Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

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

Ringwood Water Department

NOTE: Ringwood Water Department purchases water from Passaic Valley Water Commission which is required to test for 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (dbcp). Sample information shown below was taken by Passaic Valley Water Commission.

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.

 

18

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018N/A00N/A
2019ND120ND
2020ND40ND
2021ND60ND
2022ND40ND
2023ND10ND

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: Ringwood Water Department purchases water from Passaic Valley Water Commission which is required to test for 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (dbcp). Sample information shown below was taken by Passaic Valley Water Commission.

Date Lab ID Result
2019-05-083032605001ND
2019-08-013049034001ND
2019-11-063068333001ND
2020-02-053084878001ND
2020-05-063100776001ND
2020-08-063119672001ND
2020-11-053139209001ND
2021-02-113157583001ND
2021-05-053173891001ND
2021-08-053193178001ND
2021-11-053210827001ND
2022-02-023225427001ND
2022-05-043240844001ND
2022-08-033256438001ND
2022-11-023271865001ND
2023-02-093287545001ND
2023-05-033301294001ND
2023-08-103317790001ND