Fleck 1,4-Dioxane Filter

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EPA public water system records for Naval Station Washington - Washington Navy Yard (DC0000003) serving District Of Columbia county residents show 1,4-dioxane below the detection limit of 0.07 micrograms per liter (µg/L, or parts per billion). This data stems from federal UCMR3 monitoring between 2013 and 2015 and is about the broader water system, not any individual household supply.

Why 1,4-Dioxane Moves Ahead of the Solvent Plume It Stabilized

The chemical 1,4-dioxane, also known as the cyclic ether solvent stabilizer, is notable for its mobility in water. Unlike many solvents it often accompanies, dioxane does not readily bind to soil or sediment and tends to migrate faster through groundwater systems. This means that downgradient areas can detect dioxane before the main solvent plume arrives, signaling contamination spreading further than initially apparent. For households, this mobility implies that monitoring and treatment decisions should consider dioxane’s unique behavior compared to other site-related chemicals.

Why a Low-Level Detection Is Reported to Three Decimal Places

The four 1,4-dioxane results recorded are all below the 0.07 µg/L reporting level, the threshold at which concentrations would register as detected. When measurements are reported to three decimal places, it reflects the laboratory's analytical precision rather than the presence of a health concern. These values help outline the background levels or trace amounts that may be present but do not indicate exceedance of any regulatory standard since there is currently no federal maximum contaminant level (MCL) for dioxane.

Which Fixtures, Appliances, or Processes Are Affected First and Why

When 1,4-dioxane is present in household water, it most noticeably affects applications involving water heating and evaporation. Hot water fixtures and appliances, such as showers, dishwashers, and laundry machines, can volatilize the compound more readily, potentially exposing residents through inhalation of vapors. Additionally, the compound may slightly alter taste or odor, although such sensory changes are subtle at low concentrations. Knowing which household processes interact intensively with water and heat is important when considering technical approaches to manage 1,4-dioxane.

The Difference Between a UCMR3 Detection and a State Notification Level for Dioxane

UCMR3 detections are part of a federal unregulated contaminant monitoring program that provides data without setting enforceable limits. A detection under this program indicates the presence of dioxane at or above the laboratory reporting threshold but does not imply a safety violation. State notification levels, where established, serve as advisory benchmarks prompting public notification or action but are not enforceable standards either. The data for Naval Station Washington shows no UCMR3 detections above reporting limits, indicating no requirement for notification based on this federal monitoring.

What 'Detected', 'Median' and 'Range' Mean in the Sampling Record

• Detected: Indicates that the analytical method measured 1,4-dioxane at or above the reporting level. Here, none were detected above 0.07 µg/L.
• Median: The middle value in the data set; not applicable here since no values exceeded detection limits.
• Range: The spread between the lowest and highest measured values. For this system, all results were below detection, so the range is effectively from non-detect to non-detect.

Closing: Readers should not conclude that their individual household water contains no 1,4-dioxane based on area system records, as these represent broad system sampling rather than specific point-of-use tests. To determine personal water quality, homeowners should conduct their own measurements. For addressing 1,4-dioxane in residential water, the Fleck 1,4-Dioxane Filter is available and ships ready to configure, employing a tailored approach to reduce this cyclic ether solvent stabilizer from water at the point of delivery. This provides a technical pathway separate from other treatment technologies under consideration.

Where this information comes from

Source: EPA SDWIS public water system record. Sampled 2015-09-09. These figures describe the public water system's record, not the plumbing inside any individual building.

On record: EPA UCMR3 monitoring (2013-2015) for Naval Station Washington - Washington Navy Yard (DC0000003), DC: 4 results across 1 listed contaminants, 0 detections above the reporting level; nothing detected above the method reporting level