Clarkstown Water System Overview
Residents in Clarkstown, within Rockland County, receive water from a surface water source managed by United Water New York (NY4303673), serving 270,000 people through over 56,000 connections. This public water system is regularly monitored for unregulated contaminants including 1,4-dioxane, a synthetic chemical known as a cyclic ether used industrially as a solvent stabiliser.
Precision and Significance of 1,4-Dioxane Measurements
Why Detection Reports Show Three Decimal Places
The EPA’s Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR3) results for 1,4-dioxane in this system are reported with high precision—down to three decimal places in micrograms per liter (µg/L). This level of detail reflects the sensitivity of detection instruments, not an indication of water quality severity; a detection is simply a measurable trace presence above the reporting level of 0.07 µg/L.
Interpreting Detections Versus State Notification Levels
Federal monitoring under UCMR3 does not establish enforceable maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for 1,4-dioxane. For Clarkstown’s system, detections have ranged up to 0.5 µg/L, below the EPA's cancer risk reference concentration of 0.35 µg/L. Unlike state notification levels, these federal detections do not constitute regulatory exceedances but serve to inform ongoing evaluation of water quality.
Water Characteristics After Treatment With the Fleck 1,4-Dioxane Filter
How Treated Water Differs at the Household Tap
When the Fleck 1,4-Dioxane Filter is used, it ships ready to configure and targets the specific removal of 1,4-dioxane from household water. This process reduces the concentration of the cyclic ether solvent stabiliser, potentially improving the aesthetic and chemical quality of water at the tap by lowering detectable levels of this solvent stabiliser. This specialized equipment is designed to address this compound where existing treatment falls short.
Source and Movement of 1,4-Dioxane in Clarkstown Water
Entry Pathways into Groundwater and Distribution
In the Clarkstown area, 1,4-dioxane’s presence is linked primarily to industrial and commercial sources entering surface water supplies. Due to its chemical properties as a solvent stabiliser, it can infiltrate groundwater and enter the distribution system through surface water intake.
How 1,4-Dioxane Moves Ahead of the Solvent Plume
Unlike many contaminants, 1,4-dioxane tends to migrate ahead of the solvent plume it stabilizes because of its high solubility and low retardation in subsurface environments. This characteristic means that downstream areas may detect the cyclic ether before other pollutants associated with the original solvent, influencing monitoring and remediation strategies.
Important Considerations When Reviewing Area Water Data
What Area Data Does Not Reveal About Individual Household Water
The documented values and detections from the Clarkstown public water system describe overall system conditions, not individual households' water quality. Only a direct water test can determine the concentration of 1,4-dioxane or any constituent in a particular home's water supply. Additionally, detection does not imply health risk or water unsafety, and the absence of a federal MCL means regulatory clarity on health impact remains under study.
Where this information comes from
Source: EPA SDWIS public water system record. Sampled 2015-10-01. These figures describe the public water system's record, not the plumbing inside any individual building.
On record: EPA UCMR3 monitoring (2013-2015) for United Water New York (NY4303673), NY: 73 results across 1 listed contaminants, 12 detections above the reporting level; no federal MCL; EPA cancer risk reference concentration 0.35 ug/L