A cloud point extraction (CPE) method was developed using silicone-ethylene oxide surfactant, DC193C, to study the equilibrium phase separation of parabens in environmental water samples. The volume of the surfactant rich phase (V-s), aqueous phase (V-w), preconcentration factor (C-F), distribution coefficient (K-d), and percentage of recovery (%R) were evaluated to obtain the optimum condition for phase separation of parabens. Satisfactory results were obtained whereby the preconcentration factor for methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, and benzylparaben were close to 65, 60, 80, and 45, respectively, at 0.5% weight of surfactant. The presence of DC193C gave a low phase volume ratio but insignificant result was observed with the increased of surfactant concentration. The parabens were well separated on a reverse-phase Chromolith C-18 column (100mmx4.6mm) with a gradient elution (acetonitrile: water; 30:70 v/v) and detected at 254nm. The proposed method was successfully applied to environmental samples such as river water, treated wastewater, sea water, and tap water with satisfactory results. The method detection limit was 0.1-0.2 ppb and the recoveries were 71.2-97.7% with the relative standard deviations of 0.3-2.1%.