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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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2,4-D

Sulphur Water 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.

 

36

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND120ND
2015ND20ND
2016N/A00N/A
2017ND120ND
2018N/A00N/A
2019ND100ND

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
2014-07-21AD93897ND
2014-07-21AD93894ND
2014-07-21AD93897ND
2014-07-21AD93896ND
2014-07-21AD93895ND
2014-07-21AD93894ND
2014-07-21AD93895ND
2014-07-21AD93896ND
2014-10-06AD98325ND
2014-10-06AD98326ND
2014-10-06AD98325ND
2014-10-06AD98326ND
2015-03-0235177665003ND
2015-03-0235177665003ND
2017-07-1735324418005ND
2017-07-1735324418001ND
2017-07-1735324418004ND
2017-07-1735324418003ND
2017-07-1735324418002ND
2017-07-1735324418001ND
2017-07-1735324418005ND
2017-07-1735324418004ND
2017-07-1735324418003ND
2017-07-1735324418002ND
2017-09-1935337316003ND
2017-09-1935337316003ND
2019-07-0835480758001ND
2019-07-0835480758001ND
2019-12-0935518078001ND
2019-12-0935518078004ND
2019-12-0935518078003ND
2019-12-0935518078002ND
2019-12-0935518078001ND
2019-12-0935518078004ND
2019-12-0935518078003ND
2019-12-0935518078002ND