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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)

Daphne

Trihalomethanes are cancer-causing contaminants that form during water treatment with chlorine and other disinfectants. The total trihalomethanes group includes four chemicals: chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane and bromoform. Read More.

Studies conducted in the U.S. and Europe have found that drinking tap water that carries disinfection byproducts increases the risk of developing bladder cancer. In animal studies, all trihalomethanes cause liver, kidney and intestinal tumors. Some human epidemiological studies also reported an association between disinfection byproducts and an increased risk of problems during pregnancy, including spontaneous miscarriage, cardiovascular defects, neural tube defects and low birth weight.

The health guideline of 0.15 parts per billion, or ppb, for the group of four trihalomethanes, or THM4/TTHM, was defined in a peer-reviewed scientific study by EWG and represents a one-in-one-million lifetime cancer risk level.

Click here to read more about disinfection byproducts.

 

96

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

8

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
2014ND160ND
20150.0919 ppb161ND - 1.47 ppb
2016ND160ND
20170.0694 ppb161ND - 1.11 ppb
20180.670 ppb163ND - 8.00 ppb
20190.944 ppb163ND - 12.0 ppb

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.15 ppb

The health guideline of 0.15 parts per billion, or ppb, for the group of four trihalomethanes, or THM4/TTHM, was defined in a peer-reviewed scientific study by EWG and represents a one-in-one-million lifetime cancer risk level.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 80 ppb

The legal limit for the group of four trihalomethanes, established in 1998, was based on the need for residual disinfectant levels in water served to customers and the cost of treatment. This limit does not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to exposure to trihalomethanes.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-01-13140114014-4ND
2014-01-13140114014-1ND
2014-01-13140114014-3ND
2014-01-13140114014-2ND
2014-04-17140418029-4ND
2014-04-17140418029-1ND
2014-04-17140418029-2ND
2014-04-17140418029-3ND
2014-07-14140715014-4ND
2014-07-14140715014-2ND
2014-07-14140715014-1ND
2014-07-14140715014-3ND
2014-10-16141017021-4ND
2014-10-16141017021-3ND
2014-10-16141017021-2ND
2014-10-16141017021-1ND
2015-01-12150114120-4ND
2015-01-12150114120-1ND
2015-01-12150114120-2ND
2015-01-12150114120-3ND
2015-04-13150415041-1ND
2015-04-13150415041-2ND
2015-04-13150415041-3ND
2015-04-13150415041-4ND
2015-07-16150717035-41.47 ppb
2015-07-16150717035-3ND
2015-07-16150717035-2ND
2015-07-16150717035-1ND
2015-10-15151015050-2ND
2015-10-15151015050-1ND
2015-10-15151015050-3ND
2015-10-15151015050-4ND
2016-01-13160114029-1ND
2016-01-13160114029-2ND
2016-01-13160114029-4ND
2016-01-13160114029-3ND
2016-04-13160414038-3ND
2016-04-13160414038-4ND
2016-04-13160414038-1ND
2016-04-13160414038-2ND
2016-07-13160714057-3ND
2016-07-13160714057-4ND
2016-07-13160714057-2ND
2016-07-13160714057-1ND
2016-10-12161013045-2ND
2016-10-12161013045-3ND
2016-10-12161013045-4ND
2016-10-12161013045-1ND
2017-01-12170113033-3ND
2017-01-12170113033-1ND
2017-01-12170113033-2ND
2017-01-12170113033-4ND
2017-04-13170414020-4ND
2017-04-13170414020-3ND
2017-04-13170414020-2ND
2017-04-13170414020-1ND
2017-07-10170713007-4ND
2017-07-10170713007-1ND
2017-07-10170713007-2ND
2017-07-10170713007-3ND
2017-10-12171013002-1ND
2017-10-12171013002-3ND
2017-10-12171013002-41.11 ppb
2017-10-12171013002-2ND
2018-01-08180110071-0041.42 ppb
2018-01-08180110071-001ND
2018-01-08180110071-002ND
2018-01-08180110071-003ND
2018-04-12180413026-2ND
2018-04-12180413026-3ND
2018-04-12180413026-1ND
2018-04-12180413026-4ND
2018-07-1318070412A-0048.00 ppb
2018-07-1318070412A-002ND
2018-07-1318070412A-001ND
2018-07-1318070412A-003ND
2018-10-0818100375-0041.30 ppb
2018-10-0818100375-003ND
2018-10-0818100375-001ND
2018-10-0818100375-002ND
2019-01-1619010494-003ND
2019-01-1619010494-001ND
2019-01-1619010494-002ND
2019-01-1619010494-0041.60 ppb
2019-04-0819040356-002ND
2019-04-0819040356-004ND
2019-04-0819040356-001ND
2019-04-0819040356-003ND
2019-07-0820111829004_DBP212.0 ppb
2019-07-0820111829002_DBP2ND
2019-07-0820111829003_DBP2ND
2019-07-0820111829001_DBP2ND
2019-10-1420126103004_DBP21.50 ppb
2019-10-1420126103002_DBP2ND
2019-10-1420126103003_DBP2ND
2019-10-1420126103001_DBP2ND