Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

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

Richardson County Rural Water District 2

NOTE: Richardson County Rural Water District 2 purchases water from Falls City, City of which is required to test for 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (dbcp). Sample information shown below was taken by Falls City, City of.

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.

 

15

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND20ND
2019ND40ND
2020ND80ND
2021ND80ND
2022ND80ND
2023ND80ND

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

NOTE: Richardson County Rural Water District 2 purchases water from Falls City, City of which is required to test for 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (dbcp). Sample information shown below was taken by Falls City, City of.

Date Lab ID Result
2018-08-14567278ND
2018-08-14567277ND
2019-08-12628467ND
2019-08-12628466ND
2020-05-12667088ND
2020-08-10689941ND
2020-08-10689940ND
2020-10-19703055ND
2021-08-09753825ND
2021-08-09753824ND
2022-08-09816220ND
2022-08-09816219ND
2023-06-12856281ND
2023-08-01880284ND
2023-08-01880285ND