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

City of Austin Water & Wastewater

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.

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Samples

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

Year	Average result	Samples taken	Range of results
2013	N/A	0	N/A
2014	N/A	0	N/A
2015	ND	4	ND
2016	ND	2	ND
2017	N/A	0	N/A
2018	ND	1	ND
2019	ND	2	ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

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
2015-03-23	AC85695	ND
2015-05-28	AC93677	ND
2015-09-01	AD05236	ND
2015-11-17	AD13886	ND
2016-02-25	AD25831	ND
2016-02-25	AD25829	ND
2018-02-06	AE12566	ND
2019-02-07	AE53564	ND
2019-05-07	AE65222	ND