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

Coachella Valley Water District: Cove Community

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

Samples

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

Year	Average result	Samples taken	Detections	Range of results
2014	0.0119 ppb	17	4	ND - 0.0670 ppb
2015	0.0261 ppb	8	4	ND - 0.0650 ppb
2016	0.0358 ppb	6	4	ND - 0.0590 ppb
2017	0.0189 ppb	10	4	ND - 0.0500 ppb
2018	0.0229 ppb	9	4	ND - 0.0600 ppb
2019	0.0128 ppb	14	4	ND - 0.0540 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
2014-05-05	4790-279-1317	ND
2014-06-13	4790-030-1038	ND
2014-06-13	4790-032-0956	ND
2014-06-13	4790-084-0726	ND
2014-06-13	4790-088-0730	ND
2014-06-13	4790-219-0710	ND
2014-06-13	4790-199-0910	ND
2014-06-13	4790-134-1006	ND
2014-06-13	4790-103-0815	ND
2014-06-13	4790-105-0856	ND
2014-06-13	4790-117-1005	ND
2014-06-13	4790-130-0925	0.0490 ppb
2014-06-13	4790-129-0908	ND
2014-06-13	4790-125-0825	ND
2014-06-19	4790-130-1430	0.0490 ppb
2014-09-10	4790-130-1045	0.0380 ppb
2014-12-18	4790-130-1310	0.0670 ppb
2015-03-04	4790-130-1112	0.0650 ppb
2015-03-04	4790-130-0000	ND
2015-06-03	4790-130-0852	0.0420 ppb
2015-06-16	4790-279-1032	ND
2015-09-09	4790-130-0931	0.0490 ppb
2015-09-15	4790-279-0928	ND
2015-12-01	4790-130-0945	0.0530 ppb
2015-12-02	4790-279-1104	ND
2016-03-09	9590-130-0855	0.0580 ppb
2016-03-23	9590-279-1010	ND
2016-06-16	9590-130-0000	ND
2016-06-16	9590-130-0848	0.0590 ppb
2016-09-28	9590-130-0855	0.0560 ppb
2016-12-07	9590-130-1113	0.0420 ppb
2017-01-23	9590-224-1045	ND
2017-03-02	9590-130-0941	0.0440 ppb
2017-06-16	9590-130-1126	0.0470 ppb
2017-08-30	9590-125-1120	ND
2017-08-31	9590-134-0933	ND
2017-09-12	9590-130-0935	0.0480 ppb
2017-09-18	9590-219-1140	ND
2017-12-06	9590-177-1211	ND
2017-12-06	9590-130-1038	0.0500 ppb
2017-12-19	9590-073-0915	ND
2018-03-07	9590-130-1050	0.0600 ppb
2018-04-25	9590-281-1145	ND
2018-06-06	9590-130-0912	0.0530 ppb
2018-07-25	9590-281-1045	ND
2018-09-06	9590-130-1028	0.0460 ppb
2018-09-26	9590-282-1140	ND
2018-10-23	9590-281-1300	ND
2018-12-12	9590-282-1155	ND
2018-12-13	9590-130-0845	0.0470 ppb
2019-01-31	9590-281-0950	ND
2019-03-05	9590-130-0845	0.0520 ppb
2019-03-06	9590-224-1017	ND
2019-03-19	9590-282-1035	ND
2019-05-22	9590-286-0836	ND
2019-06-21	9590-282-1130	ND
2019-06-21	9590-224-0840	ND
2019-06-26	9590-130-1007	0.0540 ppb
2019-07-03	9590-289-0800	ND
2019-09-12	9590-130-1140	0.0440 ppb
2019-09-17	9590-286-0835	ND
2019-09-26	9590-224-1100	ND
2019-11-14	9590-130-0905	0.0290 ppb
2019-12-23	9590-289-0920	ND