Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

MTBE

City of Chico

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.

 

19

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.660 ppb31ND - 1.98 ppb
20190.597 ppb31ND - 1.79 ppb
20200.385 ppb41ND - 1.54 ppb
20212.72 ppb31ND - 8.16 ppb
20222.94 ppb31ND - 8.83 ppb
20232.29 ppb31ND - 6.87 ppb

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

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
2018-12-13Q18516760031.98 ppb
2018-12-13Q1851676006ND
2018-12-13Q1851676001ND
2019-01-08Q19006530011.79 ppb
2019-01-08Q1900653006ND
2019-01-08Q1900653010ND
2020-03-02Q20077270011.54 ppb
2020-06-01Q2021442001ND
2020-08-19Q2033209003ND
2020-08-19Q2033209001ND
2021-08-11Q2121372007ND
2021-08-11Q21213720098.16 ppb
2021-08-11Q2121372011ND
2022-09-08Q2226813001ND
2022-09-08Q22268130038.83 ppb
2022-09-08Q2226813005ND
2023-05-30Q2319948009ND
2023-05-30Q23199480116.87 ppb
2023-05-30Q2319948013ND