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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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2,4-D

Connecticut Water Company - Northern Region-Western System

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.

 

45

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
2014ND20ND
2015ND190ND
2016ND40ND
2017ND120ND
2018ND40ND
2019ND40ND

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
2014-03-20140325CWCSOC2ND
2014-05-076132SOC2ND
2015-01-203173045ND
2015-02-113185960ND
2015-03-193210162ND
2015-03-193210171ND
2015-03-303216186ND
2015-03-313216986ND
2015-04-223230621ND
2015-04-223230629ND
2015-04-223230613ND
2015-04-273231828ND
2015-04-283232537ND
2015-05-263249447ND
2015-06-12BJ30561SOC2ND
2015-07-01BJ40227SOC2ND
2015-07-02BJ41078SOC2ND
2015-07-30BJ65812SOC2ND
2015-08-13BJ73997SOC2ND
2015-08-21BJ79580SOC2ND
2015-08-28BJ83828SOC2ND
2016-01-27BK58056SOC2ND
2016-01-27BK58055SOCRND
2016-05-25BN40004SOC2ND
2016-06-23BN62227SOC2ND
2017-03-03BX79851SOC2ND
2017-03-03BX79849SOC2ND
2017-03-08BX81787SOCRND
2017-04-06BY00572SOC2ND
2017-04-21BY07960SOC2ND
2017-04-21BY07962SOC2ND
2017-05-30BY30818SOC2ND
2017-06-01BY32097SOC2ND
2017-07-07BY54443SOC2ND
2017-07-14BY60158SOC2ND
2017-07-27BY73973SOC2ND
2017-08-11BY83260SOC2ND
2018-01-31BZ82950SOC2ND
2018-01-31BZ82691SOCRND
2018-06-28CA80715SOC2ND
2018-07-26CA99050ND
2019-01-09SOC 200518249ND
2019-01-10SOCR 200518412ND
2019-01-10SOCR 200489130ND
2019-03-11SOC 200524185ND