Benzene

Status: National drinking water standard exists

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.

2017-2019:

FOUND

FOUND ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES

FOUND ABOVE LEGAL LIMIT

states detected

utilities detected

971,000

people served

states over health guideline

utilities over health guideline

222,000

people served over health guideline

states over legal limit

utilities over legal limit

people served over legal limit

Health concerns for benzene

Cancer

Harm to blood cells

Harm to the central nervous system

Harm to child development

Harm to the immune system

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

States reporting benzene in drinking water

	UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES			UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION
State	Utilities	People Served		Utilities	People Served
Florida		4	10,635			17	342,374
Alabama		0	0			3	134,451
Tennessee		1	95,501			1	95,501
Texas		13	52,191			14	69,805
Minnesota		0	0			2	62,390
California		2	34,056			5	49,417
Utah		2	1,860			3	34,860
New Jersey		1	250			4	32,050
North Carolina		2	895			4	28,787
Pennsylvania		2	1,813			4	24,835
Ohio		0	0			2	23,688
Louisiana		1	957			3	11,497
Oklahoma		0	0			1	11,442
New York		6	5,194			12	9,463
Alaska		0	0			1	8,375
Wyoming		1	8,000			1	8,000
Delaware		0	0			1	6,422
Michigan		0	0			1	6,366
Virginia		3	2,750			3	2,750
Illinois		2	2,720			2	2,720
Georgia		3	1,929			3	1,929
New Hampshire		1	1,688			1	1,688
Wisconsin		0	0			2	873
Iowa		1	785			1	785
Connecticut		0	0			1	285
Arkansas		1	265			1	265
Montana		1	225			1	225
Washington		0	0			1	96

LESS

Filtering technologies that reduce benzene

Utilities with the highest amounts of benzene, 2017-2019

ALL UTILITIES

LARGE UTILITIES

Utility	Location	Tests	Average level	People served
New Franklin PWS	New Franklin, MO	1 of 2	3.23 ppb	1,089
Wright City Water Supply Corporation 1	Troup, TX	6 of 6	2.45 ppb	1,242
Pollard Waterworks	Pollard, AR	1 of 11	1.90 ppb	265
Tignall Water System	Tignal, GA	5 of 14	1.64 ppb	835
Bethel Ash Water Supply Corporation Bethel Plant	Athens, TX	6 of 14	1.44 ppb	195
Hart Municipal Water System	Hart, TX	6 of 6	1.39 ppb	1,198
Pineora Water System	Savannah, GA	20 of 24	1.37 ppb	94
Wakefield S/d	Cary, NC	24 of 30	1.37 ppb	408
City of Jacinto City	Jacinto City, TX	6 of 9	1.10 ppb	10,625
Barrow County Water System*	Winder, GA	1 of 1	1.000 ppb	14,043
Dalhart Municipal Water System	Dalhart, TX	8 of 25	0.975 ppb	8,256
Linda County Water District	Marysville, CA	43 of 83	0.942 ppb	13,800
Lomita Water Department	Lomita, CA	3 of 8	0.930 ppb	20,256
Picnic Grove Mobile Homes	Malaga, NJ	42 of 51	0.842 ppb	250
Jackson, Town Of	Jackson, WY	8 of 12	0.789 ppb	8,000
West Bend Water Department	West Bend, IA	2 of 3	0.633 ppb	785
Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 23	Bellaire, TX	10 of 20	0.620 ppb	3,528
Treichel Woods Estates	Pinehurst, TX	4 of 6	0.617 ppb	183
Golden Estates Trailer Court	Helena, MT	2 of 5	0.578 ppb	225
Cold Brook Fd Base Area	Wilmington, VT	3 of 13	0.577 ppb	761
Jackson Water System	Jackson, TN	91 of 396	0.572 ppb	95,501
Parkton, Town of	Parkton, NC	5 of 10	0.551 ppb	487
Rollinsford Water and Sewer	Rollinsford, NH	8 of 31	0.548 ppb	1,688
Blooming Prairie	Blooming Prairie, MN	1 of 1	0.500 ppb	1,987
Adrian	Adrian, GA	4 of 11	0.500 ppb	664
Ausable Heights Water System	Keeseville, NY	1 of 1	0.500 ppb	46
City of Refugio	Refugio, TX	6 of 13	0.423 ppb	2,834
Ferron - Castle Valley Special Service District*	Castle Dale, UT	14 of 54	0.398 ppb	1,660
Clawson Water System	Castle Dale, UT	14 of 54	0.398 ppb	200
Comanche County Rural Water District #2	Elgin, OK	1 of 13	0.371 ppb	1,840
City of Reklaw	Reklaw, TX	1 of 10	0.370 ppb	627
Tarkington Special Utility District	Cleveland, TX	7 of 16	0.369 ppb	4,769
Harris County Municipal Utility District 11	Houston, TX	1 of 7	0.357 ppb	3,345
Nokomis*	Nokomis, IL	3 of 34	0.347 ppb	2,370
Coalton	Nokomis, IL	3 of 34	0.347 ppb	350
Ephesus	Roopville, GA	6 of 22	0.332 ppb	1,000
Sunny Acres Mobilehome Park	Erie, PA	1 of 3	0.303 ppb	60
Old Marsh Condominium	Scarborough, ME	1 of 2	0.295 ppb	218
City of Hallettsville	Hallettsville, TX	6 of 20	0.260 ppb	2,585
Hunters Creek Mobile Home Park	Orchard Park, NY	36 of 77	0.256 ppb	150
Florida Pines Mobile Home Park	Venice, FL	1 of 2	0.250 ppb	280
Halfway Water Supply Corporation	Plainview, TX	1 of 13	0.245 ppb	49
Stoney Field Mobile Home Park	Pittsford, NJ	8 of 13	0.218 ppb	200
City of Bay City	Bay City, TX	8 of 34	0.212 ppb	17,614
Parker Little River Water System	Acworth, GA	2 of 12	0.185 ppb	114
New Garden/finney - Rcpsa	Lebanon, VA	2 of 26	0.185 ppb	375
Thompson Creek Rcpsa	Lebanon, VA	2 of 26	0.185 ppb	125
Honaker, Town of*	Honaker, VA	2 of 26	0.185 ppb	2,250
Bluff Dale Water Supply Corporation	Bluff Dale, TX	2 of 6	0.182 ppb	250
Harris County Municipal Utility District 368	Houston, TX	2 of 8	0.175 ppb	9,906

* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Benzene, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

Utility	Location	Tests	Average level	People served
City of Jacinto City	Jacinto City, TX	6 of 9	1.10 ppb	10,625
Barrow County Water System*	Winder, GA	1 of 1	1.000 ppb	14,043
Linda County Water District	Marysville, CA	43 of 83	0.942 ppb	13,800
Lomita Water Department	Lomita, CA	3 of 8	0.930 ppb	20,256
Jackson Water System	Jackson, TN	91 of 396	0.572 ppb	95,501
City of Bay City	Bay City, TX	8 of 34	0.212 ppb	17,614
City of Norco*	Norco, CA	5 of 21	0.140 ppb	27,160
Fishkill Village*	Fishkill, NY	1 of 60	0.103 ppb	11,337
City of Tomball*	Tomball, TX	1 of 8	0.0875 ppb	12,924
Dothan Utilities*	Dothan, AL	11 of 97	0.0692 ppb	93,459
Saint Louis Park	St. Louis Park, MN	8 of 48	0.0560 ppb	47,221
Western Virginia Water Authority*	Roanoke, VA	3 of 57	0.0554 ppb	155,000
Guymon	Guymon, OK	1 of 18	0.0472 ppb	11,442
Alexandria	Alexandria, MN	4 of 37	0.0381 ppb	13,340
Midvale City Water System	Midvale, UT	4 of 65	0.0369 ppb	33,000
Aqua NJ - Eastern Division	Hamilton, NJ	4 of 31	0.0323 ppb	12,000
US Army Aviation and Missile Command	Redstone Arsenal, AL	1 of 13	0.0292 ppb	38,700
City of Southlake	Southlake, TX	1 of 34	0.0232 ppb	32,000
City of Crowley	Crowley, TX	1 of 34	0.0232 ppb	14,800
City of Saginaw	Saginaw, TX	1 of 34	0.0232 ppb	22,380
City of Haltom City	Haltom City, TX	1 of 34	0.0232 ppb	44,134
City of Fort Worth*	Fort Worth, TX	1 of 34	0.0232 ppb	853,762
City of Forest Hill	Forest Hill, TX	1 of 34	0.0232 ppb	13,689
City of Burleson	Burleson, TX	1 of 34	0.0232 ppb	43,960
City of Keller	Keller, TX	1 of 34	0.0232 ppb	44,620
Edina	Edina, MN	1 of 19	0.0200 ppb	49,050
Minden Water System	Minden, LA	2 of 40	0.0190 ppb	16,950
City of Idaho Falls	Idaho Falls, ID	1 of 19	0.0184 ppb	61,500
Miramar (East & West) Plants	Miramar, FL	1 of 14	0.0179 ppb	127,700
Wallingford Water Department	Wallingford, CT	1 of 35	0.0143 ppb	37,267
Swta - Main System*	Allentown, PA	1 of 66	0.0136 ppb	14,500
City of Kinston	Kinston, NC	1 of 80	0.0125 ppb	27,475
Long Beach Water Department	Long Beach, CA	1 of 179	0.0123 ppb	470,292
Signal Hill - City, Water Department	Signal Hill, CA	2 of 276	0.0119 ppb	11,411
City of Stuart - Water Plant	Stuart, FL	9 of 214	0.0105 ppb	19,000
Lee County Utilities*	Fort Myers, FL	2 of 18	0.0101 ppb	251,502
Gateway Services District	Fort Myers, FL	2 of 18	0.0101 ppb	12,717
Stafford Twp Water - Beach Haven West	Manahawkin, NJ	1 of 42	0.00833 ppb	28,863
Riviera Beach Utility District*	Riviera Beach, FL	2 of 47	0.00691 ppb	34,700
Point Pleasant Water Department	Point Pleasant, NJ	2 of 38	0.00605 ppb	19,600
New Philadelphia City PWS	New Philadelphia, OH	1 of 140	0.00571 ppb	17,288
South Alabama Utilities Water System	Citronelle, AL	1 of 118	0.00483 ppb	39,249
Hempstead	Hempstead, NY	4 of 497	0.00477 ppb	56,000
Vineland Water & Sewer Utility	Vineland, NJ	1 of 159	0.00440 ppb	36,250
West Deptford Twp Water Department	Thorofare, NJ	1 of 12	0.00417 ppb	22,000
Cedarburg L & W Commission	Cedarburg, WI	2 of 136	0.00250 ppb	11,900
City of Tallahassee*	Tallahassee, FL	1 of 89	0.00202 ppb	193,927
Monroe Twp MUA	Williamstown, NJ	2 of 296	0.00179 ppb	26,179
Hammonton Water Department	Hammonton, NJ	1 of 38	0.00158 ppb	12,153
Hicksville WD	Hicksville, NY	3 of 1,392	0.00114 ppb	48,000