What Your Water Test Report Shows for VOCs in Waipahu-Ewa-Waianae
Laboratory reports list VOCs measured in micrograms per litre (µg/L)
When you receive a water quality report, VOCs—or volatile organic compounds—are recorded as concentrations in µg/L or parts per billion (ppb). These VOCs include solvent compounds that can evaporate into the air or remain dissolved in water. In Waipahu-Ewa-Waianae’s public water supply, federal monitoring found no 1,1-dichloroethane, chloromethane, bromomethane, halon 1011, 1,3-butadiene, or MTBE above their detection thresholds.
How Seasonal Water-Table Changes Move a Solvent Plume Relative to a Well Screen
Shifts in groundwater level impact VOC concentrations near a well
Seasonal rainfall and water usage affect groundwater levels, which in turn influence how solvent compounds move underground. A solvent plume carrying VOCs can shift toward or away from a well’s intake screen depending on these water-table changes. This movement can cause fluctuations in VOC amounts even if source contamination remains constant.
Which Volatile Organic Compounds Appear in This Record and Which Do Not, Named From the Facts
HCFC-22 detected at low levels, others below reporting thresholds
Monitoring in this area detected HCFC-22 in 2 out of 39 samples, with levels ranging up to 3.6 µg/L (3.6 ppb) and a median detection around 2.9 µg/L (2.9 ppb). Other solvent compounds like 1,1-dichloroethane, chloromethane, bromomethane, halon 1011, 1,3-butadiene, and MTBE showed no detections above their respective reporting levels.
The Role of Plumbing Material and Age, Separate from the Source Water
Internal plumbing can affect VOC presence independently
Plumbing materials and their condition may influence VOC levels in tap water apart from the supply system. Older pipes or specific plastics could leach organics or interact with water chemistry, potentially increasing volatile solvents in household water. Testing your own plumbing is necessary to understand this contribution.
Which Fixtures, Appliances, or Processes Are Affected First and Why
Water use methods involving aeration release VOCs sooner
VOCs can volatilize during water use activities like showering or dishwashing, releasing solvent compounds into the air. Fixtures with aeration, such as showers and faucets with aerators, expose water to air and promote VOC evaporation. Appliances that heat water may also increase volatilization rates.
What ‘Detected,’ ‘Median,’ and ‘Range’ Mean in the Sampling Record on This Page
These terms describe measurement outcomes, not safety or compliance levels
‘Detected’ means the instrument found VOC levels above the reporting threshold but does not indicate a violation or unsafe condition. The ‘median’ is the middle value among detected measurements, showing a typical concentration. The ‘range’—from the lowest to highest detected values—shows variability in the data. No federal maximum contaminant level (MCL) applies to these VOCs, so these numbers provide context, not limits.
What You Should NOT Conclude From Area Data
Local VOC detections do not specify your household’s water quality or safety
Federal water system monitoring reports summarize conditions for the community’s groundwater supply, not individual homes. They do not establish whether your own well or tap water contains VOCs or at what levels. Only a specific laboratory test of your household water can determine its VOC content. Furthermore, detected levels here do not imply health risks or violations, as no health-based federal violations exist for this water system. To address VOCs reliably, consider the Autotrol VOCs & Industrial Chemicals Filter, which ships ready to configure and is designed to reduce solvent compounds effectively in residential water supplies.
Where this information comes from
Source: EPA SDWIS public water system record. Sampled 2015-01-13. These figures describe the public water system's record, not the plumbing inside any individual building.
On record: EPA UCMR3 monitoring (2013-2015) for Waipahu-Ewa-Waianae (HI0000335), HI: 304 results across 7 listed contaminants, 2 detections above the reporting level; no federal MCL for these UCMR-listed VOCs