EWG INVESTIGATION

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EWG Statement, 03/10/2008

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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.

Thiobencarb (Bolero) is a herbicide used in rice production. Potential health impacts associated with Thiobencarb (Bolero) include neurotoxicity.

Sources of Thiobencarb (Bolero):

Agriculture (pesticides, fertilizer, factory farms)

An Environmental Working Group analysis of Thiobencarb (Bolero) tests reported by 1,124 public water suppliers in 1 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 468 thousand people in 2 communities drank water contaminated with Thiobencarb (Bolero). Thiobencarb (Bolero) remains unregulated in tap water, without a maximum legal limit.

Exposure Summary

468,450 People drinking water contaminated with Thiobencarb (Bolero) 2 Communities served water contaminated with Thiobencarb (Bolero)

Table. Thiobencarb (Bolero) Exposure by State

468 thousand Americans in 1 states were served tap water contaminated with Thiobencarb (Bolero) between 1998 and 2003.

State	Water suppliers with Thiobencarb (Bolero) contamination
	Systems	Population
California	2	468,450
Total	2	468,450

Table. The most polluted communities

468,000 Americans in 2 communities were served tap water contaminated with Thiobencarb (Bolero) between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average Thiobencarb (Bolero) level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	City of Fresno Fresno, CA	438,000	1 of 77	0.09 ppb (0 to 7.2 ppb)
2	City of West Sacramento Water West Sacramento, CA	30,450	1 of 48	0.03 ppb (0 to 1.5 ppb)

Health based limits for Thiobencarb (Bolero)

Health Limit	Limit Value	Limit Description
California Public Health Goals	70 ppb	Defined by the State of California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) as the level of contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. For acutely toxic substances, levels are set at which scientific evidence indicates that no known or anticipated adverse effects on health will occur, plus an adequate margin-of safety. PHGs for carcinogens or other substances which can cause chronic disease shall be based solely on health effects without regard to cost impacts and shall be set at levels which OEHHA has determined do not pose any significant risk to health.

Testing Summary for Thiobencarb (Bolero)

Water suppliers report an average of 0.8 Thiobencarb (Bolero) tests per year. 38,627 water suppliers failed to report any Thiobencarb (Bolero) tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for Thiobencarb (Bolero) by federal law? No Water suppliers reporting tests for Thiobencarb (Bolero) (1998-2003): 1,124 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): 0.8 per year

Thiobencarb (Bolero) Violations

Because Thiobencarb (Bolero) 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 Thiobencarb (Bolero), and any level is legal in tap water.