Menu

EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

Donate

2,4-D

South Gate Water Department

2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) is a herbicide that can be applied directly to GMO corn and soy plants engineered to withstand this toxic chemical. Americans' exposures to 2,4-D from food and drinking water will likely increase in years to come as farmers plant more of these GMO crops. Read More.

2,4-D is an endocrine disruptor that interferes with thyroid hormones. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies 2,4-D as possibly carcinogenic to humans. In occupational studies, farmers exposed to 2,4-D tended to have higher incidences of damaged and malformed sperm. Laboratory animals exposed to 2,4-D during gestation are born underdeveloped and are more likely to have birth defects.

 

25

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
2014N/A00N/A
2015ND110ND
2016ND10ND
2017N/A00N/A
2018ND120ND
2019ND10ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 20 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 20 ppb for 2,4-D 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 harm to internal organs.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 70 ppb

The legal limit for 2,4-D, established in 1991, was based on toxicity studies in laboratory animals conducted in the 1980s. This limit may not fully protect against harm to the nervous system, harm to the thyroid, and hormone disruption.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2015-04-099588-016-1324ND
2015-04-099588-007-1124ND
2015-04-099588-008-1143ND
2015-04-099588-024-1344ND
2015-07-099588-007-1235ND
2015-07-099588-016-1130ND
2015-07-099588-024-1015ND
2015-07-099588-008-1210ND
2015-09-179588-009-0954ND
2015-10-089588-014-1236ND
2015-12-299588-009-0929ND
2016-01-149588-014-1217ND
2018-04-259588-024-1138ND
2018-04-259588-008-1020ND
2018-04-259588-016-1110ND
2018-04-259588-007-1004ND
2018-07-239588-016-0950ND
2018-07-239588-024-0912ND
2018-07-239588-014-1107ND
2018-07-239588-009-1045ND
2018-07-239588-008-1030ND
2018-07-239588-007-1015ND
2018-10-179588-014-1028ND
2018-10-179588-009-1005ND
2019-11-209588-008-1045ND