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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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

City of Mesa

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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

67

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

7

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
20140.0170 ppb31ND - 0.0510 ppb
20150.00138 ppb291ND - 0.0400 ppb
20160.0123 ppb31ND - 0.0370 ppb
20170.0340 ppb110.0340 ppb
20180.00277 ppb262ND - 0.0450 ppb
20190.00560 ppb51ND - 0.0280 ppb

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

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
2014-02-12201402120615SND
2014-04-14201404140044SND
2014-04-21201404210033S0.0510 ppb
2015-02-04201502050428SND
2015-02-04201502050419SND
2015-02-09201502090116SND
2015-02-09201502090114SND
2015-02-09201502090089SND
2015-02-11201502120371SND
2015-04-01201504010555SND
2015-04-07201504080340SND
2015-04-07201504080338SND
2015-04-07201504070448SND
2015-04-14201504150242SND
2015-04-14201504150237SND
2015-04-21201504220401SND
2015-04-21201504220403SND
2015-04-29201504290425SND
2015-07-07201507070354SND
2015-07-07201507070352SND
2015-07-14201507150044SND
2015-07-21201507210315SND
2015-07-21201507210313SND
2015-10-06201510060340SND
2015-10-062015100060338SND
2015-10-06201510060339SND
2015-10-12201510130289SND
2015-10-12201510130288SND
2015-10-14201510150131SND
2015-10-19201510200133S0.0400 ppb
2015-10-21201510220131SND
2015-10-21201510220130SND
2016-04-19201604190188S0.0370 ppb
2016-06-08201606090223SND
2016-10-17201610180304SND
2017-04-19201704200260SSOC0.0340 ppb
2018-02-08201802080669SND
2018-04-02201804030503SND
2018-04-03201804040820SND
2018-04-03201804040819SND
2018-04-03201804040818SND
2018-04-09201804100269SND
2018-04-10201804111115SND
2018-04-16201804170332SND
2018-04-16201804170331SND
2018-04-17201804180563SND
2018-04-17201804180562SND
2018-04-24201804250768S0.0450 ppb
2018-04-24201804250767SND
2018-06-20201806200513SND
2018-08-07201808070334SND
2018-10-11201810110593SND
2018-10-11201810110592SND
2018-10-11201810110591SND
2018-10-16201810170428SND
2018-10-17201810170435SND
2018-10-18201810180391SND
2018-10-18201810180392SND
2018-10-22201810220265SND
2018-10-23201810230482SND
2018-10-24201810240339SND
2018-10-29201810290232S0.0270 ppb
2019-02-0519020066ND
2019-03-1419030420ND
2019-03-1819030465ND
2019-04-09190402120.0280 ppb
2019-08-2019080335ND