Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Benzene

North Central Texas Municipal Water Authority

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.

 

26

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND40ND
2019ND40ND
2020ND40ND
2021ND60ND
2022ND40ND
2023ND40ND

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

Date Lab ID Result
2018-02-13Q1806366023ND
2018-02-13Q1806366017ND
2018-05-15Q1819778005ND
2018-09-10Q1835655007ND
2019-09-10Q1963432002ND
2019-09-10Q1963432004ND
2019-09-10Q1963432006ND
2019-09-10Q1963432008ND
2020-05-26Q2020617010ND
2020-05-26Q2020617012ND
2020-05-26Q2020617014ND
2020-09-15Q2036511001ND
2021-03-01Q2105128004ND
2021-03-01Q2105128002ND
2021-05-18Q2112967013ND
2021-08-24Q2122978005ND
2021-08-24Q2122978013ND
2021-12-09Q2134685004ND
2022-03-02Q2207242006ND
2022-03-02Q2207242008ND
2022-03-02Q2207242010ND
2022-09-07Q2226614008ND
2023-03-08Q2309188005ND
2023-05-16Q2318416003ND
2023-05-16Q2318416005ND
2023-09-05Q2338005004ND