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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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2,4-D

Ward II Water District

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.

 

54

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
2014ND60ND
2015ND200ND
2016ND40ND
2017ND60ND
2018ND160ND
2019ND20ND

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
2014-06-24AD92629ND
2014-06-24AD92627ND
2014-06-24AD92628ND
2014-06-24AD92629ND
2014-06-24AD92628ND
2014-06-24AD92627ND
2015-07-2035198654001ND
2015-07-2035198654001ND
2015-09-2135208876004ND
2015-09-2135208876001ND
2015-09-2135208876002ND
2015-09-2135208876003ND
2015-09-2135208876004ND
2015-09-2135208876005ND
2015-09-2135208876003ND
2015-09-2135208876002ND
2015-09-2135208876001ND
2015-09-2135208876005ND
2015-09-2935209950003ND
2015-09-2935209950001ND
2015-09-2935209950002ND
2015-09-2935209950003ND
2015-09-2935209950004ND
2015-09-2935209950001ND
2015-09-2935209950002ND
2015-09-2935209950004ND
2016-03-0135232777001ND
2016-03-0135232777002ND
2016-03-0135232777002ND
2016-03-0135232777001ND
2017-06-1935320024003ND
2017-06-1935320024002ND
2017-06-1935320024001ND
2017-06-1935320024003ND
2017-06-1935320024002ND
2017-06-1935320024001ND
2018-05-0235390161001ND
2018-05-0235390161002ND
2018-05-0235390161001ND
2018-05-0235390161002ND
2018-06-2535400823005ND
2018-06-2535400823004ND
2018-06-2535400823003ND
2018-06-2535400823002ND
2018-06-2535400823001ND
2018-06-2535400823001ND
2018-06-2535400823002ND
2018-06-2535400823003ND
2018-06-2535400823004ND
2018-06-2535400823005ND
2018-09-1035417396001ND
2018-09-1035417396001ND
2019-07-2435485209001ND
2019-07-2435485209001ND