The Power of Information

National Drinking Water Database


National Drinking Water Database - Chemical Contaminants

Dibromochloromethane


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

Dibromochloromethane is a disinfection byproduct from the trihalomethane (THM) family, and is 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
42
42
9
Water utilities
16,561
15,951
97
People Served
181,162,284
169,870,558
180,522

Health Concerns for Dibromochloromethane:


Dibromochloromethane Exposure by State

Water utilities in 42 states have reported detecting Dibromochloromethane in treated tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies.

StateWater Suppliers with Dibromochloromethane contaminationWater suppliers reporting Dibromochloromethane above health-based limits
SystemsPopulationSystemsPopulation
California60339,466,39555737,579,251
Texas3,35819,418,3823,26419,326,412
Illinois1,11411,896,6591,11211,883,519
Florida75611,116,07872410,592,356
Ohio8439,453,7238389,451,462
New Jersey4408,422,6354088,274,390
New York1,54315,027,5801,5278,244,891
North Carolina1,0346,815,7821,0216,802,832
Virginia5916,142,6425726,125,578
Massachusetts1765,430,5401725,401,640
Maryland2595,044,5152565,043,781
Michigan4004,709,1363854,688,684
Wisconsin5343,493,0424583,329,041
Utah1753,308,5041743,306,454
Minnesota3853,274,9073803,238,460
Arizona1923,234,7841893,229,824
Indiana1993,063,2621922,995,826
Alabama1203,075,8881152,982,561
Washington5643,777,6155162,831,234
Arkansas6362,842,3916332,820,519
Missouri6202,398,0695552,258,628
Iowa6402,135,1716392,133,213
New Mexico2941,417,1782601,387,408
Nebraska1411,069,6031411,069,603
Delaware111857,987109855,537
Rhode Island21471,11221471,112
Oklahoma1471,0001471,000
Montana163518,882156445,023
South Carolina7442,9517442,951
Idaho20472,59116383,937
Alaska104358,048102357,191
New Hampshire174357,341116317,251
Nevada21298,41719282,957
Hawaii46261,79946261,799
Maine66203,26165185,076
North Dakota68173,04268173,042
Vermont135161,737130146,480
Connecticut142,000142,000
Colorado129,500129,500
Oregon24,75524,755
Wyoming22,02522,025
West Virginia11,35511,355
Total16,561181,162,28415,951169,870,558

The Most Polluted Communities

16,561 water utilities reported detecting Dibromochloromethane in tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies

Ranked by highest average Dibromochloromethane level

RankSystem Population Served Positive test results of total reported tests Average Level
(Range)
1West River Water and Sewer
Minot, ND		4001 of 1110 ppb
(110 ppb)
2Chefornak Water System
Chefornak, AK		4082 of 2108.22 ppb
(4.44 to 212 ppb)
3City of Paint Rock
Paint Rock, TX		32010 of 11105.73 ppb
(0 to 203 ppb)
4Walton Farms Subdivision
Roanoke, VA		1351 of 2100 ppb
(0 to 200 ppb)
5Brazos River Authority Possum Kingdom Dam
Graford, TX		453 of 398.97 ppb
(96.9 to 100 ppb)
6Rowena Wsc
Rowena, TX		59413 of 1494.04 ppb
(0 to 170 ppb)
7Lakeshore Sites Water Co
Haskell, TX		1488 of 893.37 ppb
(56.5 to 194.9 ppb)
8Arrowhead Lake Lots Water System
Wichita Falls, TX		1,91716 of 1681.68 ppb
(5.3 to 105.7 ppb)
9City of Labelle
Labelle, FL		4,6322 of 280.5 ppb
(31 to 130 ppb)
10Coke County Wsc
Robert Lee, TX		55014 of 1480.43 ppb
(15.6 to 127.4 ppb)

Health Based Limits for Dibromochloromethane

StandardDescriptionLevel
EPA Human Health Water Quality CriteriaWater quality criteria set by the US EPA provide guidance for states and tribes authorized to establish water quality standards under the Clean Water Act (CWA) to protect human health. These are non-enforceable standards based upon exposure by both drinking water and the contribution of water contamination to other consumed foods. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.0.4 ppb
One in one million (10-6) Cancer RiskThe concentration of a chemical in drinking water corresponding to an excess estimated lifetime cancer risk of 1 in 1,000,000. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.0.8 ppb
Maximum Contaminant Limit Goal (MCLG)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.60 ppb
Lifetime health-based limit, non-cancer riskConcentration 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.60 ppb
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.80 ppb
One in ten thousand (10-4) Cancer RiskThe 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.80 ppb
Children's health-based limit for 1-day exposureConcentration 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.600 ppb
Children's health-based limit for 10-day exposureConcentration 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.600 ppb
Drinking Water Equivalent LevelA 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.700 ppb

Testing Summary for Dibromochloromethane

Are tests routinely required for Dibromochloromethane by federal law?Yes
Water suppliers reporting tests for Dibromochloromethane (2004-2009):32,028 of 47,576
Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (2004-2009):0.9 per year

Violation Summary for Dibromochloromethane

Data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency includes the following violations of federal standards for Dibromochloromethane since 2004

Maximum Contaminant Level Exceedance Violations0
Monitoring Violations156
Reporting Violations0

Cancer

Type of concern: Reference:
One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results RTECS®- Environmental Research 1983
One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results RTECS®- Mutation Research 1990
One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results RTECS®- Mutation Research 1993
One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results RTECS®- Mutation Research 1995
One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results RTECS®- Science 1987
One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results RTECS®- Mutation Research 1996
One or more in vitro tests non-mammalian cells show positive mutation results RTECS®- HEW Publication (FDA 1978
One or more in vitro tests non-mammalian cells show positive mutation results RTECS®- Mutation Research 1985



Government, industry, academic studies and classifications

government/industry list/academic study appears on list as classification(s)
RTECS®- Environmental Research 1983METHANE, CHLORODIBROMO-• mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Sister Chromatid Exchange (mouse orl)
RTECS®- HEW Publication (FDA 1978METHANE, CHLORODIBROMO-• mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Mutation in Micro-organism (Salmonella typhimurium )
RTECS®- Mutation Research 1985METHANE, CHLORODIBROMO-• mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Gene Conversion and Mitotic Recombination (Saccharomyces cerevisiae )
RTECS®- Mutation Research 1990METHANE, CHLORODIBROMO-• mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Cytogenetic Analysis (rat ipr)
RTECS®- Mutation Research 1993METHANE, CHLORODIBROMO-• mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Sister Chromatid Exchange (rat leu)
RTECS®- Mutation Research 1995METHANE, CHLORODIBROMO-• mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: other mutation test systems (mouse orl)
RTECS®- Mutation Research 1996METHANE, CHLORODIBROMO-• mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Sex Chromosome Loss and Nondisjunction (hamster lng)
RTECS®- Science 1987METHANE, CHLORODIBROMO-• mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Mutation in Mammalian Somatic Cells (mouse lym)
• mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Sister Chromatid Exchange (hamster ovr)



references

government/industry list/academic study reference
RTECS®- Environmental Research 1983RTECS®- Environmental Research. (Academic Press, Inc., 1 E. First St., Duluth, MN 55802) V.1- 1967- 32,72,1983
RTECS®- HEW Publication (FDA 1978RTECS®- HEW Publication (FDA. United States). (Washington, DC) ?-1979(?). For publisher information, see HPFSDS. FDA-78-1046,1978
RTECS®- Mutation Research 1985RTECS®- Mutation Research. (Elsevier Science Pub. B.V., POB 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands) V.1- 155,53,1985
RTECS®- Mutation Research 1990RTECS®- Mutation Research. (Elsevier Science Pub. B.V., POB 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands) V.1- 242,111,1990
RTECS®- Mutation Research 1993RTECS®- Mutation Research. (Elsevier Science Pub. B.V., POB 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands) V.1- 300,241,1993
RTECS®- Mutation Research 1995RTECS®- Mutation Research. (Elsevier Science Pub. B.V., POB 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands) V.1- 343,157,1995
RTECS®- Mutation Research 1996RTECS®- Mutation Research. (Elsevier Science Pub. B.V., POB 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands) V.1- 369,243,1996
RTECS®- Science 1987RTECS®- Science. (American Assoc. for the Advancement of Science, 1333 H St., NW, Washington, DC 20005) V.1- 236,933,1987

"RTECS®" is a United States trademark owned and licensed under authority of the U.S. Government, by and through MDL Information Systems, Inc.