Ethylbenzene in Drinking Water
EPA limits, health effects, and what to do if your water is affected.
🩨 Health Effects
Long-term exposure above the MCL may cause liver or kidney effects. Animal studies suggest possible carcinogenic effects. Classified as a possible human carcinogen.
📍 Sources in Water
Found in gasoline and used as a solvent in manufacturing. Enters water from petroleum product spills, underground storage tank leaks, and industrial discharge.
✅ What To Do
Activated carbon filtration is effective. Ethylbenzene has a relatively high MCL and violations are uncommon in community water systems.
📜 Regulation History
The EPA set the ethylbenzene MCL at 0.7 mg/L (700 ppb) in 1987 under the Phase I VOC rule. In 2000, IARC classified ethylbenzene as a possible human carcinogen (Group 2B). The WHO guideline is 0.3 mg/L, stricter than the US standard.
🔬 How To Test Your Water
Certified lab tests for ethylbenzene cost $50-$100 as part of a VOC panel (EPA Method 524.2). Home test kits are not available. Ethylbenzene is typically tested alongside other BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, xylenes).
💧 Which Filters Remove Ethylbenzene?
Granular activated carbon (GAC) filters effectively remove ethylbenzene (NSF/ANSI 53 certified for VOC reduction). Air stripping is used at the municipal level. Reverse osmosis also works. Carbon filtration is the most practical home treatment option.
🔗 Related Contaminants
Check your tap water for Ethylbenzene
Search your ZIP code to see if your water system has had Ethylbenzene violations, plus lead testing results and an overall safety grade.
Search your ZIP code →Data from the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). MCLs reflect minimum federal standards; some contaminants may pose health risks below these thresholds.