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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Styrene

Bayleaf Master

Styrene is a volatile cancer-causing chemical used for manufacturing Styrofoam (polystyrene) and other plastics. Releases from industrial production sites and hazardous waste landfills cause styrene contamination in drinking water. Read More.

In addition to increasing the risk of cancer, styrene can also damage the liver and the nervous system. California set a public health goal for styrene in drinking water at 0.5 parts per billion. The federal Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) allows up to 100 parts per billion of styrene in water, which is 200 times more than the California recommended level.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

258

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND530ND
2015ND460ND
2016ND370ND
2017ND410ND
2018ND440ND
2019ND370ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.5 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.5 ppb for styrene 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) 100 ppb

The legal limit for styrene, established in 1991, was based on a toxicity study in laboratory animals conducted in the 1970s. This limit may not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to styrene exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-01-06C316053-01ND
2014-01-16C316060-01ND
2014-01-20C316039-01ND
2014-01-21C316067-01ND
2014-01-23C316024-01RE1ND
2014-02-19C316072-03ND
2014-02-24C316029-01ND
2014-02-24C402088-01ND
2014-02-24C402088-03ND
2014-02-24C402088-05ND
2014-02-26C316050-01ND
2014-02-26C316064-01ND
2014-02-26C316064-03ND
2014-04-03C404036-01ND
2014-04-07C403014-01ND
2014-04-10C403007-01ND
2014-04-15C404043-01ND
2014-04-17C402981-01ND
2014-04-22C404026-01ND
2014-04-24C403020-01RE1ND
2014-05-08C402995-01ND
2014-05-14C403005-01ND
2014-05-19C403003-01ND
2014-07-08C407804-11ND
2014-07-08C407789-01ND
2014-07-09C407804-09ND
2014-07-09C408790-01ND
2014-07-09C408790-03ND
2014-07-10C409083-01ND
2014-07-10C409083-03ND
2014-07-10C409083-05ND
2014-07-15C407786-01ND
2014-07-16C407802-01ND
2014-07-16C407802-03ND
2014-07-16C407808-01ND
2014-07-16C407808-03ND
2014-07-16C407809-01ND
2014-07-16C408015-01ND
2014-07-21C407799-01ND
2014-07-21C408796-01ND
2014-07-22C407780-01ND
2014-07-22C407780-03ND
2014-07-22C407793-01ND
2014-07-23C407805-01ND
2014-07-23C407816-01ND
2014-07-31C407784-05ND
2014-08-02C409900-03ND
2014-08-04C409900-01ND
2014-08-05C407795-01ND
2014-10-07C411987-01ND
2014-10-07C411995-01ND
2014-10-13C412200-01ND
2014-10-21C411998-01ND
2015-01-07ND
2015-01-14ND
2015-01-19ND
2015-01-21ND
2015-01-23ND
2015-01-23ND
2015-01-26ND
2015-01-27ND
2015-01-28ND
2015-02-04ND
2015-04-08ND
2015-04-08ND
2015-04-09ND
2015-04-13ND
2015-04-13ND
2015-04-13ND
2015-04-15ND
2015-04-15ND
2015-04-29ND
2015-04-29ND
2015-04-29ND
2015-04-30ND
2015-04-30ND
2015-05-06ND
2015-05-06ND
2015-05-11ND
2015-05-13ND
2015-05-13ND
2015-05-13ND
2015-07-10ND
2015-07-15ND
2015-07-15ND
2015-07-20ND
2015-07-21ND
2015-07-22ND
2015-07-22ND
2015-07-29ND
2015-07-30ND
2015-07-30ND
2015-07-31ND
2015-08-05ND
2015-08-07ND
2015-08-27ND
2015-10-14ND
2015-10-16ND
2015-10-16ND
2016-01-04C515809-01ND
2016-01-04C515809-03ND
2016-01-05C515769-01ND
2016-01-05C515769-05ND
2016-01-05C515813-01ND
2016-01-07C515774-01ND
2016-02-02CZ01456-01ND
2016-02-10C515827-01ND
2016-03-23CZ02856-01ND
2016-04-18CZ03115-01ND
2016-04-18CZ03129-01ND
2016-04-18CZ03155-03ND
2016-04-19CZ03121-03ND
2016-04-20CZ03114-01ND
2016-04-20CZ03123-01ND
2016-04-20CZ03147-01ND
2016-04-20CZ05544-01ND
2016-04-21CZ03117-01ND
2016-04-21CZ03117-03ND
2016-04-25CZ05704-01ND
2016-04-26CZ03158-01ND
2016-05-16CZ03160-01ND
2016-05-19CZ03143-01ND
2016-05-27CZ03519-01ND
2016-07-08CZ08306-01ND
2016-07-11CZ08298-01ND
2016-07-21CZ08297-01ND
2016-07-28CZ08311-01ND
2016-07-28CZ08316-01ND
2016-07-28CZ08319-01ND
2016-08-04CZ08301-01ND
2016-08-04CZ08304-01ND
2016-08-04CZ08304-03ND
2016-08-16CZ08307-01ND
2016-09-19CZ08292-01ND
2016-10-04CZ13742-01ND
2016-11-17CZ13729-01ND
2017-01-16CZ18678-01ND
2017-01-16CZ18678-03ND
2017-01-16CZ18690-01ND
2017-01-19CZ18702-01ND
2017-01-19CZ18702-03ND
2017-01-19CZ18710-01ND
2017-01-19CZ18710-03ND
2017-01-19CZ18710-05ND
2017-01-19CZ18710-07ND
2017-01-20CZ18668-01ND
2017-02-02CZ18705-01ND
2017-03-29CZ18697-01ND
2017-04-17CA02837-01ND
2017-04-19CA02827-01ND
2017-04-19CA02839-01ND
2017-04-26CA02841-01ND
2017-06-08CA02850-01ND
2017-07-13CA07676-01ND
2017-07-13CA07692-01ND
2017-07-17CA07668-05ND
2017-07-17CA07673-01ND
2017-07-17CA07682-09ND
2017-07-18CA10950-01ND
2017-07-18CA10950-03ND
2017-07-18CA10950-05ND
2017-07-20CA07881-01ND
2017-07-20CA07665-01ND
2017-07-21CA11118-01ND
2017-08-01CA07670-01ND
2017-08-01CA11640-01ND
2017-08-02CA07681-03ND
2017-08-02CA07686-03ND
2017-08-03CA11893-01ND
2017-08-09CA10922-01ND
2017-08-16680-142527-39ND
2017-08-17CA07687-01ND
2017-09-13CA07683-01ND
2017-09-22CA14694-01ND
2017-09-27CA07660-01ND
2017-10-31CA14929-01ND
2017-12-20CA13199-01ND
2018-01-24CA18118-01 ND
2018-01-24CA18118-03 ND
2018-01-29CA18123-01 ND
2018-01-29CA18165-01 ND
2018-01-29CA18199-01 ND
2018-01-31CA18168-01 ND
2018-02-01CA18110-01 ND
2018-04-09CB03223-01 ND
2018-04-09CB03228-01 ND
2018-04-09CB03251-01 ND
2018-04-11CB03243-01 ND
2018-04-11CB03243-03 ND
2018-04-12CB03221-01 ND
2018-04-12CB03224-01 ND
2018-04-13CB03261-01 ND
2018-04-17CB03264-01 ND
2018-04-18CB03232-01 ND
2018-04-18CB03240-03 ND
2018-04-18CB03240-05 ND
2018-04-25CB06130-01 ND
2018-05-16CB03236-01 ND
2018-05-16CB03236-03 ND
2018-05-16CB07363-01 ND
2018-07-19CB08081-01 ND
2018-07-19CB08092-01 ND
2018-07-20CB08087-01 ND
2018-07-20CB08087-03 ND
2018-07-20CB08094-01 ND
2018-07-20CB08095-01 ND
2018-07-20CB08107-01 ND
2018-07-24CB08083-01 ND
2018-07-25CB08101-01 ND
2018-07-25CB08101-03 ND
2018-07-25CB08101-05 ND
2018-07-25CB08101-07 ND
2018-07-25CB08103-01RE1 ND
2018-07-26CB08106-01 ND
2018-08-10CB08085-01 ND
2018-09-17CB08108-01 ND
2018-09-18CB08088-01 ND
2018-09-25CB14506-01 ND
2018-10-08CB14297-01 ND
2018-10-11CB14305-01 ND
2018-10-25CB14502-01 ND
2019-01-14CB18602-01 ND
2019-01-14CB18602-05 ND
2019-01-23CB18607-01 ND
2019-02-06CB18678-01 ND
2019-02-15CB18645-01 ND
2019-02-21CB18641-01 ND
2019-02-21CB18660-01 ND
2019-03-18CC04646-01 ND
2019-04-15CC04003-01 ND
2019-04-15CC04003-03 ND
2019-04-15CC04003-05 ND
2019-04-15CC04041-01 ND
2019-04-17CC03997-01 ND
2019-04-17CC03997-03 ND
2019-04-17CC04014-01 ND
2019-04-24CC04048-01 ND
2019-04-25CC03993-01 ND
2019-04-25CC04005-01 ND
2019-04-25CC06332-01 ND
2019-05-07CC04028-01 ND
2019-05-07CC04044-01 ND
2019-05-14CC04033-01 ND
2019-05-15CC03995-01 ND
2019-05-15CC04064-01 ND
2019-07-24CC10475-01 ND
2019-07-24CC10500-01 ND
2019-07-25CC10489-01 ND
2019-07-26CC10510-01 ND
2019-08-16CC10486-01 ND
2019-08-16CC10486-03 ND
2019-08-28CC10495-01 ND
2019-09-16CC10480-01 ND
2019-09-17CC10482-01 ND
2019-09-18CC10484-01RE1 ND
2019-10-17CC15782-01 ND
2019-12-05CC10490-01 ND
2019-12-06CC16898-01 ND