Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

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

Othello Water Department

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.

 

29

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND30ND
2019ND20ND
2020N/A00N/A
2021ND140ND
2022ND90ND
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

Date Lab ID Result
2018-03-15ND
2018-12-13ND
2018-12-13ND
2019-06-18ND
2019-07-08ND
2021-03-154087499ND
2021-03-314102279ND
2021-03-314105337ND
2021-06-104129490ND
2021-08-114169236ND
2021-08-114171965ND
2021-08-114171964ND
2021-08-114157933ND
2021-08-114169108ND
2021-10-134202782ND
2021-10-134192260ND
2021-10-134202781ND
2021-10-134202802ND
2021-10-134202801ND
2022-03-154263100ND
2022-06-024298828ND
2022-06-084298813ND
2022-06-084298812ND
2022-08-084335854ND
2022-09-064364651ND
2022-09-064371325ND
2022-09-064364663ND
2022-10-064364641ND
2023-06-124499780ND