Water delivered to homes in LA from the Parish Water Company comes from a local supply serving thousands of connections. Federal data collected between May and November 2013 under the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR3) provides a snapshot of certain chemicals in this system’s water—1,4-dioxane among them. Understanding this data helps homeowners weigh treatment choices accurately.
Why carbon filtration and boiling are limited solutions for 1,4-dioxane
This cyclic ether, known as the solvent stabiliser, is a small, highly soluble chemical. Standard activated carbon filters that adsorb many contaminants have little effect on it because of its chemical properties. Boiling water does not change the concentration significantly since 1,4-dioxane has a boiling point close to water and is not removed effectively by evaporation. Instead, documented approaches involve specialized equipment designed to target such stable ethers.
Interpreting reverse osmosis rejection rates and why percentages dont guarantee outcomes
Reverse osmosis (RO) is often presented with percentage rejection rates indicating how much of a constituent it can block. Although RO membranes can substantially reduce 1,4-dioxane, these percentages come from controlled studies and do not guarantee the same performance in all households. Variations in water chemistry, system configuration, and maintenance influence actual effectiveness, so percentage numbers alone cannot determine if an RO setup fully addresses this compound.
What the Parish Water Company sampling dates and ranges show about variation
The EPA monitored 40 samples between May 3 and November 25, 2013. During this period, no measurement of 1,4-dioxane exceeded the EPA's reporting level of 0.07 micrograms per liter (μg/L), equivalent to parts per billion (ppb). The data indicates consistent non-detection within that timeframe but does not reflect seasonal or longer-term changes that could occur outside those months.
Understanding ‘detected,’ ‘median,’ and ‘range’ in local water data
For the Parish Water Company, all 40 samples registered below the detection limit for 1,4-dioxane. Detection refers to the ability of instruments to measure the compound above a specific threshold; a non-detection means any presence was below that level. Median and range values summarize detected levels when present, but here, the absence of detections means these statistics are not applicable for this constituent in this system.
Comparing this areas 1,4-dioxane record with neighboring counties
Area-specific monitoring results represent conditions within each water system and cannot be applied universally to adjacent counties. Differences in industrial activity, groundwater characteristics, and treatment influence measured levels. For example, a neighboring county might show occasional detections due to differing sources, but that does not imply the Parish Water Company system shares the same profile.
Sample size and well count: what 40 samples imply about data reliability
The Parish Water Company sample set of 40 provides a reasonable snapshot for a single monitoring period but is limited in capturing rare spikes or variability across all wells and sources. The number of wells feeding the system and the distribution of samples affect representativeness. A modest sample size calls for caution in assuming static water quality year-round or for individual homes.
In summary, Parish Water Company’s EPA record shows no detected 1,4-dioxane above the reporting level during the 2013 monitoring period and no recorded health-based violations. This does not guarantee any homes water is completely free of this solvent stabiliser, nor targets a safe or unsafe status—the records simply provide factual regional measurements. To understand specific household water characteristics, independent testing is essential. For those considering treatment, the Autotrol 1,4-Dioxane Filter ships ready to configure and uses documented technology to address this specific compound where present.
Where this information comes from
Source: EPA SDWIS public water system record. Sampled 2013-11-25. These figures describe the public water system's record, not the plumbing inside any individual building.
On record: EPA UCMR3 monitoring (2013-2015) for Parish Water Company (LA1033019), LA: 40 results across 1 listed contaminants, 0 detections above the reporting level; nothing detected above the method reporting level