Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

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

Avon Water Company

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.

 

22

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND110ND
2019ND70ND
2020N/A00N/A
2021N/A00N/A
2022ND40ND
2023N/A00N/A

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
2018-03-05D8C0238-03SOCND
2018-03-05D8C0238-04SOCND
2018-03-05D8C0238-05SOCND
2018-03-05D8C0238-06SOCND
2018-03-05D8C0238-07SOCND
2018-03-05D8C0238-08SOCND
2018-03-05D8C0238-01RE1SOCRND
2018-03-05D8C0238-02SOCND
2018-04-25D8D2151-06SOCND
2018-07-26CA98747ND
2018-10-09SOC 200508699ND
2019-03-12SOC 200524505ND
2019-05-20SOC 200533253ND
2019-05-20SOC 200533254ND
2019-05-20SOC 200533255ND
2019-05-20SOC 200533256ND
2019-05-21SOC 200533252ND
2019-10-09SOC 200552472ND
2022-03-24CK96360ND
2022-04-08CL06143ND
2022-05-06CL27001ND
2022-07-22CL89161ND