Tapcensus

Chlorobenzene in drinking water

EPA code 2989Volatile Organic CompoundHealth-based limit

1,945 active public water systems in 42 states had a Chlorobenzene violation in the past three years, and 86 had one in the latest quarter of EPA's data.

You are on Tapcensus, an independent guide to the EPA compliance records of every public water system in the United States. This page explains Chlorobenzene and lists the water systems whose records include a related violation. It does not show measured levels.

Systems with violations, 3 yr 1,945 1% of active systems
In violation, latest quarter 86 EPA data updated Oct 7, 2026
States affected 42 of 50
EPA limit 0.1 mg/L (100 ppb)

Is Chlorobenzene in the records for your water system?

Enter a ZIP code, town, or street address to see the water systems that serve your area, their status, and which rules and contaminants appear in their violations.

What it is and where it comes from

Chlorobenzene is an aromatic solvent and chemical intermediate used in the production of DDT, nitrochlorobenzenes, and other industrial chemicals. It enters drinking water through discharge from chemical manufacturing facilities and leaching from contaminated industrial sites. It is moderately volatile and moderately persistent in groundwater.

Health effects

Chronic exposure to chlorobenzene is associated with liver and kidney effects in animal studies. EPA has not classified it as a human carcinogen based on available data. Short-term exposure at high levels can cause nervous system depression. Long-term exposure above the MCL is the primary concern for public water system violations.

The standard and what a violation means

EPA limit: 0.1 mg/L (100 ppb).

Water systems with a Chlorobenzene violation, by state

Active public water systems that reported at least one related violation to EPA in the past three years. Each state links to the list of its affected systems.

StateSystems with violations, 3 yrShare of active systemsIn violation, latest quarter
Illinois1964%10
Texas1722%0
Pennsylvania1692%6
Michigan1651%4
Alaska1028%5
Washington1022%10
Oregon853%3
New Jersey772%5
New York731%2
Oklahoma715%0
Colorado693%4
Indiana662%3
Idaho482%3
Wisconsin450%5
Montana402%0
Connecticut392%4
West Virginia385%1
Missouri341%2
Arizona332%3
Virginia311%2
Wyoming314%1
Vermont302%3
California290%2
North Carolina261%1
Nevada264%0
Utah262%1
Alabama183%0
Maine181%0
Iowa141%0
Ohio140%1
Massachusetts121%0
Tennessee111%0
Rhode Island92%1
Minnesota70%1
New Hampshire40%1
Kansas30%0
Mississippi30%1
New Mexico30%0
Maryland20%0
South Dakota20%0
Kentucky10%0
North Dakota10%1

Largest water systems with a Chlorobenzene violation

The ten biggest systems, by people served, whose records include a related violation in the past three years.

SystemServesStatusRules violated, 3 yrUnresolved
Tucson City of
Tucson · Pima County
732,906 3 0
Mesa City of
Mesa · Maricopa County
466,000 3 0
Chandler City of
Chandler · Maricopa County
247,328 4 0
Trenton Water Works
Ewing Twp, Hamilton Twp, Hopewell Twp.1106- and 2 more · Mercer County
217,000 8 2
Corona, City of
Corona · Riverside County
169,380 6 0
City of Sunnyvale
Sunnyvale · Santa Clara County
157,566 5 0
Sandy City Water System
Salt Lake County
99,750 2 0
Epcor San Tan
Johnson Ranch · Pinal County
87,435 3 0
Flagstaff City of
Flagstaff · Coconino County
79,796 5 0
East Orange Water Commission
East Orange City · Essex County
75,000 6 1
About this data

A system is counted once if any of its violations in the past three years involved Chlorobenzene, including monitoring and reporting lapses. Rules violated and status in the systems table are for the whole system, not Chlorobenzene alone. Counts cover active systems in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Source: the U.S. EPA's Enforcement and Compliance History Online system (ECHO), which publishes the federal Safe Drinking Water Information System. EPA's terms and values are shown as published. The records are from EPA's data refresh of Oct 7, 2026; EPA refreshes this data quarterly, and states report to EPA with a lag of three to six months, so the newest violations may not appear yet.