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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Benzene

NJ American Water - Short Hills

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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

105

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND120ND
2015ND120ND
2016ND190ND
2017ND200ND
2018ND230ND
2019ND190ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

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
2014-01-2724531901ND
2014-02-0725051401ND
2014-04-1525367601ND
2014-04-1725370201ND
2014-04-2925368101ND
2014-05-0225483001ND
2014-05-2225482801ND
2014-05-2225482901ND
2014-05-2225479801ND
2014-07-1626162901ND
2014-10-0127205301ND
2014-10-2227203401ND
2015-01-1527834101ND
2015-01-3028073501ND
2015-04-1428515901ND
2015-04-2828516401ND
2015-05-0729014501ND
2015-05-0829017501ND
2015-05-0829017601ND
2015-05-1529017701ND
2015-06-0829467101ND
2015-07-1429694001ND
2015-10-0530483901ND
2015-10-2130485801ND
2016-01-0731122301ND
2016-03-0731576701ND
2016-03-1531340701ND
2016-04-0131793801ND
2016-04-1131790701ND
2016-04-1931791701ND
2016-05-0232051701ND
2016-05-0632055201ND
2016-05-0632055301ND
2016-05-0632055401ND
2016-05-1132052701ND
2016-06-0632498601ND
2016-07-2032822501ND
2016-08-0833067801ND
2016-09-0133354301ND
2016-10-0533632701ND
2016-11-1533910301ND
2016-12-0834112401ND
2016-12-1333635901ND
2017-01-2434411501ND
2017-02-1434747201ND
2017-02-2434745801ND
2017-03-2834989501ND
2017-04-2435303401ND
2017-04-2535299601ND
2017-05-0135618401ND
2017-05-0135618501ND
2017-05-0135618601ND
2017-05-0235614501ND
2017-05-0335615501ND
2017-05-2235301101ND
2017-06-0536015201ND
2017-07-0536443401ND
2017-08-0736844201ND
2017-09-1137136301ND
2017-10-0437472201ND
2017-10-1937475401ND
2017-11-1337759001ND
2017-12-0438022201ND
2018-01-0238400601ND
2018-02-0638697901ND
2018-02-0638699801ND
2018-03-0538939801ND
2018-04-0439250601ND
2018-04-1339253801ND
2018-04-1839251701ND
2018-05-0139516301ND
2018-05-1139518601ND
2018-05-1139518701ND
2018-05-1139518801ND
2018-05-1139515401ND
2018-06-0439994301ND
2018-06-1440141001ND
2018-07-0240414001ND
2018-08-0140723901ND
2018-08-0940726301ND
2018-09-0541153101ND
2018-10-0841590601ND
2018-10-0941593301ND
2018-11-0542050301ND
2018-11-0842052601ND
2018-12-0342347701ND
2019-01-0242611201ND
2019-02-2143030201ND
2019-03-0643447401ND
2019-04-0243674301ND
2019-04-0243674401ND
2019-04-0443675801ND
2019-05-0744224501ND
2019-05-0944224701ND
2019-05-1544226601ND
2019-05-1744224601ND
2019-06-1344739301ND
2019-07-0145171501ND
2019-08-1545888801ND
2019-09-1246551901ND
2019-10-1046917701ND
2019-10-2446916601ND
2019-11-2147233201ND
2019-12-0945306901ND
2019-12-1247562801ND