Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

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

Appleby Water Supply Corporation

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.

 

21

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND20ND
2019N/A00N/A
2020ND50ND
2021ND30ND
2022ND40ND
2023ND70ND

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
2018-01-30Q1803539005ND
2018-04-18Q1815998018ND
2020-05-06Q2017875001ND
2020-05-06Q2017875003ND
2020-05-06Q2017875005ND
2020-05-06Q2017875007ND
2020-05-06Q2017875009ND
2021-02-01Q2102897004ND
2021-07-26Q2119473001ND
2021-10-12Q2128274001ND
2022-02-01Q2203639002ND
2022-05-16Q2214437001ND
2022-09-06Q2226362031ND
2022-11-08Q2233715009ND
2023-03-07Q2308836007ND
2023-03-22Q2310842016ND
2023-03-22Q2310842017ND
2023-06-19Q2323052006ND
2023-08-14Q2333697019ND
2023-08-14Q2333697020ND
2023-10-23Q2345174008ND