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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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2,4-D

Portsmouth Water Works

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.

 

42

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND70ND
2015ND70ND
2016ND70ND
2017ND70ND
2018ND70ND
2019ND70ND

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
2014-01-27A400382001ND
2014-01-27A400382002ND
2014-01-27A400382003ND
2014-02-03A400530002ND
2014-02-03A400530003ND
2014-02-03A400530001ND
2014-07-17A405023001ND
2015-01-20A500311005ND
2015-01-20A500311006ND
2015-01-20A500311004ND
2015-01-20A500311003ND
2015-01-20A500311002ND
2015-01-20A500311001ND
2015-07-08A504792001ND
2016-02-03B600549002ND
2016-02-03B600549004ND
2016-02-03B600549006ND
2016-02-08B600586002ND
2016-02-08B600586004ND
2016-02-08B600586006ND
2016-08-18B607708002ND
2017-01-2539125-001ND
2017-01-2539125-006ND
2017-01-2539125-005ND
2017-01-2539125-003ND
2017-01-2539125-002ND
2017-01-2539125-004ND
2017-08-011708-00583-001ND
2018-02-0843406-003ND
2018-02-0843406-002ND
2018-02-0843406-001ND
2018-02-1443453-003ND
2018-02-1443453-002ND
2018-02-1443453-001ND
2018-08-301808-04207-001ND
2019-01-291901-02588-001ND
2019-01-291901-02591-001ND
2019-01-291901-02594-001ND
2019-01-291901-02596-001ND
2019-01-291901-02597-001ND
2019-01-291901-02601-001ND
2019-08-151908-02440-001ND