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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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2,4-D

Metropolitan District Commission

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.

 

37

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
2014ND40ND
2015ND100ND
2016ND40ND
2017ND40ND
2018ND110ND
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
2014-06-25SOCR 200398586ND
2014-06-25SOCR 200398587ND
2014-06-25SOCR 200398588ND
2014-06-25SOCR 200398585ND
2015-07-16SOCR 200420506ND
2015-07-16SOCR 200420502ND
2015-07-16SOCR 200420501ND
2015-07-30BJ65998SOC2ND
2015-07-30BJ65997SOC2ND
2015-07-30BJ65999SOC2ND
2015-08-12SOCR 200422652ND
2015-10-22BK12467SOC2ND
2015-10-22BK12468SOC2ND
2015-10-22BK12469SOC2ND
2016-07-13SOCR 200444754ND
2016-07-13SOCR 200444756ND
2016-07-13SOCR 200444757ND
2016-07-13SOCR 200444758ND
2017-08-14SOCR 200474392ND
2017-08-14SOCR 200474395ND
2017-08-14SOCR 200474393ND
2017-08-14SOCR 200474394ND
2018-06-27CA79475ND
2018-06-27CA79476ND
2018-06-27CA79477ND
2018-07-18SOCR 200500125ND
2018-07-18SOCR 200500126ND
2018-07-18SOCR 200500122ND
2018-07-18SOCR 200500124ND
2018-09-25CB38504ND
2018-09-25CB38505RND
2018-09-25CB38869ND
2018-09-25CB38505ND
2019-07-08SOCR 200539197ND
2019-07-08SOCR 200539198ND
2019-07-08SOCR 200539199ND
2019-07-08SOCR 200539200ND