552ND
2019-03-11AG10450ND
2019-03-13AG10482ND
2019-03-19AG10263ND
2019-03-19AG10265ND
2019-03-19AG10264ND
2019-03-26AG12576ND
2019-04-08AG13312ND
2019-04-08AG13600ND
2019-04-10AG12918ND
2019-04-24AG14544ND
2019-04-24AG14546ND
2019-05-06AG16471ND
2019-05-07AG16502ND
2019-05-30AG18878ND
2019-06-19AG20510ND
2019-10-16AG35352ND
2019-10-18AG36414ND
2019-10-23AG36111ND