Heptachlor epoxide
Status: National drinking water standard exists
Heptachlor epoxide is a breakdown product of heptachlor, a highly toxic and carcinogenic pesticide banned in the U.S. since the 1980s.
2017-2019:
17
states detected
98
utilities detected
1.8 million
people served
9
states over health guideline
58
utilities over health guideline
145,000
people served over health guideline
0
states over legal limit
0
utilities over legal limit
0
people served over legal limit
Health concerns for heptachlor epoxide
Cancer
Hormone disruption
Harm to the liver
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 0.006 ppb
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.006 ppb for heptachlor epoxide 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) 0.2 ppb
The legal limit for heptachlor epoxide, established in 1991, 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.
ppb = parts per billion
States reporting heptachlor epoxide in drinking water
| UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES | UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Utilities | People Served | Utilities | People Served | |||
| Hawaii | 0 | 0 | 5 | 719,373 | |||
| Florida | 9 | 28,233 | 22 | 326,396 | |||
| Delaware | 1 | 999 | 2 | 301,999 | |||
| New York | 1 | 34,000 | 3 | 202,000 | |||
| Texas | 5 | 41,747 | 7 | 114,613 | |||
| North Carolina | 32 | 21,634 | 38 | 53,875 | |||
| Alabama | 0 | 0 | 3 | 44,823 | |||
| Massachusetts | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16,445 | |||
| Connecticut | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15,245 | |||
| Louisiana | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11,619 | |||
| Illinois | 4 | 9,699 | 4 | 9,699 | |||
| Nebraska | 4 | 7,905 | 5 | 8,925 | |||
| Wyoming | 0 | 0 | 1 | 800 | |||
| Maryland | 1 | 600 | 1 | 600 | |||
| Colorado | 1 | 400 | 1 | 400 | |||
| Nevada | 0 | 0 | 1 | 180 | |||
| Pennsylvania | 0 | 0 | 1 | 95 | |||
Filtering technologies that reduce heptachlor epoxide
Activated Carbon
Reverse Osmosis
Utilities with the highest amounts of heptachlor epoxide, 2017-2019
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aloha Gardens Utilities | New Port Richey, FL | 12 of 12 | 0.116 ppb | 8,136 |
| Ashebrook Park | Denver, NC | 22 of 24 | 0.101 ppb | 231 |
| Riddle Farm | Berlin, MD | 1 of 2 | 0.0850 ppb | 600 |
| Westwood S/d | Holiday, FL | 8 of 8 | 0.0774 ppb | 344 |
| Royal Acres S/d | Cary, NC | 12 of 15 | 0.0562 ppb | 61 |
| Dalewood-monteray Water System | Denver, NC | 7 of 9 | 0.0530 ppb | 142 |
| Harbour Light Estates Community | Salisbury, MD | 1 of 2 | 0.0500 ppb | 95 |
| Oak Hill Estates | Pomfret, MD | 1 of 2 | 0.0500 ppb | 180 |
| Cedar Village II | Carrboro, NC | 12 of 12 | 0.0483 ppb | 36 |
| Edgewood Mobile Home Park | Ocala, FL | 9 of 11 | 0.0477 ppb | 42 |
| Winningfield S/d | Denver, NC | 5 of 6 | 0.0441 ppb | 28 |
| Henlopen Acres, Town of | Rehoboth, DE | 5 of 6 | 0.0437 ppb | 999 |
| Rolling Acres S/d | Cary, NC | 20 of 20 | 0.0398 ppb | 58 |
| Camelot S/d | Cary, NC | 11 of 19 | 0.0351 ppb | 604 |
| Orangewood Water System | Holiday, FL | 20 of 24 | 0.0297 ppb | 5,937 |
| Quail Ridge S/d | Denver, NC | 5 of 6 | 0.0281 ppb | 142 |
| Colonial Heights-meadowbrook | Cary, NC | 9 of 10 | 0.0264 ppb | 77 |
| Hickory Grove Mobile Home Park | Dallas, NC | 1 of 1 | 0.0250 ppb | 69 |
| Helms Water System | Denver, NC | 13 of 20 | 0.0241 ppb | 86 |
| Middlesex Water System | Raleigh, NC | 6 of 19 | 0.0239 ppb | 975 |
| Amber Acres | Charlotte, NC | 6 of 10 | 0.0237 ppb | 239 |
| Braxton Hills/simmons Heights | Hampstead, NC | 6 of 10 | 0.0236 ppb | 614 |
| Deerwood S/d | Denver, NC | 5 of 6 | 0.0233 ppb | 100 |
| Emerald Village S/d | Cary, NC | 5 of 9 | 0.0225 ppb | 125 |
| Snow Creek Heights Water System | Denver, NC | 6 of 10 | 0.0217 ppb | 130 |
| Berkshire Downs | Cary, NC | 10 of 15 | 0.0212 ppb | 277 |
| Mcconnell S/d | Denver, NC | 5 of 8 | 0.0209 ppb | 124 |
| Sterlingshire S/d | Denver, NC | 1 of 8 | 0.0203 ppb | 147 |
| Country Acres/southgate | Denver, NC | 6 of 8 | 0.0201 ppb | 668 |
| Northwest Grayson County Water Control and Improvement District 1* | Gordonville, TX | 1 of 8 | 0.0188 ppb | 2,706 |
| Eden Mobile Home Park | Fruitland, MD | 1 of 6 | 0.0167 ppb | 250 |
| Port Washington WD | Port Washington, NY | 17 of 41 | 0.0164 ppb | 34,000 |
| Oak Run Estates | Ocala, FL | 9 of 31 | 0.0163 ppb | 11,788 |
| Stone Oaks Mobile Home Park | Ocala, FL | 1 of 1 | 0.0160 ppb | 302 |
| Coronado Shores Water System | Silverton, TX | 1 of 7 | 0.0143 ppb | 150 |
| Carmel Park | Denver, NC | 4 of 7 | 0.0136 ppb | 107 |
| Blue Skies Estates | Ocala, FL | 4 of 5 | 0.0132 ppb | 195 |
| Clearview Acres S/d | Denver, NC | 5 of 11 | 0.0130 ppb | 170 |
| Oakland, City of | Oakland, NE | 1 of 4 | 0.0125 ppb | 1,279 |
| Adams Mobile Home Park | Middlesex, NC | 1 of 7 | 0.0120 ppb | 80 |
| Medfield Estates S/d | Cary, NC | 6 of 14 | 0.0115 ppb | 779 |
| Spencer Rd Park | Denver, NC | 4 of 13 | 0.0113 ppb | 142 |
| Cameron Point S/d | Denver, NC | 1 of 6 | 0.0108 ppb | 86 |
| Crestridge Gardens Utilities | Holiday, FL | 2 of 4 | 0.01000 ppb | 1,209 |
| River Meadows S/d | Denver, NC | 1 of 6 | 0.00967 ppb | 119 |
| Sherwood Forest S/d | Denver, NC | 3 of 8 | 0.00899 ppb | 160 |
| Cass County Sanitary and Improvement District #7 - Swallow Hills | Plattsmouth, NE | 1 of 7 | 0.00857 ppb | 93 |
| Plattsmouth, City of* | Plattsmouth, NE | 1 of 7 | 0.00857 ppb | 6,503 |
| Brookwood Comm. Water System | Hampstead, NC | 29 of 111 | 0.00820 ppb | 15,665 |
| Bone Mesa Domestic Water District | Paonia, CO | 1 of 3 | 0.00733 ppb | 400 |
* 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 Heptachlor epoxide, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port Washington WD | Port Washington, NY | 17 of 41 | 0.0164 ppb | 34,000 |
| Oak Run Estates | Ocala, FL | 9 of 31 | 0.0163 ppb | 11,788 |
| Brookwood Comm. Water System | Hampstead, NC | 29 of 111 | 0.00820 ppb | 15,665 |
| University Park | Dallas, TX | 1 of 6 | 0.00500 ppb | 23,040 |
| Southern Utilities | Tyler, TX | 2 of 79 | 0.00266 ppb | 59,154 |
| Robertsdale, City of | Robertsdale, AL | 1 of 3 | 0.00233 ppb | 10,905 |
| Water Authority of Western Nassau | New Hyde Park, NY | 1 of 11 | 0.00227 ppb | 120,000 |
| East Lyme Water & Sewer Commission* | Niantic, CT | 1 of 31 | 0.00142 ppb | 15,245 |
| Beverly Hills / Rolling Oaks Subdivision | Beverly Hills, FL | 2 of 20 | 0.00139 ppb | 11,572 |
| City of Henderson* | Henderson, TX | 1 of 34 | 0.00118 ppb | 13,712 |
| Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam* | Jbpph, HI | 1 of 20 | 0.001000 ppb | 65,230 |
| Newark Water Department | Newark, DE | 1 of 15 | 0.000933 ppb | 36,450 |
| Cliffdale West | Hampstead, NC | 4 of 130 | 0.000909 ppb | 15,463 |
| Honolulu-Windward-Pearl Harbor* | Honolulu, HI | 23 of 465 | 0.000789 ppb | 631,389 |
| Marine Corps Base Hawaii | Kaneohe Bay, HI | 23 of 465 | 0.000789 ppb | 16,300 |
| Duxbury Water Department* | Duxbury, MA | 1 of 29 | 0.000655 ppb | 16,445 |
| Mobile County Water and Fire Pro Authority | Theodore, AL | 1 of 35 | 0.000600 ppb | 39,573 |
| Naval Air Station Pensacola / Corry Station | Nas Pensacola, FL | 3 of 53 | 0.000474 ppb | 22,600 |
| Miramar (East & West) Plants | Miramar, FL | 1 of 16 | 0.000325 ppb | 127,700 |
| Artesian Water Company* | Newark, DE | 2 of 169 | 0.000296 ppb | 301,000 |
| Hicksville WD | Hicksville, NY | 1 of 75 | 0.000293 ppb | 48,000 |
| WA of Great Neck North | Great Neck, NY | 1 of 76 | 0.000276 ppb | 31,400 |
| Village Water System | Princeton, LA | 2 of 72 | 0.000206 ppb | 10,644 |
| Manchester Water Department* | Manchester, CT | 1 of 31 | 0.000203 ppb | 51,066 |
| North Baldwin Utilities* | Bay Minette, AL | 1 of 28 | 0.000143 ppb | 28,713 |
| Gateway Services District | Fort Myers, FL | 1 of 25 | 0 ppb | 12,717 |
| Lee County Utilities* | Fort Myers, FL | 1 of 25 | 0 ppb | 251,502 |
| Bayleaf Master | Cary, NC | 1 of 427 | 0 ppb | 15,565 |
* 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 Heptachlor epoxide, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.