EWG INVESTIGATION

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EWG Statement, 03/10/2008

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NATIONAL SUMMARY

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CONTAMINANTS DATABASE

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

1,3-Dichloropropane is a chemical intermediate for manufacture of cyclopropane. Potential health impacts associated with 1,3-Dichloropropane include gastrointestinal or liver toxicity.

Sources of 1,3-Dichloropropane:

Industry

An Environmental Working Group analysis of 1,3-Dichloropropane tests reported by 25,421 public water suppliers in 37 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 98 thousand people in 12 communities drank water contaminated with 1,3-Dichloropropane. No health-based limit has been established by the federal government.1,3-Dichloropropane remains unregulated in tap water, without a maximum legal limit.

Exposure Summary

98,056 People drinking water contaminated with 1,3-Dichloropropane 12 Communities served water contaminated with 1,3-Dichloropropane

Table. 1,3-Dichloropropane Exposure by State

98 thousand Americans in 6 states were served tap water contaminated with 1,3-Dichloropropane between 1998 and 2003.

State	Water suppliers with 1,3-Dichloropropane contamination
	Systems	Population
California	1	84,840
New Jersey	1	7,400
Tennessee	1	3,071
Washington	1	1,700
North Carolina	7	695
Nevada	1	350
Total	12	98,056

Table. The most polluted communities

98,000 Americans in 12 communities were served tap water contaminated with 1,3-Dichloropropane between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average 1,3-Dichloropropane level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	Monteagle Public Utility Board Monteagle, TN	3,071	1 of 5	3.6 ppb (0 to 18 ppb)
2	Pointe Norman S / D Greensboro, NC	56	1 of 4	0.77 ppb (0 to 3.08 ppb)
3	Kings Acres S / D Greensboro, NC	66	1 of 2	0.43 ppb (0 to 0.85 ppb)
4	South Point Landing Denver, NC	69	1 of 2	0.36 ppb (0 to 0.71 ppb)
5	Royal Heights S / D Denver, NC	56	1 of 2	0.28 ppb (0 to 0.55 ppb)
6	Moab Irrigation District #20 Newman Lake, WA	1,700	1 of 2	0.25 ppb (0 to 0.5 ppb)
7	Smith Mhp Taylorsville, NC	36	1 of 3	0.2 ppb (0 to 0.6 ppb)
8	Hitchin Post Motel and Rv Park Mt Charleston, NV	350	1 of 6	0.12 ppb (0 to 0.7 ppb)
9	Georgia Park Mooresville, NC	56	1 of 6	0.1 ppb (0 to 0.6 ppb)
10	Fallscrest Ii S / D Denver, NC	356	1 of 6	0.08 ppb (0 to 0.5 ppb)

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Testing Summary for 1,3-Dichloropropane

Water suppliers report an average of 0.6 1,3-Dichloropropane tests per year. 14,330 water suppliers failed to report any 1,3-Dichloropropane tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for 1,3-Dichloropropane by federal law? No Water suppliers reporting tests for 1,3-Dichloropropane (1998-2003): 25,421 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): 0.6 per year

1,3-Dichloropropane Violations

Because 1,3-Dichloropropane 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 1,3-Dichloropropane, and any level is legal in tap water.