If you want to know which volatile organic compounds appear in Johnson County's public water system record
Government monitoring of Water District #1 of Johnson County (KS2009110) — serving 490,000 people via 157,481 connections around Kansas City — has recorded certain volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Among these, 1,1-dichloroethane was detected in 2 of 11 samples above the reporting level (0.03 micrograms per liter or parts per billion), with a highest measured concentration of 0.041 µg/L. Other VOCs including chloromethane, bromomethane, HCFC-22, halon 1011, 1,3-butadiene, and MTBE were not detected above their respective reporting levels during the 2013-2015 sampling. These detections are measurements taken under a federal occurrence survey, not compliance testing, and should be understood as presence indicators rather than safety or violation signals.
If you want to understand how gasoline releases differ from dry-cleaning solvent releases in groundwater impact
Gasoline-related VOCs and solvents used in dry-cleaning release distinctive chemical signatures into groundwater. Gasoline plumes often include methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), a compound used to boost fuel octane, while dry-cleaning solvents may include chlorinated hydrocarbons such as 1,1-dichloroethane. Each type of release behaves differently in soil and water; gasoline constituents tend to volatilize or biodegrade more quickly, whereas chlorinated solvents can persist longer and migrate uniquely. This difference matters because the VOCs documented in the Johnson County system record largely reflect the spectrum of surface water source influences and not direct contamination from a localized release.
If you want to consider how many samples and wells support the VOC data and what a small sample means
The public water system record for Johnson County is based on 11 samples collected over a multi-year period. This limited sample size means the data provide an overview of what volatile organic compounds have appeared during monitoring but do not fully characterize all fluctuations or localized spikes. The samples represent surface water sources feeding the system, not individual household taps or private wells. Consequently, the presence of VOCs in a few samples is an important but incomplete snapshot requiring further individual home water testing to assess specific household concerns.
If you want to understand how seasonal water-table changes move a solvent plume relative to a well screen
Seasonal variations in water levels can cause solvent plumes in groundwater to shift position. This movement affects the concentration of VOCs that a water well may extract at different times of the year. For surface water systems in Johnson County, the water source is less directly influenced by groundwater plumes but understanding plume movement can inform decisions for private well owners or when considering the history of local contamination. Tracking such changes requires monitoring over multiple seasons and often sophisticated analysis to interpret variations in VOC concentrations over time.
If you want to interpret what 'detected', 'median' and 'range' mean in this sampling record
In the sampling data, 'detected' means the instrument found the volatile organic compound at or above its reporting level, here given in micrograms per liter (µg/L) or parts per billion (ppb). The 'median' provides the middle value of detected concentrations, helping describe the typical level found when the compound is present. The 'range' shows the spread between the lowest and highest detected concentrations. None of these terms indicate violations or safety issues; they simply describe measurements. For example, 1,1-dichloroethane's median of detections was 0.0385 µg/L, slightly above the reporting level, indicating low-level presence during sampling.
What you should NOT conclude from area VOC data
These area-wide VOC detections and their concentrations do not reveal the exact condition of your household water. They do not represent exceedances of health-based standards, which this water system has none on record for VOCs. They do not signal unsafe conditions or contamination at your tap. To understand your home's water quality regarding VOCs, you need specific water testing from your own supply. For households seeking to reduce volatile organics, the Pentair VOCs & Industrial Chemicals Filter is a proven solution that ships ready to configure, offering effective removal of solvent compounds documented in similar municipal water sources.
Where this information comes from
Source: EPA SDWIS public water system record. Sampled 2014-05-21. These figures describe the public water system's record, not the plumbing inside any individual building.
On record: EPA UCMR3 monitoring (2013-2015) for Water District #1 of Johnson County (KS2009110), KS: 72 results across 7 listed contaminants, 2 detections above the reporting level; no federal MCL for these UCMR-listed VOCs