Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

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

St Charles Water District 1 East Bank

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.

 

29

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND40ND
2019ND80ND
2020ND40ND
2021ND40ND
2022ND50ND
2023ND40ND

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
2018-01-2335370117001ND
2018-01-2335370117001ND
2018-07-1735405500001ND
2018-07-1735405500001ND
2019-01-2235444037001ND
2019-01-2235444038001ND
2019-01-2235444037001ND
2019-01-2235444038001ND
2019-07-2535485229002ND
2019-07-2535485229001ND
2019-07-2535485229002ND
2019-07-2535485229001ND
2020-03-0535535509001ND
2020-03-0535535509002ND
2020-11-1035591297001ND
2020-11-1035591292001ND
2021-01-2835608065001ND
2021-01-2835608065002ND
2021-10-2535673766001ND
2021-10-2535673766002ND
2022-02-0235694868001ND
2022-02-0235694870001ND
2022-08-2435742576001ND
2022-08-2435742579001ND
2022-08-2435742769001ND
2023-03-2035787602001ND
2023-03-2035787604001ND
2023-11-2835844322001ND
2023-11-2835844330001ND