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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Chloroform

Bethany Beach Water Department

Chloroform, one of the total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), is formed when chlorine or other disinfectants are used to treat drinking water. Chloroform and other disinfection byproducts increase the risk of cancer and may cause problems during pregnancy. Read More.

In addition to tap water disinfection, chloroform pollution in the environment also comes from industrial discharges from pulp and paper mills, and from urban wastewater effluent. Human studies show that chloroform damages the kidneys, liver and central nervous system. In animals, chloroform causes infertility, birth defects and cancer.

Click here to read more about disinfection byproducts.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

59

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

59

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
201430.6 ppb121221.0 ppb - 40.3 ppb
201521.5 ppb121215.1 ppb - 29.7 ppb
201621.8 ppb11112.90 ppb - 26.9 ppb
201719.0 ppb8817.0 ppb - 21.0 ppb
201817.0 ppb8813.2 ppb - 20.1 ppb
201922.9 ppb8819.1 ppb - 26.0 ppb

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.4 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.4 ppb for chloroform was proposed in 2018 by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as 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
2014-02-11L4942055-3 TTHM28.4 ppb
2014-02-11L4942055-2 TTHM28.0 ppb
2014-02-11L4942055-1 TTHM27.2 ppb
2014-05-08L5050677-3-TTHM32.4 ppb
2014-05-08L5050677-2-TTHM33.9 ppb
2014-05-08L5050677-1-TTHM32.4 ppb
2014-08-11L5201513-3 TTHM21.0 ppb
2014-08-11L5201513-2 TTHM24.0 ppb
2014-08-11L5201513-1 THHM24.6 ppb
2014-11-10L5317540-3 TTHM36.6 ppb
2014-11-10L5317540-2 THHM38.4 ppb
2014-11-10L5317540-1 TTHM40.3 ppb
2015-02-20L5461172-225.0 ppb
2015-02-20L5461172-422.0 ppb
2015-02-20L5461172-620.5 ppb
2015-05-11L5581074-3 TTHM25.3 ppb
2015-05-11L5581074-2 TTHM29.7 ppb
2015-05-11L5581074-1 TTHM27.8 ppb
2015-08-10L5758077-3 TTHM15.1 ppb
2015-08-10L5758077-2 TTHM17.2 ppb
2015-08-10L5758077-1 TTHM17.3 ppb
2015-11-13L5912222-3 TTHM18.6 ppb
2015-11-13L5912222-2 TTHM19.6 ppb
2015-11-13L5912222-1 TTHM19.8 ppb
2016-02-08L6064352-3 TTHM24.8 ppb
2016-02-08L6064352-2 TTHM26.9 ppb
2016-02-08L6064352-1 TTHM26.7 ppb
2016-05-13L6248503-1 TTHM24.0 ppb
2016-05-13L6248503-3 TTHM23.0 ppb
2016-05-13L6248503-2 TTHM25.0 ppb
2016-08-08L6412894-2 TTHM20.0 ppb
2016-08-08L6412894-1 TTHM23.0 ppb
2016-10-11L6507095-1 TTHM2.90 ppb
2016-11-14L6549242-2 TTHM20.0 ppb
2016-11-14L6549242-1 TTHM24.0 ppb
2017-02-13L6677115-2 TTHM19.0 ppb
2017-02-13L6677115-1 TTHM19.0 ppb
2017-05-09L6798455-2 TTHM21.0 ppb
2017-05-09L6798455-1 TTHM19.0 ppb
2017-08-08L6933494-2 TTHM21.0 ppb
2017-08-08L6933494-1 TTHM18.0 ppb
2017-11-13L6970427-2 TTHM18.0 ppb
2017-11-13L6970427-1 TTHM17.0 ppb
2018-02-081803520-02 TTHM17.2 ppb
2018-02-081803520-01 TTHM16.6 ppb
2018-05-091811184-02 TTHM20.1 ppb
2018-05-091811184-01 TTHM18.1 ppb
2018-08-082331413002 TTHM13.2 ppb
2018-08-082331413001 TTHM15.1 ppb
2018-11-132829715-01 TTHM17.0 ppb
2018-11-131829715-02 TTHM18.5 ppb
2019-02-121903793-02 TTHM19.8 ppb
2019-02-121903793-01 TTHM19.1 ppb
2019-05-1430294507002 TTHM23.0 ppb
2019-05-1430294507001 TTHM26.0 ppb
2019-08-1230319191002 TTHM24.0 ppb
2019-08-1230319191001 TTHM23.0 ppb
2019-11-1230335377003 TTHM25.0 ppb
2019-11-123033537704 TTHM23.0 ppb