Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.
EWG Home Skin Deep Database Healthy Living App EWG Verified Open menu

EWG’s Tap
Water Database
Water Contamination Water Filter Guide Consumer Resources News & Insights
TAKE ACTION

CONTAMINANT

Ethinyl estradiol

STATES DETECTED

4

serves

3.1 million

utilities detected

9

Overview

Ethinyl estradiol is one of the 3 types of estrogen made by the human body. Sex hormones get into water downstream from livestock and pharmaceutical production, or incomplete removal in waste water treatment. There are no standards to gauge how risky additional hormones are for human health.

Want to remove
Ethinyl estradiol from your water?

Try these filter technologies:

Activated Carbon, 

Reverse Osmosis, 

understand filter technology

Ethinyl estradiol around the Country

UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION
State Utilities People Served
Pennsylvania11,600,000
Kentucky4810,368
California2545,861
Texas2166,560

Utilities with the highest amounts of ethinyl estradiol, 2013-2016

ALL UTILITIES
LARGE UTILITIES
Utility Location Tests Average level People served
City of Seabrook*Seabrook, TX1 of 90.173 ppt13,560
City of Pasadena*Pasadena, TX1 of 90.173 ppt153,000
Lebanon Junction Water WorksLebanon Junction, KY1 of 80.138 ppt2,866
Mt Washington Water CompanyMt Washington, KY1 of 80.138 ppt23,760
Louisville Water Company*Louisville, KY1 of 80.138 ppt764,769
Taylorsville Water WorksTaylorsville, KY1 of 80.138 ppt18,973
Philadelphia Water Department*Philadelphia, PA1 of 120.1000 ppt1,600,000
Fcsa #39 A&bFresno, CA1 of 3870.00300 ppt395
City of Fresno*Fresno, CA1 of 3870.00300 ppt545,466

* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Ethinyl estradiol, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
City of Seabrook*Seabrook, TX1 of 90.173 ppt13,560
City of Pasadena*Pasadena, TX1 of 90.173 ppt153,000
Mt Washington Water CompanyMt Washington, KY1 of 80.138 ppt23,760
Louisville Water Company*Louisville, KY1 of 80.138 ppt764,769
Taylorsville Water WorksTaylorsville, KY1 of 80.138 ppt18,973
Philadelphia Water Department*Philadelphia, PA1 of 120.1000 ppt1,600,000
City of Fresno*Fresno, CA1 of 3870.00300 ppt545,466

* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Ethinyl estradiol, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

Know the Standards

Understand EWG’s guidelines on contaminants in your water.

view ewg’s standards

Take Action

Interested in supporting other causes? Learn more about our ongoing campaigns and how you can make a difference.

LEARN MORE

Need help finding a filter?

Discover top-rated filters that protect your family from harmful contaminants.

GET THE GUIDE

We’re in this together

Donate today and join the fight to protect our environmental health.

DONATE TODAY

Protect your water

Sign our petition to protect PFAS drinking water standards

TAKE ACTION