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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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2,4-D

Westerly Water Department

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.

 

48

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND240ND
2015N/A00N/A
2016N/A00N/A
2017ND240ND
2018N/A00N/A
2019N/A00N/A

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
2014-05-01BG39530-SOCND
2014-05-01BG39529-SOCND
2014-05-01BG39528-SOCND
2014-05-02BG40111-SOCND
2014-05-02BG40109-SOCND
2014-05-06BG41004-SOCND
2014-05-08BG42439-SOCND
2014-05-13BG43968-SOCND
2014-05-13BG43969-SOCND
2014-05-14BG44525-SOCND
2014-05-15BG45216_SOCND
2014-05-15BG45214-SOCND
2014-10-10BH26017_SOCND
2014-10-10BH26015_SOCND
2014-10-14BH27157_SOCND
2014-10-14BH27159_SOCND
2014-10-15BH27765_SOCND
2014-10-15BH27767_SOCND
2014-10-16BH28481_SOCND
2014-10-16BH28479_SOCND
2014-10-17BH28987_SOCND
2014-10-17BH28985_SOCND
2014-10-21BH30248_SOCND
2014-10-21BH30250_SOCND
2017-04-26BY10338_SOCND
2017-04-26BY10335_SOCND
2017-04-27BY11116_SOCND
2017-04-27BY11112_SOCND
2017-04-28BY11761_SOCND
2017-04-28BY11768_SOCND
2017-04-28BY11765_SOCND
2017-05-02BY13336_SOCND
2017-05-02BY13340_SOCND
2017-05-03BY14006_SOCND
2017-05-03BY14010_SOCND
2017-05-16BY21037_SOCND
2017-11-07BZ34010_SOCND
2017-11-07BZ34008_SOCND
2017-11-08BZ37670_SOCND
2017-11-08BZ37668_SOCND
2017-11-08BZ37666_SOCND
2017-11-09BZ38809_SOCND
2017-11-09BZ38935_SOCND
2017-11-09BZ38807_SOCND
2017-11-10BZ39477_SOCND
2017-11-10BZ39479_SOCND
2017-11-15BZ42165_SOCND
2017-11-15BZ42167_SOCND