National Drinking Water Database
National Drinking Water Database - Chemical Contaminants
Dibromoacetic acid
Status: Regulated - EPA has established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant.
Dibromoacetic acid is a disinfection byproduct regulated by EPA as one of five haloacetic acids that are formed when chlorine, chloramines or other disinfectants react with organic and inorganic matter in water. [read more]
Detected |
Found above health guidelines |
Found above legal limit |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| States | 34 |
1 |
1 |
| Water utilities | 9,738 |
6 |
6 |
| People Served | 110,786,009 |
5,832 |
5,832 |
Health Concerns for Dibromoacetic acid:
Dibromoacetic acid Exposure by State
Water utilities in 34 states have reported detecting Dibromoacetic acid in treated tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies.
| State | Water Suppliers with Dibromoacetic acid contamination | Water suppliers reporting Dibromoacetic acid above health-based limits | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Systems | Population | Systems | Population | |
| Texas | 2,556 | 18,453,186 | 6 | 5,832 |
| New York | 788 | 13,427,663 | 0 | 0 |
| Illinois | 842 | 10,646,962 | 0 | 0 |
| Florida | 390 | 9,570,737 | 0 | 0 |
| Ohio | 593 | 8,898,349 | 0 | 0 |
| New Jersey | 295 | 7,601,445 | 0 | 0 |
| California | 284 | 6,225,965 | 0 | 0 |
| North Carolina | 570 | 5,560,845 | 0 | 0 |
| Maryland | 91 | 4,654,080 | 0 | 0 |
| Minnesota | 273 | 2,998,446 | 0 | 0 |
| Arizona | 134 | 2,958,668 | 0 | 0 |
| Washington | 262 | 2,659,129 | 0 | 0 |
| Arkansas | 385 | 2,438,438 | 0 | 0 |
| Wisconsin | 325 | 2,329,595 | 0 | 0 |
| Iowa | 575 | 2,265,398 | 0 | 0 |
| Missouri | 356 | 1,992,450 | 0 | 0 |
| Michigan | 90 | 1,426,619 | 0 | 0 |
| Utah | 82 | 1,249,623 | 0 | 0 |
| New Mexico | 236 | 1,248,266 | 0 | 0 |
| Nebraska | 123 | 1,060,403 | 0 | 0 |
| Virginia | 105 | 852,980 | 0 | 0 |
| Delaware | 69 | 771,390 | 0 | 0 |
| Montana | 117 | 416,812 | 0 | 0 |
| Nevada | 7 | 279,058 | 0 | 0 |
| Hawaii | 33 | 217,360 | 0 | 0 |
| Vermont | 45 | 154,876 | 0 | 0 |
| Alaska | 71 | 120,159 | 0 | 0 |
| South Carolina | 4 | 78,449 | 0 | 0 |
| North Dakota | 22 | 76,654 | 0 | 0 |
| Idaho | 2 | 55,152 | 0 | 0 |
| Maine | 7 | 52,780 | 0 | 0 |
| Colorado | 1 | 29,500 | 0 | 0 |
| Rhode Island | 4 | 12,572 | 0 | 0 |
| Wyoming | 1 | 2,000 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 9,738 | 110,786,009 | 6 | 5,832 |
The Most Polluted Communities
9,738 water utilities reported detecting Dibromoacetic acid in tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies
Ranked by highest average Dibromoacetic acid level
| Rank | System | Population Served | Positive test results of total reported tests | Average Level (Range) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rowena Wsc Rowena, TX | 594 | 14 of 15 | 56.28 ppb (0 to 137.6 ppb) |
| 2 | Coke County Wsc Robert Lee, TX | 550 | 14 of 14 | 46.38 ppb (3.8 to 92 ppb) |
| 3 | City of Paint Rock Paint Rock, TX | 320 | 11 of 12 | 35.44 ppb (0 to 92.1 ppb) |
| 4 | City of Robert Lee Robert Lee, TX | 1,775 | 13 of 15 | 31.35 ppb (0 to 76.3 ppb) |
| 5 | Jan's Modular Estates San Mateo, FL | 112 | 1 of 1 | 30.3 ppb (30.3 ppb) |
| 6 | Town of Woodson Woodson, TX | 219 | 3 of 3 | 29.37 ppb (23 to 35.9 ppb) |
| 7 | Chefornak Water System Chefornak, AK | 408 | 1 of 2 | 27.9 ppb (0 to 55.8 ppb) |
| 8 | Brazos River Authority Possum Kingdom Dam Graford, TX | 45 | 3 of 3 | 27.5 ppb (23 to 32.5 ppb) |
| 9 | Ocean Towers / Island Village Jensen Beach, FL | 768 | 1 of 1 | 25.3 ppb (25.3 ppb) |
| 10 | City of Anson Anson, TX | 400 | 14 of 14 | 25.15 ppb (11.75 to 55.8 ppb) |
Health Based Limits for Dibromoacetic acid
| Standard | Description | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum Contaminant Limit (MCL) | 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. | 60 ppb |
Testing Summary for Dibromoacetic acid
| Are tests routinely required for Dibromoacetic acid by federal law? | Yes |
| Water suppliers reporting tests for Dibromoacetic acid (2004-2009): | 22,521 of 47,576 |
| Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (2004-2009): | 0.8 per year |
Violation Summary for Dibromoacetic acid
Data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency includes the following violations of federal standards for Dibromoacetic acid since 2004
| Maximum Contaminant Level Exceedance Violations | 1 |
| Monitoring Violations | 6 |
| Reporting Violations | 0 |
Cancer
| Type of concern: | Reference: |
| One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Reproductive Toxicology 2006 |
| One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 2002 |
Government, industry, academic studies and classifications
| government/industry list/academic study | appears on list as | classification(s) |
| RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 2002 | ACETIC ACID, DIBROMO- | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: DNA Damage (hamster ovr) |
| RTECS®- Reproductive Toxicology 2006 | ACETIC ACID, DIBROMO- | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: other mutation test systems (mouse emb) |
references
| government/industry list/academic study | reference |
| RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 2002 | RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis. (Alan R. Liss, Inc., 41 E. 11th St., New York, NY 10003) V.10- 40,134,2002 |
| RTECS®- Reproductive Toxicology 2006 | RTECS®- Reproductive Toxicology. (Pergamon Press Inc., Maxwell House, Fairview Park, Elmsford, NY 10523) V.1- 22,443,2006 |
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