Bromochloroacetic acid
Status: No national drinking water standard exists
Bromochloroacetic acid is formed when chlorine or other disinfectants are used to treat drinking water. Bromochloroacetic acid and other disinfection byproducts increase the risk of cancer and may cause problems during pregnancy.
2015-2017:
21
states detected
4,468
utilities detected
52 million
people served
21
states over health guideline
4,487
utilities over health guideline
52 million
people served over health guideline
Health concerns for bromochloroacetic acid
Cancer
Change to fetal growth and development
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 0.02 ppb
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.02 ppb for bromochloroacetic acid was defined in a peer-reviewed scientific study by EWG and represents a on-in-a-million lifetime cancer risk level. This health guideline protects against cancer.
ppb = parts per billion
States reporting bromochloroacetic acid in drinking water
UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES | UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
State | Utilities | People Served | Utilities | People Served | |||
Texas | 2,581 | 24,868,897 | 2,581 | 24,868,897 | |||
California | 205 | 11,973,892 | 205 | 11,973,892 | |||
Washington | 303 | 2,892,106 | 302 | 2,892,052 | |||
Missouri | 471 | 2,613,139 | 471 | 2,613,139 | |||
Virginia | 30 | 2,343,597 | 30 | 2,343,597 | |||
Ohio | 149 | 1,615,485 | 148 | 1,613,985 | |||
New York | 49 | 1,282,109 | 49 | 1,282,109 | |||
Nebraska | 87 | 1,220,503 | 87 | 1,220,503 | |||
District Of Columbia | 4 | 664,572 | 4 | 664,572 | |||
Delaware | 18 | 645,560 | 18 | 645,560 | |||
Oklahoma | 242 | 510,062 | 241 | 510,002 | |||
Montana | 182 | 459,303 | 180 | 459,253 | |||
Wyoming | 138 | 306,710 | 128 | 303,145 | |||
Pennsylvania | 9 | 196,211 | 5 | 195,186 | |||
Hawaii | 8 | 158,492 | 8 | 158,492 | |||
Nevada | 4 | 91,007 | 4 | 91,007 | |||
Iowa | 1 | 3,785 | 1 | 3,785 | |||
Maryland | 1 | 3,500 | 1 | 3,500 | |||
Connecticut | 1 | 2,550 | 1 | 2,550 | |||
New Hampshire | 1 | 1,500 | 1 | 1,500 | |||
Vermont | 2 | 171 | 2 | 171 | |||
North Dakota | 1 | 110 | 1 | 110 |
Filtering technologies that reduce bromochloroacetic acid

Activated Carbon

Reverse Osmosis
Utilities with the highest amounts of bromochloroacetic acid, 2015-2017
Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
---|---|---|---|---|
Snyder Public Works Authority* | Snyder, OK | 2 of 2 | 27.7 ppb | 1,509 |
Millersview-doole Water Supply Corporation* | Millersview, TX | 24 of 24 | 26.5 ppb | 3,987 |
Lakewood Water System | Lufkin, TX | 12 of 12 | 24.0 ppb | 42 |
Mountain Park Public Works Authority | Mountain Park, OK | 7 of 7 | 23.7 ppb | 473 |
Walnut Ridge Estates Water System | Zavalla, TX | 11 of 12 | 22.5 ppb | 178 |
City of Paint Rock | Paint Rock, TX | 12 of 12 | 21.5 ppb | 247 |
City of Beeville* | Beeville, TX | 48 of 48 | 21.0 ppb | 15,039 |
Rowena Water Supply Corporation | Rowena, TX | 12 of 12 | 21.0 ppb | 480 |
City of Rio Hondo | Rio Hondo, TX | 17 of 17 | 20.7 ppb | 2,400 |
Anthony Harbor Subdivision | Lufkin, TX | 12 of 12 | 20.0 ppb | 109 |
Coke County Water Supply Corporation | Robert Lee, TX | 24 of 24 | 19.8 ppb | 523 |
La Playa Subdivision Water System | Kirbyville, TX | 6 of 6 | 19.3 ppb | 59 |
City of Megargel | Megargel, TX | 12 of 12 | 18.9 ppb | 205 |
Ryan Utilities Authority | Ryan, OK | 22 of 22 | 18.8 ppb | 800 |
Rra Foard County Water System | Wichita Falls, TX | 12 of 12 | 18.6 ppb | 120 |
Tx Airstream Harbor Water* | Zavalla, TX | 12 of 12 | 18.4 ppb | 174 |
City of Weinert | Weinert, TX | 1 of 1 | 18.0 ppb | 208 |
Comanche County Rural Water District #4* | Cache, OK | 10 of 10 | 17.6 ppb | 3,000 |
City of Dublin* | Dublin, TX | 24 of 24 | 17.4 ppb | 3,600 |
City of Lueders | Lueders, TX | 22 of 24 | 17.3 ppb | 525 |
Powell Point Water System | Lufkin, TX | 12 of 12 | 17.1 ppb | 349 |
Ridgecrest | Pflugerville, TX | 19 of 20 | 17.1 ppb | 1,617 |
City of Crowell* | Crowell, TX | 20 of 20 | 17.0 ppb | 948 |
Sierra Country Club | Oak Harbor, WA | 12 of 12 | 17.0 ppb | 355 |
City of Gorman | Gorman, TX | 17 of 18 | 16.9 ppb | 1,083 |
Sun N Fun Association | Zavalla, TX | 12 of 12 | 16.9 ppb | 77 |
Rra Preston Shores Water System* | Wichita Falls, TX | 24 of 24 | 16.8 ppb | 2,112 |
Buena Vista Ws Burnet | Navasota, TX | 12 of 12 | 16.6 ppb | 366 |
Golden Acres Water Company | Austin, TX | 11 of 11 | 16.2 ppb | 189 |
City of Comanche* | Comanche, TX | 24 of 24 | 16.1 ppb | 4,335 |
Ericksdahl Water Supply Corporation | Stamford, TX | 24 of 24 | 15.7 ppb | 275 |
Fort Belknap Water Supply Corporation* | Graham, TX | 23 of 24 | 15.7 ppb | 5,235 |
City of Obrien | O Brien, TX | 11 of 11 | 15.6 ppb | 101 |
La Salle Water Control and Improvement District 1-a | Port Lavaca, TX | 12 of 12 | 15.1 ppb | 261 |
Rra New Goodlett Water System | Wichita Falls, TX | 3 of 3 | 14.8 ppb | 13 |
Coleman County Special Utility District | Coleman, TX | 24 of 24 | 14.7 ppb | 5,000 |
Upper Leon River Municipal Water District* | Comanche, TX | 12 of 12 | 14.6 ppb | 2,712 |
City of Agua Dulce | Agua Dulce, TX | 14 of 14 | 14.5 ppb | 999 |
Graham East Water Supply Corporation | Graham, TX | 17 of 17 | 14.3 ppb | 694 |
City of Coleman* | Coleman, TX | 24 of 24 | 14.3 ppb | 4,709 |
City of Breckenridge | Breckenridge, TX | 24 of 24 | 14.3 ppb | 5,800 |
West Wise Special Utility District* | Bridgeport, TX | 22 of 24 | 14.2 ppb | 3,354 |
Milligan Water Supply Corporation | Mckinney, TX | 12 of 12 | 14.2 ppb | 3,234 |
City of Bryson | Bryson, TX | 17 of 17 | 14.1 ppb | 540 |
City of Knox City | Knox City, TX | 24 of 24 | 14.1 ppb | 1,100 |
City of De Leon | De Leon, TX | 17 of 17 | 14.0 ppb | 2,246 |
Nueces County Water Control and Improvement District 5 | Banquete, TX | 12 of 12 | 14.0 ppb | 900 |
City of Newcastle | Newcastle, TX | 12 of 12 | 13.9 ppb | 585 |
Southern Acres Water System | Pflugerville, TX | 1 of 1 | 13.8 ppb | 27 |
Silverton Municipal Water System | Silverton, TX | 23 of 24 | 13.8 ppb | 731 |
* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Bromochloroacetic acid, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.
Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
---|---|---|---|---|
City of Beeville* | Beeville, TX | 48 of 48 | 21.0 ppb | 15,039 |
Nueces County WCID 4 | Port Aransas, TX | 48 of 48 | 13.3 ppb | 11,403 |
City of Rockport* | Rockport, TX | 48 of 48 | 13.0 ppb | 26,450 |
City of Weatherford* | Weatherford, TX | 48 of 48 | 12.4 ppb | 26,428 |
City of Alice* | Alice, TX | 48 of 48 | 12.3 ppb | 25,263 |
City of Corpus Christi* | Corpus Christi, TX | 144 of 144 | 12.1 ppb | 325,733 |
Brookesmith Special Utility District* | Brownwood, TX | 28 of 28 | 12.0 ppb | 11,289 |
City of Temple* | Temple, TX | 96 of 96 | 11.5 ppb | 69,180 |
City of Lampasas | Lampasas, TX | 24 of 24 | 11.3 ppb | 10,236 |
City of Laredo* | Laredo, TX | 96 of 96 | 11.2 ppb | 259,113 |
Nueces County WCID 3* | Robstown, TX | 48 of 48 | 11.1 ppb | 14,607 |
City of Portland | Portland, TX | 48 of 48 | 11.0 ppb | 20,000 |
Duncan Public Utilities Authority* | Duncan, OK | 48 of 48 | 10.8 ppb | 23,000 |
Marshall* | Marshall, MO | 46 of 46 | 10.7 ppb | 13,065 |
Kempner WSC* | Kempner, TX | 47 of 48 | 10.4 ppb | 17,031 |
City of Copperas Cove* | Copperas Cove, TX | 48 of 48 | 10.2 ppb | 33,919 |
City of Midlothian* | Midlothian, TX | 48 of 48 | 10.1 ppb | 16,728 |
Walnut Creek SUD* | Springtown, TX | 48 of 48 | 10.1 ppb | 23,807 |
City of Kerrville* | Kerrville, TX | 48 of 48 | 10.1 ppb | 22,907 |
City of Mineral Wells* | Mineral Wells, TX | 48 of 48 | 9.88 ppb | 14,826 |
City of McKinney* | Mckinney, TX | 96 of 96 | 9.81 ppb | 169,710 |
City of Port Lavaca* | Port Lavaca, TX | 48 of 48 | 9.67 ppb | 12,248 |
Town of Little Elm* | Little Elm, TX | 48 of 48 | 9.43 ppb | 31,355 |
City of Wylie | Wylie, TX | 48 of 48 | 9.34 ppb | 41,043 |
East Fork SUD | Wylie, TX | 39 of 40 | 9.13 ppb | 13,596 |
Agua SUD | Mission, TX | 48 of 48 | 9.10 ppb | 46,950 |
City of Raymondville | Raymondville, TX | 48 of 48 | 9.08 ppb | 11,288 |
City of Royse City | Royse City, TX | 48 of 48 | 8.89 ppb | 11,988 |
City of Donna | Donna, TX | 45 of 48 | 8.87 ppb | 16,176 |
City of Richardson | Richardson, TX | 96 of 96 | 8.87 ppb | 104,300 |
City of Murphy | Murphy, TX | 48 of 48 | 8.84 ppb | 19,850 |
City of Rio Grande City* | Rio Grande City, TX | 48 of 48 | 8.71 ppb | 17,901 |
City of Brownwood | Brownwood, TX | 48 of 48 | 8.69 ppb | 18,965 |
Caddo Basin SUD | Greenville, TX | 47 of 48 | 8.66 ppb | 11,691 |
City of Harker Heights | Harker Heights, TX | 48 of 48 | 8.66 ppb | 30,365 |
City of Fate | Fate, TX | 40 of 40 | 8.56 ppb | 14,327 |
City of Azle* | Azle, TX | 48 of 48 | 8.44 ppb | 11,800 |
City of Waxahachie* | Waxahachie, TX | 48 of 48 | 8.43 ppb | 36,422 |
City of San Benito | San Benito, TX | 47 of 47 | 8.31 ppb | 24,250 |
City of Gatesville* | Gatesville, TX | 32 of 32 | 8.29 ppb | 14,430 |
Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District* | Lake Elsinore, CA | 1 of 1 | 8.10 ppb | 142,264 |
City of Plano* | Plano, TX | 144 of 144 | 8.08 ppb | 277,720 |
City of Allen | Allen, TX | 96 of 96 | 8.07 ppb | 93,528 |
City of Frisco* | Frisco, TX | 96 of 96 | 8.05 ppb | 159,000 |
City of Victoria | Victoria, TX | 96 of 96 | 8.05 ppb | 62,592 |
City of Palestine* | Palestine, TX | 48 of 48 | 8.01 ppb | 27,477 |
City of Rockwall* | Rockwall, TX | 48 of 48 | 7.98 ppb | 40,620 |
Chickasha Municipal Authority* | Chickasha, OK | 7 of 8 | 7.98 ppb | 16,036 |
City of Baytown* | Baytown, TX | 96 of 96 | 7.92 ppb | 72,312 |
City of Weslaco* | Weslaco, TX | 48 of 48 | 7.90 ppb | 32,092 |
* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Bromochloroacetic acid, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.