Benzene

Collegeville Trappe Joint Public Works Department

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

168

Samples

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

Year	Average result	Samples taken	Range of results
2014	ND	28	ND
2015	ND	28	ND
2016	ND	28	ND
2017	ND	28	ND
2018	ND	28	ND
2019	ND	28	ND

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
2014-01-20	20140238	ND
2014-01-20	20140239	ND
2014-01-20	20140240	ND
2014-01-20	20140241	ND
2014-01-20	20140242	ND
2014-03-17	20140955	ND
2014-03-17	20140956	ND
2014-04-21	20141346	ND
2014-04-21	20141347	ND
2014-04-21	20141348	ND
2014-04-21	20141349	ND
2014-04-21	20141350	ND
2014-04-21	20141351	ND
2014-04-21	20141352	ND
2014-07-07	14070813-001	ND
2014-07-07	14070813-002	ND
2014-07-07	14070813-003	ND
2014-07-07	14070813-004	ND
2014-08-13	20142789	ND
2014-08-13	20142790	ND
2014-08-13	20142791	ND
2014-11-17	14111750-01	ND
2014-11-17	14111750-02	ND
2014-11-17	14111750-03	ND
2014-11-17	14111750-04	ND
2014-11-17	14111750-05	ND
2014-11-17	14111750-06	ND
2014-12-01	14120200-01	ND
2015-01-19	12285465	ND
2015-01-19	12285486	ND
2015-01-19	12285507	ND
2015-01-19	12285528	ND
2015-01-19	12285549	ND
2015-01-19	12285570	ND
2015-01-19	12285591	ND
2015-04-20	12631603	ND
2015-04-20	12631624	ND
2015-04-20	12631645	ND
2015-04-20	12631666	ND
2015-04-20	12631687	ND
2015-04-20	12631708	ND
2015-04-20	12631729	ND
2015-07-06	13011216	ND
2015-07-06	13011242	ND
2015-07-06	13011268	ND
2015-07-06	13011294	ND
2015-07-06	13011320	ND
2015-07-06	13011346	ND
2015-07-20	13011560	ND
2015-10-19	13387788	ND
2015-10-19	13387809	ND
2015-10-19	13387830	ND
2015-10-19	13387851	ND
2015-10-19	13387872	ND
2015-10-19	13387893	ND
2015-10-19	13387914	ND
2016-01-18	13751359	ND
2016-01-18	13751380	ND
2016-01-18	13751401	ND
2016-01-18	13751422	ND
2016-01-18	13751443	ND
2016-01-18	13751464	ND
2016-02-16	13869088	ND
2016-04-18	14101353	ND
2016-04-18	14101374	ND
2016-04-18	14101395	ND
2016-04-18	14101416	ND
2016-04-18	14101437	ND
2016-04-18	14101458	ND
2016-04-18	14101479	ND
2016-07-18	14568375	ND
2016-07-18	14568396	ND
2016-07-18	14568417	ND
2016-07-18	14568438	ND
2016-07-18	14568459	ND
2016-07-18	14568480	ND
2016-07-18	14568501	ND
2016-10-17	15074123	ND
2016-10-17	15074144	ND
2016-10-17	15074165	ND
2016-10-17	15074186	ND
2016-10-17	15074207	ND
2016-10-17	15074228	ND
2016-10-17	15074249	ND
2017-02-27	15653938	ND
2017-02-27	15653959	ND
2017-02-27	15653980	ND
2017-02-27	15654001	ND
2017-02-27	15654022	ND
2017-03-07	15794005	ND
2017-03-07	15794026	ND
2017-04-17	15935338	ND
2017-04-17	15935359	ND
2017-04-17	15935380	ND
2017-04-17	15935401	ND
2017-04-17	15935422	ND
2017-04-17	15935443	ND
2017-04-17	15935464	ND
2017-07-17	16411678	ND
2017-07-17	16411699	ND
2017-07-17	16411720	ND
2017-07-17	16411741	ND
2017-07-17	16411762	ND
2017-07-17	16411783	ND
2017-07-17	16411804	ND
2017-10-16	16878529	ND
2017-10-16	16878550	ND
2017-10-16	16878571	ND
2017-10-16	16878592	ND
2017-10-16	16878613	ND
2017-10-16	16878634	ND
2017-10-16	16878655	ND
2018-01-22	20180311	ND
2018-01-22	20180312	ND
2018-01-22	20180313	ND
2018-01-22	20180314	ND
2018-01-22	20180315	ND
2018-01-22	20180316	ND
2018-01-22	20180317	ND
2018-04-18	20181575	ND
2018-04-18	20181576	ND
2018-04-18	20181577	ND
2018-04-18	20181578	ND
2018-04-18	20181579	ND
2018-04-18	20181580	ND
2018-04-18	20181581	ND
2018-07-16	20182718	ND
2018-07-16	20182719	ND
2018-07-16	20182720	ND
2018-07-16	20182721	ND
2018-07-16	20182722	ND
2018-07-16	20182723	ND
2018-07-16	20182724	ND
2018-10-15	20183946	ND
2018-10-15	20183947	ND
2018-10-15	20183948	ND
2018-10-15	20183949	ND
2018-10-15	20183950	ND
2018-10-15	20183951	ND
2018-10-15	20183952	ND
2019-01-23	20190306	ND
2019-01-23	20190307	ND
2019-01-23	20190308	ND
2019-01-23	20190309	ND
2019-01-23	20190310	ND
2019-01-23	20190311	ND
2019-01-23	20190312	ND
2019-04-15	20191439	ND
2019-04-15	20191440	ND
2019-04-15	20191441	ND
2019-04-15	20191442	ND
2019-04-15	20191443	ND
2019-04-15	20191444	ND
2019-04-15	20191445	ND
2019-07-15	20192706	ND
2019-07-15	20192707	ND
2019-07-15	20192708	ND
2019-07-15	20192709	ND
2019-07-15	20192710	ND
2019-07-15	20192711	ND
2019-07-15	20192712	ND
2019-10-21	20194150	ND
2019-10-21	20194151	ND
2019-10-21	20194152	ND
2019-10-21	20194153	ND
2019-10-21	20194154	ND
2019-10-21	20194155	ND
2019-10-21	20194156	ND