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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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1,4-Dioxane

Status: No national drinking water standard exists

 

1,4-Dioxane is a solvent classified by the EPA as a likely human carcinogen. It contaminates groundwater in many states due to industrial wastewater discharges, plastic manufacturing runoff and landfill runoff. Read More.

Animal studies show that 1,4-dioxane can target the liver, kidneys and respiratory system, and that prenatal exposure can harm the developing fetus. The State of California has set a Public Heatlh Goal of no more than 1 part per billion of 1,4-dioxane in drinking water. The state of Massachusetts sets a legal limit of 0.3 ppb, and New Hampshire's limit is 3 parts per billion. There is no national drinking water standard for this contaminant.

Click here to read more about 1,4-dioxane.

2013-2019:

FOUND
FOUND ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES

45

states detected

1,964

utilities detected

90 million

people served

26

states over health guideline

289

utilities over health guideline

8.9 million

people served over health guideline

Health concerns for 1,4-dioxane

Cancer

Irritation of the lungs

Harm to the kidney

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.35 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.35 ppb for 1,4-dioxane was defined by the Environmental Protection Agency as a one-in-a-million lifetime risk of cancer. Values greater than one-in-a-million cancer risk level can result in increased cancer cases above one in a million people.

ppb = parts per billion

States reporting 1,4-dioxane in drinking water

UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION
State UtilitiesPeople Served UtilitiesPeople Served
California462,569,14819117,726,312
New York23929,4458312,685,987
Texas001266,803,244
Florida116,746896,311,930
Pennsylvania665,2481105,806,679
New Jersey201,027,5391144,965,426
Ohio7945,1661213,576,476
Arizona00362,796,377
North Carolina971,789,4491482,733,428
Illinois22343,3641322,507,882
Alabama11120,954882,352,103
Indiana587,348712,340,605
South Carolina9162,1971122,229,389
Tennessee11130,236441,970,449
Kentucky125551,680,122
Missouri00161,629,745
Georgia114,043521,395,083
Massachusetts325,960581,254,995
Louisiana00211,215,536
New Mexico0015987,206
Minnesota232,02122707,912
Colorado388,41615692,461
Iowa49,27253683,069
Michigan356,44419672,165
Connecticut251,58310643,374
Wisconsin111,74515553,820
Washington008519,060
Delaware2307,0007466,468
Nevada004408,173
Idaho005356,513
Virginia0012330,320
West Virginia4108,40830291,873
Hawaii004181,001
Rhode Island119,3548171,664
Nebraska228,3909166,702
Maryland005125,743
Oregon003123,066
Oklahoma001389,920
Mississippi00361,329
Utah00356,800
New Hampshire27231351,123
Kansas00432,583
Montana00232,205
Arkansas00629,380
Vermont00914,335
MORE
LESS

Filtering technologies that reduce 1,4-dioxane

Reverse Osmosis

Utilities with the highest amounts of 1,4-dioxane, 2013-2019

ALL UTILITIES
LARGE UTILITIES
UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Goldston-Gulf Sanitary DistrictGoldston, NC4 of 45.83 ppb1,250
Broadway, Town ofBroadway, NC4 of 45.83 ppb1,503
City of Sanford*Sanford, NC4 of 45.83 ppb45,649
Chatham Co-asbury*Pittsboro, NC4 of 45.83 ppb1,112
Carolina Trace Water SystemCharlotte, NC4 of 45.83 ppb4,160
Goleta Water DistrictGoleta, CA37 of 715.44 ppb86,946
Tract 180 Mutual Water CompanyCudahy, CA43 of 444.93 ppb14,000
Tract 349 Mutual Water Co.Cudahy, CA24 of 244.87 ppb7,500
Bethpage WDBethpage, NY62 of 664.27 ppb33,000
HempsteadHempstead, NY18 of 204.23 ppb56,000
California Water Service Company - East Los AngelesSan Jose, CA175 of 2013.80 ppb150,446
Maywood Mutual Water Company #3Maywood, CA24 of 253.79 ppb9,500
Hoke County Regional--rockfishRaeford, NC7 of 83.77 ppb5,778
Fayetteville Public Works Commission*Fayetteville, NC7 of 83.77 ppb217,948
Tanglewood South Mobile Home Park/fayetteville Public Works CommissionCharlotte, NC7 of 83.77 ppb259
Rain Tree II Fayetteville Public Works CommissionHampstead, NC7 of 83.77 ppb292
Eastgate S/d Fayetteville Public Works CommissionCharlotte, NC7 of 83.77 ppb205
Kelly Hill S/dHampstead, NC7 of 83.77 ppb109
Stedman, Town of*Stedman, NC7 of 83.77 ppb1,506
Brettonwood Hills S/dHampstead, NC7 of 83.77 ppb187
Brookwood South/fayetteville Public Works CommissionHampstead, NC7 of 83.77 ppb2,357
South Midway City Mutual Water CompanyHuntington Beach, CA33 of 333.66 ppb708
Bellflower Home Gardens Water CompanyBellflower, CA156 of 1573.57 ppb1,129
Bellflower - Somerset MWC*Bellflower, CA156 of 1573.57 ppb46,000
Lillington Water System-riverbluffLillington, NC4 of 43.55 ppb93
Woodland Run Mobile Home S/dHampstead, NC4 of 43.55 ppb108
Angier, Town ofAngier, NC4 of 43.55 ppb7,612
Lillington Water SystemLillington, NC4 of 43.55 ppb3,883
Woodlake Water & Sewer Inc.Hampstead, NC4 of 43.55 ppb1,945
Harnett County Department of Public Utilities*Lillington, NC4 of 43.55 ppb101,389
East Moore Water District*Carthage, NC4 of 43.55 ppb6,436
Graystone S/dFuquay-varina, NC4 of 43.55 ppb50
Lillington Water System - VandercroftLillington, NC4 of 43.55 ppb718
Linden, Town ofLinden, NC4 of 43.55 ppb1,973
Coats, Town ofCoats, NC4 of 43.55 ppb2,692
Bragg Communities/ntaFort Bragg, NC4 of 43.55 ppb3,733
Moore County Public Utilities-hidden Lakes S/dCarthage, NC4 of 43.55 ppb165
Lynwood Park Mutual Water CompanyCompton, CA69 of 693.39 ppb2,300
Town of Holly SpringsHolly Springs, NC4 of 43.28 ppb38,500
Water Authority of Western NassauNew Hyde Park, NY29 of 343.23 ppb120,000
Old North Utilities Services/Ft. BraggFort Bragg, NC4 of 43.20 ppb65,000
United Water CamdenCamden, NJ15 of 163.04 ppb46,585
New BrightonNew Brighton, MN8 of 102.99 ppb22,787
Hicksville WDHicksville, NY133 of 1402.95 ppb48,000
Eastover Sanitary DistrictEastover, NC4 of 42.95 ppb6,705
Falcon Water System*Falcon, NC4 of 42.95 ppb714
Sampson Co. Water District Ii - PlainviewClinton, NC4 of 42.95 ppb2,994
City of Dunn*Dunn, NC4 of 42.95 ppb12,334
Maywood Mutual Water Company #1Huntington Park, CA24 of 242.94 ppb5,500
Beaver Falls Municipal Authority*Beaver Falls, PA4 of 42.66 ppb50,000

* 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 1,4-Dioxane, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
City of Sanford*Sanford, NC4 of 45.83 ppb45,649
Goleta Water DistrictGoleta, CA37 of 715.44 ppb86,946
Tract 180 Mutual Water CompanyCudahy, CA43 of 444.93 ppb14,000
Bethpage WDBethpage, NY62 of 664.27 ppb33,000
HempsteadHempstead, NY18 of 204.23 ppb56,000
California Water Service Company - East Los AngelesSan Jose, CA175 of 2013.80 ppb150,446
Fayetteville Public Works Commission*Fayetteville, NC7 of 83.77 ppb217,948
Bellflower - Somerset MWC*Bellflower, CA156 of 1573.57 ppb46,000
Harnett County Department of Public Utilities*Lillington, NC4 of 43.55 ppb101,389
Town of Holly SpringsHolly Springs, NC4 of 43.28 ppb38,500
Water Authority of Western NassauNew Hyde Park, NY29 of 343.23 ppb120,000
Old North Utilities Services/Ft. BraggFort Bragg, NC4 of 43.20 ppb65,000
United Water CamdenCamden, NJ15 of 163.04 ppb46,585
New BrightonNew Brighton, MN8 of 102.99 ppb22,787
Hicksville WDHicksville, NY133 of 1402.95 ppb48,000
City of Dunn*Dunn, NC4 of 42.95 ppb12,334
Beaver Falls Municipal Authority*Beaver Falls, PA4 of 42.66 ppb50,000
Lynwood Water DepartmentLynwood, CA65 of 692.53 ppb71,297
Liberty Utilities - Bellflower - NorwalkDowney, CA41 of 452.50 ppb72,884
Norwalk Water DepartmentNorwalk, CA50 of 652.47 ppb18,372
Pender County UtilitiesBurgaw, NC4 of 42.41 ppb24,236
Brunswick Regional Water and Sewer H2goLeland, NC4 of 42.21 ppb28,488
Golden State Water Company (GSWC) - NorwalkRancho Cordova, CA31 of 392.20 ppb44,466
Merchantville PennsaukenPennsauken, NJ146 of 1462.17 ppb47,144
NJ American Water - Washington/OxfordCherry Hill, NJ41 of 552.16 ppb10,719
Plainview WDPlainview, NY33 of 332.14 ppb35,000
Piedmont Triad Regional*Randleman, NC1 of 12.10 ppb367,681
City of Archdale*Archdale, NC1 of 12.10 ppb12,700
Aqua NJ - Eastern DivisionHamilton, NJ13 of 152.03 ppb12,000
Brunswick County Water System*Bolivia, NC4 of 62.02 ppb100,694
Mesa Water DistrictCosta Mesa, CA93 of 1341.97 ppb108,000
Huntington Park Water DepartmentHuntington Park, CA34 of 361.94 ppb17,209
Town of Fuquay-Varina*Fuquay-varina, NC7 of 81.92 ppb30,424
Collingswood Water DeparCollingswood, NJ58 of 581.90 ppb24,500
Golden State Water Company (GSWC) - ArtesiaRancho Cordova, CA8 of 141.80 ppb47,978
Endicott Municipal Water WorksEndicott, NY4 of 41.78 ppb45,000
Lakewood Water Department*Lakewood, CA39 of 501.75 ppb59,081
Loves ParkLoves Park, IL5 of 131.72 ppb23,744
Paramount Water DepartmentParamount, CA26 of 331.69 ppb55,051
Downey Water DepartmentDowney, CA9 of 91.64 ppb111,930
City of Fountain ValleyFountain Valley, CA94 of 1211.62 ppb56,464
South Gate Water DepartmentSouth Gate, CA99 of 1241.58 ppb96,057
Irvine Ranch Water District*Irvine, CA244 of 6171.57 ppb370,000
RockfordRockford, IL21 of 551.50 ppb147,051
Garden CityGarden City, NY23 of 231.46 ppb46,000
Compton Water DepartmentCompton, CA43 of 521.43 ppb81,963
Park WC - LynwoodDowney, CA12 of 171.41 ppb24,791
Cape Fear Public Utility Authority - WilmingtonWilmington, NC3 of 41.40 ppb153,202
IL American - Peoria*Belleville, IL12 of 161.40 ppb121,478
Gloucester City W DepartmentGloucester City, NJ34 of 341.37 ppb12,460

* 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 1,4-Dioxane, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.