Hexachlorobenzene (HCB)
Status: National drinking water standard exists
Hexachlorobenzene is a cancer-causing, neurotoxic and hormone-disrupting chemical used as a pesticide until 1984. It is still found in landfills and hazardous waste sites, and can be detected in people.
2017-2019:
6
states detected
25
utilities detected
375,000
people served
2
states over health guideline
3
utilities over health guideline
16,305
people served over health guideline
0
states over legal limit
0
utilities over legal limit
0
people served over legal limit
Health concerns for hexachlorobenzene
Cancer
Harm to the brain and nervous system
Hormone disruption
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 0.03 ppb
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.03 ppb for hexachlorobenzene 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) 1 ppb
The legal limit for hexachlorobenzene, established in 1992, 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 hexachlorobenzene exposure.
ppb = parts per billion
States reporting hexachlorobenzene in drinking water
| UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES | UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Utilities | People Served | Utilities | People Served | |||
| Florida | 2 | 6,205 | 14 | 298,373 | |||
| North Carolina | 0 | 0 | 5 | 51,805 | |||
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 10,100 | 1 | 10,100 | |||
| New Mexico | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8,687 | |||
| Massachusetts | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5,257 | |||
| Wyoming | 0 | 0 | 1 | 800 | |||
Filtering technologies that reduce hexachlorobenzene
Activated Carbon
Reverse Osmosis
Utilities with the highest amounts of hexachlorobenzene, 2017-2019
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avoyelles Parish Waterworks District 1 | Bordelonville, LA | 2 of 6 | 0.0533 ppb | 3,900 |
| Tri County Joint Municipal Authority* | Fredericktown, PA | 1 of 10 | 0.0510 ppb | 10,100 |
| St. Lucie Mobile Village | Indiantown, FL | 1 of 2 | 0.0500 ppb | 750 |
| South Claiborne Water System | Athens, LA | 4 of 26 | 0.0454 ppb | 3,840 |
| Red Hill Waterworks Inc.* | Georgetown, LA | 2 of 20 | 0.0300 ppb | 1,872 |
| Village of Georgetown Water Supply | Georgetown, LA | 2 of 20 | 0.0300 ppb | 302 |
| Columbia Heights Water District | Columbia, LA | 2 of 16 | 0.0275 ppb | 1,965 |
| West Winn Water System Inc. | Winnfield, LA | 2 of 26 | 0.0211 ppb | 2,154 |
| City of Fort Meade | Fort Meade, FL | 1 of 5 | 0.0200 ppb | 5,455 |
| Wards 4 & 5 Water System | Columbia, LA | 2 of 8 | 0.0173 ppb | 921 |
| Florida Pines Mobile Home Park | Venice, FL | 1 of 2 | 0.0115 ppb | 280 |
| G & H Mobile Home Park Inc. | Mulberry, FL | 1 of 2 | 0.01000 ppb | 80 |
| Dayton, Town Of | Dayton, WY | 1 of 2 | 0.01000 ppb | 800 |
| Gibsland Water System | Gibsland, LA | 2 of 12 | 0.01000 ppb | 979 |
| Topsfield Water Department | Topsfield, MA | 1 of 11 | 0.00864 ppb | 5,257 |
| Lawco Mansura | Baton Rouge, LA | 2 of 24 | 0.00850 ppb | 1,677 |
| Sunrise Southwest | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 1 of 5 | 0.00400 ppb | 9,457 |
| Mulberry, City of | Mulberry, FL | 2 of 9 | 0.00400 ppb | 3,780 |
| Victor, City of | Victor, CO | 1 of 2 | 0.00325 ppb | 491 |
| East Mountain Water Hauling | Tijeras, NM | 1 of 7 | 0.00300 ppb | 124 |
| Vista De Manana | Tijeras, NM | 1 of 7 | 0.00300 ppb | 63 |
| Entranosa Water and Wastewater Co-op* | Tijeras, NM | 1 of 7 | 0.00300 ppb | 8,500 |
| Bourne Water District* | Pocasset, MA | 1 of 32 | 0.00291 ppb | 22,500 |
| Schooner Pass Trustees Condominiums | Bourne, MA | 1 of 32 | 0.00291 ppb | 136 |
| Catamount Md Lake Property | Steamboat Springs, CO | 1 of 6 | 0.00283 ppb | 215 |
| Fremont, Town of* | Fremont, NC | 1 of 145 | 0.00262 ppb | 1,463 |
| Wayne Water Districts* | Goldsboro, NC | 1 of 145 | 0.00262 ppb | 32,426 |
| Walnut Creek Village | Goldsboro, NC | 1 of 145 | 0.00262 ppb | 900 |
| Fern Crest Utilities Inc. | Ft Lauderdale, FL | 1 of 7 | 0.00257 ppb | 3,123 |
| Town of Breckenridge | Breckenridge, CO | 1 of 6 | 0.00162 ppb | 28,315 |
| Lee County Utilities* | Fort Myers, FL | 1 of 25 | 0.00160 ppb | 251,502 |
| Pine Lakes Mobile Home Park | N. Fort Myers, FL | 1 of 25 | 0.00160 ppb | 1,220 |
| Gateway Services District | Fort Myers, FL | 1 of 25 | 0.00160 ppb | 12,717 |
| Town of Fort Myers Beach (beach Water) | Fort Myers Beach, FL | 1 of 25 | 0.00160 ppb | 6,900 |
| Old Bridge Village Mobile Home Park | North Fort Myers, FL | 1 of 25 | 0.00160 ppb | 1,000 |
| Mobile Manor Mobile Home Park | N. Fort Myers, FL | 1 of 25 | 0.00160 ppb | 482 |
| Tamiami Village Mobile Home Park | N. Fort Myers, FL | 1 of 25 | 0.00160 ppb | 1,200 |
| Redstone Water & Sanitation District | Redstone, CO | 1 of 4 | 0.00153 ppb | 180 |
| Lefthand Water & Sanitation District Lake Pines | Wheat Ridge, CO | 1 of 12 | 0.00125 ppb | 250 |
| Left Hand WD* | Niwot, CO | 1 of 12 | 0.00125 ppb | 20,600 |
| Miramar (East & West) Plants | Miramar, FL | 1 of 16 | 0.00113 ppb | 127,700 |
| Frostproof, City of | Frostproof, FL | 2 of 12 | 0.00105 ppb | 3,550 |
| Mountain Village, Town of | Redvale, CO | 4 of 30 | 0.000917 ppb | 8,700 |
| Windcliff Property Owners Association | Estes Park, CO | 1 of 11 | 0.000891 ppb | 337 |
| Town of Estes Park* | Estes Park, CO | 1 of 11 | 0.000891 ppb | 16,722 |
| Peetz, Town of | Peetz, CO | 1 of 17 | 0.000765 ppb | 295 |
| Marion Oaks Subdivision | Ocala, FL | 1 of 20 | 0.000750 ppb | 19,401 |
| Ely Municipal Water Department* | Ely, NV | 1 of 11 | 0.000646 ppb | 5,000 |
| Ruth Water District | Mcgill, NV | 1 of 11 | 0.000646 ppb | 470 |
| Paint Brush Hills | Falcon, CO | 1 of 36 | 0.000556 ppb | 3,447 |
* 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 Hexachlorobenzene (HCB), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tri County Joint Municipal Authority* | Fredericktown, PA | 1 of 10 | 0.0510 ppb | 10,100 |
| Bourne Water District* | Pocasset, MA | 1 of 32 | 0.00291 ppb | 22,500 |
| Wayne Water Districts* | Goldsboro, NC | 1 of 145 | 0.00262 ppb | 32,426 |
| Town of Breckenridge | Breckenridge, CO | 1 of 6 | 0.00162 ppb | 28,315 |
| Lee County Utilities* | Fort Myers, FL | 1 of 25 | 0.00160 ppb | 251,502 |
| Gateway Services District | Fort Myers, FL | 1 of 25 | 0.00160 ppb | 12,717 |
| Left Hand WD* | Niwot, CO | 1 of 12 | 0.00125 ppb | 20,600 |
| Miramar (East & West) Plants | Miramar, FL | 1 of 16 | 0.00113 ppb | 127,700 |
| Town of Estes Park* | Estes Park, CO | 1 of 11 | 0.000891 ppb | 16,722 |
| Marion Oaks Subdivision | Ocala, FL | 1 of 20 | 0.000750 ppb | 19,401 |
| Cherokee MD* | Colorado Springs, CO | 1 of 30 | 0.000333 ppb | 23,000 |
* 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 Hexachlorobenzene (HCB), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.