EWG INVESTIGATION

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EWG Statement, 03/10/2008

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WHAT'S IN YOUR WATER?

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NATIONAL SUMMARY

Quality Varies Across the U.S.

CONTAMINANTS DATABASE

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Status: Unregulated - EPA has not established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant.

2,4-DB is a herbicide used on row crops. Potential health impacts associated with 2,4-DB include developmental toxicity, gastrointestinal or liver toxicity, and reproductive toxicity. Potential health impacts associated with 2,4-DB include developmental toxicity, gastrointestinal or liver toxicity, and reproductive toxicity.

Sources of 2,4-DB:

Agriculture (pesticides, fertilizer, factory farms)

An Environmental Working Group analysis of 2,4-DB tests reported by 1,034 public water suppliers in 8 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 2,200 people in 1 communities drank water contaminated with 2,4-DB. No health-based limit has been established by the federal government.2,4-DB remains unregulated in tap water, without a maximum legal limit.

Exposure Summary

2,200 People drinking water contaminated with 2,4-DB 1 Community served water contaminated with 2,4-DB

Table. 2,4-DB Exposure by State

2,200 Americans in 1 states were served tap water contaminated with 2,4-DB between 1998 and 2003.

State	Water suppliers with 2,4-DB contamination
	Systems	Population
New York	1	2,200
Total	1	2,200

Table. The most polluted communities

2,200 Americans in 1 communities were served tap water contaminated with 2,4-DB between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average 2,4-DB level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	Norwood Village Norwood, NY	2,200	1 of 1	7.7 ppb (7.7 to 7.7 ppb)

Testing Summary for 2,4-DB

Water suppliers report an average of 0.4 2,4-DB tests per year. 38,717 water suppliers failed to report any 2,4-DB tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for 2,4-DB by federal law? No Water suppliers reporting tests for 2,4-DB (1998-2003): 1,034 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): 0.4 per year

2,4-DB Violations

Because 2,4-DB is unregulated in tap water, no violations are recorded in EPA's violations database, the Safe Drinking Water Information System. Under the federal tap water law, water suppliers are not required to routinely test for 2,4-DB, and any level is legal in tap water.