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EWG Statement, 03/10/2008

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NATIONAL SUMMARY

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Status: Regulated - EPA has established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant.

Dibromochloromethane is a disinfection by-product. Potential health impacts associated with Dibromochloromethane include cancer, cardiovascular or blood toxicity, gastrointestinal or liver toxicity, kidney toxicity, and neurotoxicity. [read more]

Sources of Dibromochloromethane:

Water Treatment and Distribution Byproducts (pipes and fixtures, treatment chemicals and byproducts)

An Environmental Working Group analysis of Dibromochloromethane tests reported by 26,805 public water suppliers in 41 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 139 million people in 9,443 communities drank water contaminated with Dibromochloromethane. In 7,005 of these communities, tap water was contaminated at levels above health-based thresholds.

Exposure Summary

139,104,583 People drinking water contaminated with Dibromochloromethane 9,443 Communities served water contaminated with Dibromochloromethane 100,373,485 People drinking water contaminated with Dibromochloromethane over health based limits 7,005 Communities served water with Dibromochloromethane above health based limits

Table. Dibromochloromethane Exposure by State

100 million Americans in 38 states were served tap water contaminated with Dibromochloromethane at levels above health-based limits between 1998 and 2003.

State	Water suppliers with Dibromochloromethane contamination		Water suppliers reporting Dibromochloromethane above health-based limits
	Systems	Population	Systems	Population
Texas	2,232	17,663,613	1,665	12,869,413
California	429	20,861,963	228	11,589,197
Ohio	577	9,297,578	548	9,183,485
Illinois	777	9,634,273	715	9,125,347
Florida	400	13,296,191	338	8,640,954
New Jersey	253	6,855,554	153	5,362,796
North Carolina	517	4,989,240	297	3,980,260
Indiana	243	3,343,371	177	2,991,140
Tennessee	190	3,793,516	141	2,964,918
Arizona	156	3,933,927	107	2,888,294
Colorado	292	3,128,904	221	2,724,183
Virginia	147	3,078,236	110	2,715,079
Michigan	221	2,963,335	148	2,511,708
Arkansas	400	2,901,146	301	2,504,263
Alabama	156	3,376,309	84	1,856,898
Wisconsin	142	2,644,524	68	1,738,589
Washington	271	2,676,901	202	1,726,169
Nevada	46	1,988,565	25	1,658,381
Missouri	291	2,040,250	248	1,596,677
Oklahoma	308	2,263,653	255	1,561,032
Pennsylvania	99	1,869,473	79	1,551,987
South Carolina	111	2,032,632	62	1,239,117
Iowa	82	1,157,692	68	1,072,708
Minnesota	158	2,782,978	96	1,012,046
Utah	63	1,873,051	42	963,331
New Mexico	122	1,177,025	66	955,879
Nebraska	109	1,038,506	71	954,879
Delaware	39	539,650	30	514,974
New York	111	584,680	97	462,241
New Hampshire	112	461,598	112	461,598
Montana	61	355,906	51	268,312
North Dakota	27	344,683	24	199,838
Idaho	46	424,527	32	152,776
Wyoming	17	159,001	15	124,501
South Dakota	47	122,088	42	120,524
Massachusetts	47	3,225,282	2	56,795
Alaska	107	139,772	63	56,629
Maine	37	84,990	22	16,567
Total	9,443	139,104,583	7,005	100,373,485

Table. The most polluted communities

100 million Americans in 7,005 communities were served tap water contaminated with Dibromochloromethane above health based limits between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average Dibromochloromethane level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	City of Ankeny Water Ankeny, IA	27,117	1 of 12	700 ppb (700 to 700 ppb)
2	Camelot Homes Richfield Springs, NY	550	1 of 2	300 ppb (0 to 600 ppb)
3	Franconia Village Water Franconia, NH	750	3 of 3	180.48 ppb (0.6 to 540 ppb)
4	City of Burlington Water Burlington, ND	1,096	1 of 1	90 ppb (90 to 90 ppb)
5	City of Grace Water Grace, ID	981	1 of 6	83.33 ppb (0 to 500 ppb)
6	Arrowhead Lake Lots Water System Wichita Falls, TX	1,917	6 of 7	80.43 ppb (0 to 131 ppb)
7	City of Henrietta Henrietta, TX	4,713	6 of 7	72.57 ppb (0 to 110 ppb)
8	South Murvaul Water Supply Commission Gary, TX	534	1 of 1	72 ppb (72 to 72 ppb)
9	Valmeyer Valmeyer, IL	650	1 of 1	65.6 ppb (65.6 to 65.6 ppb)
10	City of Three Rivers Three Rivers, TX	2,646	8 of 11	65.58 ppb (0 to 127 ppb)

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Health based limits for Dibromochloromethane

Health Limit	Limit Value	Limit Description
Maximum Contaminant Limit (MCL)	80 ppb	The enforceable standard which defines the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to health-based limits (Maximum Contaminant Level Goals, or MCLGs) as feasible using the best available analytical and treatment technologies and taking cost into consideration. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Maximum Contaminant Limit Goal (MCLG)	60 ppb	A non-enforceable health goal that is set at a level at which no known or anticipated adverse effect on the health of persons occurs and which allows an adequate margin of safety. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
One in ten thousand (10-4) Cancer Risk	90 ppb	The concentration of a chemical in drinking water corresponding to an excess estimated lifetime cancer risk of 1 in 10,000. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Children's health-based limit for 1-day exposure	600 ppb	Concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects for up to one day of exposure. The One-Day health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is typically set to protect a 10-kg child consuming 1 liter of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Children's health-based limit for 10-day exposure	600 ppb	Concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic effects for up to ten days of exposure. The Ten-Day health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is typically set to protect a 10-kg child consuming 1 liter of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Lifetime health-based limit, non-cancer risk	60 ppb	Concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects for a lifetime of exposure. The Lifetime health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is based on exposure for a a 70-kg adult consuming 2 liters of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Drinking Water Equivalent Level	700 ppb	A lifetime exposure concentration protective of adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects, that assumes all of the exposure to a contaminant is from drinking water. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Testing Summary for Dibromochloromethane

Water suppliers report an average of 1.6 Dibromochloromethane tests per year. 12,946 water suppliers failed to report any Dibromochloromethane tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for Dibromochloromethane by federal law? Yes Water suppliers reporting tests for Dibromochloromethane (1998-2003): 26,805 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): 1.6 per year

Dibromochloromethane Violations

Table. 1.1 percent of all water suppliers violated safe drinking water standards for Dibromochloromethane between 1998 and 2003

Violation Type	Violations	Systems
Any Violation (1998-2003)	838	622
	(1.1% of all suppliers)
Testing violations (1998-2003)	831	622
	(1.1% of all suppliers)
Violations of tap water pollution standards (1998-2003)	7	1
	(< 0.1% of all suppliers)