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EWG Statement, 03/10/2008

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NATIONAL SUMMARY

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

1,2,3-Trichloropropane is an industrial solvent, degreasing agent, and paint and varnish remover. Potential health impacts associated with 1,2,3-Trichloropropane include cancer, cardiovascular or blood toxicity, gastrointestinal or liver toxicity, kidney toxicity, neurotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, and respiratory toxicity.

Sources of 1,2,3-Trichloropropane:

Industry

An Environmental Working Group analysis of 1,2,3-Trichloropropane tests reported by 25,479 public water suppliers in 38 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 3.1 million people in 70 communities drank water contaminated with 1,2,3-Trichloropropane. 1,2,3-Trichloropropane remains unregulated in tap water, without a maximum legal limit.

Exposure Summary

3,144,511 People drinking water contaminated with 1,2,3-Trichloropropane 70 Communities served water contaminated with 1,2,3-Trichloropropane

Table. 1,2,3-Trichloropropane Exposure by State

3.1 million Americans in 8 states were served tap water contaminated with 1,2,3-Trichloropropane between 1998 and 2003.

State	Water suppliers with 1,2,3-Trichloropropane contamination
	Systems	Population
California	57	2,795,240
New Jersey	2	246,364
Tennessee	2	77,703
Nebraska	1	21,600
Washington	2	2,702
North Carolina	4	787
New Hampshire	1	75
New Mexico	1	40
Total	70	3,144,511

Table. The most polluted communities

3.1 million Americans in 70 communities were served tap water contaminated with 1,2,3-Trichloropropane between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average 1,2,3-Trichloropropane level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	Meadow Brook Epsom, NH	75	1 of 1	1.1 ppb (1.1 to 1.1 ppb)
2	City of Burbank Water Dept. Burbank, CA	105,332	182 of 591	0.78 ppb (0 to 8.4 ppb)
3	Lewisburg Water System Lewisburg, TN	13,414	1 of 5	0.48 ppb (0 to 2.4 ppb)
4	City of Livingston Water Livingston, CA	10,600	2 of 7	0.26 ppb (0 to 1.3 ppb)
5	South Fork Mhp Water System North Fork, CA	50	1 of 2	0.25 ppb (0 to 0.5 ppb)
6	Lakeview Park Water Association Soap Lake, WA	1,002	3 of 10	0.22 ppb (0 to 1 ppb)
7	Ridgeview S / D Cary, NC	25	3 of 9	0.2 ppb (0 to 0.6 ppb)
8	Belmont Water Corporation Fresno, CA	100	1 of 2	0.2 ppb (0 to 0.39 ppb)
9	San Joaquin Estates Mutual Bakersfield, CA	240	1 of 2	0.15 ppb (0 to 0.29 ppb)
10	Woods of Ashbury Cary, NC	104	1 of 6	0.13 ppb (0 to 0.8 ppb)

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Health based limits for 1,2,3-Trichloropropane

Health Limit	Limit Value	Limit Description
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	40 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	200 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 1,2,3-Trichloropropane

Water suppliers report an average of 0.6 1,2,3-Trichloropropane tests per year. 14,272 water suppliers failed to report any 1,2,3-Trichloropropane tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for 1,2,3-Trichloropropane by federal law? No Water suppliers reporting tests for 1,2,3-Trichloropropane (1998-2003): 25,479 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): 0.6 per year

1,2,3-Trichloropropane Violations

Because 1,2,3-Trichloropropane 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 1,2,3-Trichloropropane, and any level is legal in tap water.