Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP)

Huttig Waterworks

1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane is a pesticide fumigant banned in the 1970s after scientists discovered it caused sterility in men who worked with it. The chemical causes cancer in laboratory animals and may cause cancer in people. Read More.

This pesticide breaks down very slowly in the environment. It remains in groundwater and drinking water wells in the agricultural areas where it was sprayed in the past. Men exposed to this pesticide in the fields suffered from infertility and testicular damage, and tended to have fewer male babies.

 

20

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND40ND
2019ND70ND
2020ND30ND
2021ND30ND
2022ND20ND
2023ND10ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 0.0017 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.0017 ppb for 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane 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): 0.2 ppb

The legal limit for 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane, established in 1991, was based on analytical detection limits at the time that the standard was set. This limit does not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2018-02-2718060003201ND
2018-05-0118123006103ND
2018-10-2918305001209ND
2018-10-2918305001203ND
2019-01-2819031001001ND
2019-01-2819031001109ND
2019-01-2819031001103ND
2019-05-0119121003303ND
2019-05-0119121003308ND
2019-09-0319248002103ND
2019-09-0319248002109ND
2020-01-2820030005107ND
2020-01-2820030005101ND
2020-06-1620170003902ND
2021-01-2721028015001ND
2021-05-1921140004502ND
2021-11-1721322001003ND
2022-01-2422027007501ND
2022-05-23O198471-VOC-1ND
2023-02-14O206558-EDB-1ND