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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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

City of Tempe

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

 

62

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
2014ND260ND
2015N/A00N/A
2016N/A00N/A
2017ND320ND
2018ND20ND
2019ND20ND

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
2014-01-02201401020127SND
2014-01-28201401280517SND
2014-01-28201401280513SND
2014-01-28201401280511SND
2014-01-28201401280471SND
2014-01-29201401290590SND
2014-01-29201401290579SND
2014-01-29201401290576SND
2014-01-29201401290573SND
2014-01-29201401290571SND
2014-03-24201403240026SND
2014-04-28201404290168SND
2014-04-30201404300549SND
2014-07-29201407290362SND
2014-07-29201407290356SND
2014-07-29201407290358SND
2014-07-29201407290360SND
2014-07-29201407290364SND
2014-07-30201407300568SND
2014-07-30201407300566SND
2014-07-30201407300564SND
2014-07-30201407300562SND
2014-07-30201407300560SND
2014-07-30201407300558SND
2014-11-12201411120111SND
2014-11-12201411120110SND
2017-01-03201701030387SND
2017-01-03201701030385SND
2017-01-17201701170373SND
2017-01-17201701170371SND
2017-01-18201701190155SND
2017-01-18201701190150SND
2017-01-18201701190148SND
2017-01-19201701190167SND
2017-01-26201701260263SND
2017-01-26201701260254SND
2017-01-31201702010341SND
2017-01-31201702010339SND
2017-03-23201703230333SND
2017-06-01201706010858SND
2017-06-01201706010849SND
2017-08-28201708280413SND
2017-08-28201708280408SND
2017-08-28201708280402SND
2017-08-29201708290316SND
2017-08-29201708290330SND
2017-08-30201708300568SND
2017-09-06201709060759SND
2017-09-06201709060739SND
2017-09-06201709060717SND
2017-09-07201709070469SND
2017-09-07201709070466SND
2017-09-12201709120665SND
2017-09-14201709140732SND
2017-10-03201710030741SND
2017-10-11201710110933SND
2017-10-11201710110930SND
2017-10-26201710260283SND
2018-02-13201802130408SND
2018-04-24201804240602SND
2019-01-02201901020284SND
2019-07-25201907250154SND