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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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MTBE

City of Houston Willow Chase

MTBE was used as gasoline oxygenation additive to boost the octane number. In 2005, MTBE was replaced by ethanol as a gasoline additive. MTBE causes cancers in rats.

 

20

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014N/A00N/A
2015ND40ND
2016ND40ND
2017ND40ND
2018ND40ND
2019ND40ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 13 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 13 ppb for MTBE 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.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2015-05-29AC93893ND
2015-05-29AC93899ND
2015-05-29AC93891ND
2015-05-29AC93875ND
2016-03-03AD26935ND
2016-03-03AD26933ND
2016-03-03AD26925ND
2016-03-03AD26929ND
2017-03-02AD73126ND
2017-03-02AD73122ND
2017-05-31AD86149ND
2017-05-31AD86147ND
2018-04-11AE22081ND
2018-04-11AE22085ND
2018-04-11AE22055ND
2018-04-11AE22057ND
2019-02-28AE56578ND
2019-02-28AE56614ND
2019-02-28AE56582ND
2019-02-28AE56580ND