Dichloroacetic acid
Los Alamos Municipal Water System
Dichloroacetic acid, one of the group of five haloacetic acids regulated by federal standards, is formed when chlorine or other disinfectants are used to treat drinking water. Haloacetic acids and other disinfection byproducts increase the risk of cancer and may cause problems during pregnancy. Click here to read more about disinfection byproducts.
Samples
Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)
Samples exceeding
health guidelines
Testing results - average by year
| Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | ND | 4 | 0 | ND |
| 2015 | 0.257 ppb | 20 | 12 | ND - 0.740 ppb |
| 2016 | 0.225 ppb | 16 | 5 | ND - 1.10 ppb |
| 2017 | ND | 12 | 0 | ND |
| 2018 | 0.414 ppb | 16 | 10 | ND - 1.20 ppb |
| 2019 | 0.360 ppb | 8 | 5 | ND - 0.740 ppb |
ppb = parts per billion
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 0.2 ppb
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.2 ppb for dichloroacetic acid was proposed in 2020 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.a one-in-a-million lifetime risk of cancer. Values greater than one-in-a-million cancer risk level can result in increased cancer cases above one in a million people.
ppb = parts per billion
All test results
| Date | Lab ID | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-03-05 | 1403212-001A | ND |
| 2014-06-10 | 1406451-001A | ND |
| 2014-09-24 | 1409C06-001B | ND |
| 2014-09-24 | 1409C33-001B | ND |
| 2015-02-18 | 1502750-001B | ND |
| 2015-02-18 | 1502747-001B | ND |
| 2015-02-18 | 1502752-001B | ND |
| 2015-02-18 | 1502748-001B | ND |
| 2015-03-09 | 1503352-001B | ND |
| 2015-03-09 | 1503354-001B | ND |
| 2015-03-09 | 1503351-001B | ND |
| 2015-03-09 | 1503355-001B | ND |
| 2015-06-08 | 2015016987 | 0.380 ppb |
| 2015-06-08 | 2015016988 | 0.230 ppb |
| 2015-06-08 | 2015016986 | 0.290 ppb |
| 2015-06-08 | 2015016989 | 0.290 ppb |
| 2015-09-08 | 2015026865 | 0.740 ppb |
| 2015-09-08 | 2015026868 | 0.730 ppb |
| 2015-09-08 | 2015026867 | 0.670 ppb |
| 2015-09-08 | 2015026866 | 0.530 ppb |
| 2015-12-08 | 2015035922 | 0.510 ppb |
| 2015-12-08 | 2015035923 | 0.220 ppb |
| 2015-12-08 | 2015035921 | 0.260 ppb |
| 2015-12-08 | 2015035924 | 0.280 ppb |
| 2016-03-08 | 2016006620 | ND |
| 2016-03-08 | 2016006619 | ND |
| 2016-03-08 | 2016006617 | ND |
| 2016-03-08 | 2016006618 | ND |
| 2016-06-06 | 2016015779 | 1.10 ppb |
| 2016-06-06 | 2016015777 | ND |
| 2016-06-06 | 2016015776 | ND |
| 2016-06-06 | 2016015778 | ND |
| 2016-09-07 | 2016026208 | 0.580 ppb |
| 2016-09-07 | 2016026209 | 0.580 ppb |
| 2016-09-07 | 2016026210 | 0.520 ppb |
| 2016-09-07 | 2016026207 | ND |
| 2016-12-07 | 2016035068 | ND |
| 2016-12-07 | 2016035069 | ND |
| 2016-12-07 | 2016035067 | 0.820 ppb |
| 2016-12-07 | 2016035070 | ND |
| 2017-03-15 | 2017007539 | ND |
| 2017-03-15 | 2017007537 | ND |
| 2017-03-15 | 2017007538 | ND |
| 2017-03-24 | 2017008621 | ND |
| 2017-06-16 | 2017017708 | ND |
| 2017-06-16 | 2017017707 | ND |
| 2017-06-16 | 2017017709 | ND |
| 2017-06-16 | 2017017710 | ND |
| 2017-09-11 | 2017026121 | ND |
| 2017-09-11 | 2017026120 | ND |
| 2017-09-11 | 2017026119 | ND |
| 2017-09-11 | 2017026118 | ND |
| 2018-03-07 | 2018006697 | ND |
| 2018-03-07 | 2018006696 | ND |
| 2018-03-07 | 2018006695 | ND |
| 2018-03-07 | 2018006694 | ND |
| 2018-06-13 | 2018016393 | 1.20 ppb |
| 2018-06-13 | 2018016392 | 0.670 ppb |
| 2018-06-13 | 2018016391 | 0.660 ppb |
| 2018-06-13 | 2018016390 | 0.510 ppb |
| 2018-09-11 | 2018025476 | 0.540 ppb |
| 2018-09-11 | 2018025477 | 0.680 ppb |
| 2018-09-11 | 2018025478 | 0.660 ppb |
| 2018-09-11 | 2018025479 | 0.460 ppb |
| 2018-12-12 | 2018034406 | ND |
| 2018-12-12 | 2018034407 | 0.570 ppb |
| 2018-12-12 | 2018034408 | 0.680 ppb |
| 2018-12-12 | 2018034409 | ND |
| 2019-03-15 | 2019006517 | ND |
| 2019-03-15 | 2019006519 | ND |
| 2019-03-15 | 2019006518 | ND |
| 2019-03-15 | 2019006516 | 0.450 ppb |
| 2019-06-12 | 2019016229 | 0.460 ppb |
| 2019-06-12 | 2019016228 | 0.600 ppb |
| 2019-06-12 | 2019016227 | 0.740 ppb |
| 2019-06-12 | 2019016226 | 0.630 ppb |