1,2-Dichloropropane
Status: National drinking water standard exists
1,2-Dichloropropane is a volatile carcinogenic solvent discharged from chemical factories and landfills. It also contaminates farmland due to its former use as a soil fumigant. Read More.
The insecticide and fumigant uses of 1,2-dichloropropane were discontinued in the 1980s, but it is still used as an industrial solvent. The California public health goal of 0.5 parts per billion, set to protect against cancer, is 10 times lower than the amount allowed by the federal government, which is a Maximum Contaminant Level of 5 parts per billion. 1,2-Dichloropropane can also damage the nervous system, liver, kidneys, and digestive and respiratory systems.
2017-2019:
12
states detected
76
utilities detected
1.3 million
people served
8
states over health guideline
21
utilities over health guideline
120,000
people served over health guideline
0
states over legal limit
0
utilities over legal limit
0
people served over legal limit
Health concerns for 1,2-dichloropropane
Liver cancer
Harm to the liver
Harm to the kidney
Change to blood cells
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 0.5 ppb
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.5 ppb for 1,2-dichloropropane was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. This health guideline protects against cancer.
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 5 ppb
The legal limit for 1,2-dichloropropane, established in 1991, was based on analytical detection limits at the time that the standard was set. This limit may not fully protect against the risk of cancer.
ppb = parts per billion
States reporting 1,2-dichloropropane in drinking water
| UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES | UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Utilities | People Served | Utilities | People Served | |||
| California | 2 | 771 | 8 | 530,614 | |||
| Florida | 1 | 158 | 20 | 374,014 | |||
| New York | 1 | 81,760 | 16 | 265,152 | |||
| Utah | 1 | 33,000 | 1 | 33,000 | |||
| Washington | 2 | 1,265 | 4 | 25,695 | |||
| New Jersey | 0 | 0 | 2 | 23,163 | |||
| Connecticut | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14,834 | |||
| Ohio | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6,400 | |||
| North Carolina | 12 | 2,975 | 19 | 5,136 | |||
| South Carolina | 1 | 412 | 1 | 412 | |||
| Delaware | 1 | 60 | 1 | 60 | |||
| Missouri | 0 | 0 | 1 | 30 | |||
Filtering technologies that reduce 1,2-dichloropropane
Activated Carbon
Reverse Osmosis
Utilities with the highest amounts of 1,2-dichloropropane, 2017-2019
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bass Mobile Home Court | Nashville, NC | 20 of 24 | 5.31 ppb | 97 |
| Lassiter Farms S/d | Cary, NC | 21 of 29 | 2.75 ppb | 254 |
| Grissom Farm S/d | Cary, NC | 13 of 15 | 2.38 ppb | 213 |
| Harmony Homes | Altamonte Springs, FL | 9 of 11 | 1.94 ppb | 158 |
| Braxton Pointe S/d | Cary, NC | 15 of 15 | 1.45 ppb | 88 |
| Bay Laurel S/d | Cary, NC | 16 of 18 | 1.25 ppb | 56 |
| Hoke Landing S/d | Cary, NC | 9 of 15 | 1.05 ppb | 112 |
| South Huntington Water Department | South Huntington, NY | 4 of 4 | 1.03 ppb | 81,760 |
| Turner Farms V Master System | Cary, NC | 6 of 14 | 0.957 ppb | 518 |
| Tyler Farms S/d | Cary, NC | 2 of 10 | 0.940 ppb | 89 |
| Sumter-wessex S/d | Sumter, SC | 22 of 23 | 0.939 ppb | 412 |
| Lucama, Town of | Lucama, NC | 4 of 6 | 0.857 ppb | 881 |
| Wilgus Housing Water System | Grandview, WA | 5 of 5 | 0.822 ppb | 100 |
| Shady Acres Mobile Home Village | Zebulon, NC | 4 of 9 | 0.800 ppb | 115 |
| Rowland Pond S/d | Cary, NC | 6 of 10 | 0.780 ppb | 363 |
| Csa 62 | Ripley, CA | 3 of 3 | 0.780 ppb | 700 |
| Riverview Estates | Cary, NC | 5 of 6 | 0.667 ppb | 94 |
| Dallas Acres | Cary, NC | 5 of 8 | 0.651 ppb | 150 |
| Lakeview Park Water Association | Quincy, WA | 5 of 8 | 0.636 ppb | 1,165 |
| Ponderosa S/d | Cary, NC | 5 of 7 | 0.623 ppb | 149 |
| Llanas Camp Four Water System | Shafter, CA | 1 of 1 | 0.600 ppb | 71 |
| Heidel Rd Apts 152 | Thiensville, WI | 1 of 13 | 0.531 ppb | 40 |
| Woods of Ashbury S/d | Cary, NC | 5 of 21 | 0.519 ppb | 144 |
| Ausable Heights Water System | Keeseville, NY | 1 of 1 | 0.500 ppb | 46 |
| Immokalee Water | Immokalee, FL | 4 of 11 | 0.446 ppb | 25,608 |
| Victory Mutual Water Company | Bakersfield, CA | 1 of 2 | 0.400 ppb | 740 |
| Carpenters Row | Wilmington, DE | 1 of 3 | 0.380 ppb | 60 |
| Pole Road Water Association | Lynden, WA | 3 of 5 | 0.380 ppb | 1,500 |
| Midvale City Water System | Midvale, UT | 4 of 65 | 0.328 ppb | 33,000 |
| Ham's Mobile Home Park No. 2 | Belmont, NC | 3 of 8 | 0.325 ppb | 99 |
| Stagecoach S/d | Cary, NC | 8 of 19 | 0.265 ppb | 561 |
| Florida Pines Mobile Home Park | Venice, FL | 1 of 2 | 0.250 ppb | 280 |
| Turner Farms I & II | Cary, NC | 3 of 8 | 0.224 ppb | 130 |
| Broadhurst/turner Downs S/d | Cary, NC | 3 of 10 | 0.221 ppb | 597 |
| Champion Farms Subdivision | Troy, MO | 2 of 7 | 0.209 ppb | 30 |
| High Grove S/d | Cary, NC | 4 of 15 | 0.185 ppb | 371 |
| Speer Mobile Home Park | Plant City, FL | 2 of 7 | 0.169 ppb | 270 |
| St. Lucie Mobile Village | Indiantown, FL | 1 of 3 | 0.167 ppb | 750 |
| Indiantown Company | Indiantown, FL | 1 of 3 | 0.167 ppb | 5,847 |
| City of Rialto | Rialto, CA | 125 of 555 | 0.156 ppb | 48,623 |
| Crawford County Water System | Roberta, GA | 2 of 13 | 0.134 ppb | 1,804 |
| Silver Lake Institute - Castile Water District #1 | , NY | 1 of 4 | 0.125 ppb | 440 |
| Perry Center Water District | Perry, NY | 1 of 4 | 0.125 ppb | 150 |
| Perry Village* | , NY | 1 of 4 | 0.125 ppb | 4,348 |
| Gardeau Water District | Castile, NY | 1 of 4 | 0.125 ppb | 60 |
| Jericho Water District | Syosset, NY | 71 of 1,088 | 0.119 ppb | 58,000 |
| Ridgebrook Bluff S/d | Cary, NC | 3 of 14 | 0.114 ppb | 243 |
| Pueblo Heights Mobile Home Park | Globe, AZ | 1 of 7 | 0.103 ppb | 400 |
| Vinton Hills Subdivision | Anthony, TX | 1 of 6 | 0.0833 ppb | 549 |
| Markowski Farms | West Suffield, CT | 1 of 6 | 0.0833 ppb | 155 |
* 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 1,2-Dichloropropane, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Huntington Water Department | South Huntington, NY | 4 of 4 | 1.03 ppb | 81,760 |
| Immokalee Water | Immokalee, FL | 4 of 11 | 0.446 ppb | 25,608 |
| Midvale City Water System | Midvale, UT | 4 of 65 | 0.328 ppb | 33,000 |
| City of Rialto | Rialto, CA | 125 of 555 | 0.156 ppb | 48,623 |
| Jericho Water District | Syosset, NY | 71 of 1,088 | 0.119 ppb | 58,000 |
| Moorestown Water Department | Moorestown, NJ | 8 of 27 | 0.0659 ppb | 20,700 |
| Aquarion Water Company of Connecticut - Simsbury System | Bridgeport, CT | 8 of 79 | 0.0608 ppb | 14,679 |
| City of Blythe | Blythe, CA | 1 of 11 | 0.0500 ppb | 12,155 |
| California Water Service - South San Francisco | San Jose, CA | 12 of 192 | 0.0391 ppb | 56,110 |
| Maple Shade Water Department* | Maple Shade, NJ | 1 of 4 | 0.0375 ppb | 19,400 |
| City of Shafter | Shafter, CA | 1 of 24 | 0.0292 ppb | 16,928 |
| City of Moses Lake | Moses Lake, WA | 1 of 32 | 0.0188 ppb | 22,930 |
| Miramar (East & West) Plants | Miramar, FL | 1 of 14 | 0.0179 ppb | 127,700 |
| Lee County Utilities* | Fort Myers, FL | 2 of 18 | 0.0164 ppb | 251,502 |
| Gateway Services District | Fort Myers, FL | 2 of 18 | 0.0164 ppb | 12,717 |
| Wallingford Water Department | Wallingford, CT | 1 of 35 | 0.0143 ppb | 37,267 |
| City of Stuart - Water Plant | Stuart, FL | 9 of 214 | 0.0105 ppb | 19,000 |
| Riviera Beach Utility District* | Riviera Beach, FL | 2 of 47 | 0.00781 ppb | 34,700 |
| Cal/Am Water Company - San Marino | Rosemead, CA | 3 of 721 | 0.00720 ppb | 40,804 |
| California Water Service (CWS) - Bakersfield* | San Jose, CA | 4 of 514 | 0.00547 ppb | 246,371 |
| Bethpage WD | Bethpage, NY | 5 of 941 | 0.00309 ppb | 33,000 |
| Plainview WD | Plainview, NY | 6 of 1,108 | 0.00293 ppb | 35,000 |
| Hicksville WD | Hicksville, NY | 1 of 1,392 | 0.00144 ppb | 48,000 |
| San Bernardino City* | San Bernardino, CA | 3 of 1,768 | 0.00101 ppb | 188,931 |
* 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 1,2-Dichloropropane, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.