Gasoline is used in cars, boats, motorcycles, lawn mowers and other engines. Gasoline evaporates quickly when exposed to air. Most gasoline spilled in lakes, streams or soil evaporates. Some spilled gasoline can seep into groundwater and remain unchanged for years. Private wells located near a spill or a buried leaking tank may become contaminated.
Exposure occurs when people breathe gasoline vapors while filling gas tanks.
Exposure may also occur when using contaminated water to bathe or do laundry. People can also be exposed when handling contaminated soil or water. Although no standard exists for gasoline in drinking water, there are standards for some of the chemicals that make up gasoline's mixture. We suggest you stop drinking or cooking with water containing any chemical above the standard, if you can smell a gasoline odor or see a oily sheen. If the chemicals occur at very high levels in your drinking water, you should avoid washing, bathing or using the water for other purposes.