1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP)
City of Atwater
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.
Samples
Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)
Samples exceeding
health guidelines
Testing results - average by year
| Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2014 | 0.112 ppb | 20 | 20 | 0.0790 ppb - 0.150 ppb |
| 2015 | 0.0553 ppb | 31 | 19 | ND - 0.150 ppb |
| 2016 | 0.0312 ppb | 24 | 13 | ND - 0.0890 ppb |
| 2017 | 0.0434 ppb | 13 | 9 | ND - 0.140 ppb |
| 2018 | 0.0357 ppb | 7 | 2 | ND - 0.140 ppb |
| 2019 | ND | 1 | 0 | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-01-02 | 5806-015-0700 | 0.110 ppb |
| 2014-01-02 | 5806-026-1000 | 0.150 ppb |
| 2014-03-05 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0950 ppb |
| 2014-03-05 | 5806-026-0900 | 0.110 ppb |
| 2014-04-01 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.120 ppb |
| 2014-04-01 | 5806-026-0900 | 0.150 ppb |
| 2014-05-06 | 5806-026-0945 | 0.110 ppb |
| 2014-05-06 | 5806-015-0945 | 0.120 ppb |
| 2014-06-03 | 5806-026-0900 | 0.110 ppb |
| 2014-06-03 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0900 ppb |
| 2014-07-01 | 5806-026-0900 | 0.110 ppb |
| 2014-07-01 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.1000 ppb |
| 2014-08-12 | 5806-026-0900 | 0.150 ppb |
| 2014-08-12 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.110 ppb |
| 2014-09-02 | 5806-026-0900 | 0.110 ppb |
| 2014-09-02 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0930 ppb |
| 2014-10-07 | 5806-026-0700 | 0.0990 ppb |
| 2014-10-07 | 5806-015-0700 | 0.0900 ppb |
| 2014-11-04 | 5806-026-0900 | 0.130 ppb |
| 2014-11-04 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0790 ppb |
| 2015-01-06 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0930 ppb |
| 2015-01-06 | 5806-026-0900 | 0.0980 ppb |
| 2015-02-03 | 5806-015-0930 | 0.0960 ppb |
| 2015-02-03 | 5806-026-0930 | 0.140 ppb |
| 2015-03-03 | 5806-026-0910 | 0.0680 ppb |
| 2015-03-03 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0850 ppb |
| 2015-04-07 | 5806-015-1000 | 0.0800 ppb |
| 2015-04-07 | 5806-026-1000 | 0.0870 ppb |
| 2015-05-05 | 5806-026-0900 | 0.0880 ppb |
| 2015-05-05 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.110 ppb |
| 2015-06-02 | 5806-026-0900 | ND |
| 2015-06-02 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0700 ppb |
| 2015-07-07 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0670 ppb |
| 2015-07-07 | 5806-026-0900 | ND |
| 2015-08-04 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0630 ppb |
| 2015-08-04 | 5806-026-0900 | ND |
| 2015-09-01 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0880 ppb |
| 2015-09-01 | 5806-026-0900 | ND |
| 2015-10-06 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0460 ppb |
| 2015-10-06 | 5806-026-0900 | ND |
| 2015-11-10 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0740 ppb |
| 2015-11-10 | 5806-026-0900 | ND |
| 2015-12-01 | 5806-026-0930 | ND |
| 2015-12-01 | 5806-015-0930 | 0.150 ppb |
| 2015-12-07 | 5806-019-1030 | ND |
| 2015-12-07 | 5806-021-0715 | ND |
| 2015-12-07 | 5806-018-0830 | ND |
| 2015-12-07 | 5806-017-0900 | 0.1000 ppb |
| 2015-12-07 | 5806-013-0630 | ND |
| 2015-12-07 | 5806-016-0745 | 0.110 ppb |
| 2015-12-07 | 5806-014-0930 | ND |
| 2016-01-05 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0650 ppb |
| 2016-01-05 | 5806-026-0900 | ND |
| 2016-02-02 | 5806-026-0900 | ND |
| 2016-02-02 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0890 ppb |
| 2016-03-01 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0620 ppb |
| 2016-03-01 | 5806-026-0900 | ND |
| 2016-04-05 | 5806-026-0900 | ND |
| 2016-04-05 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0480 ppb |
| 2016-05-03 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0600 ppb |
| 2016-05-03 | 5806-026-0900 | ND |
| 2016-06-14 | 5806-026-0900 | 0.0430 ppb |
| 2016-06-14 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0540 ppb |
| 2016-07-05 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0750 ppb |
| 2016-07-05 | 5806-026-0900 | ND |
| 2016-08-02 | 5806-026-0900 | ND |
| 2016-08-02 | 5806-015-0900 | ND |
| 2016-09-06 | 5806-026-0900 | ND |
| 2016-09-06 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0540 ppb |
| 2016-10-04 | 5806-026-0800 | ND |
| 2016-10-04 | 5806-015-0800 | 0.0520 ppb |
| 2016-11-01 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0660 ppb |
| 2016-11-01 | 5806-026-0900 | 0.0420 ppb |
| 2016-12-06 | 5806-026-0900 | ND |
| 2016-12-06 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0390 ppb |
| 2017-01-03 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0350 ppb |
| 2017-01-03 | 5806-026-0900 | 0.0140 ppb |
| 2017-02-07 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0910 ppb |
| 2017-02-07 | 5806-026-0900 | 0.140 ppb |
| 2017-03-07 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0550 ppb |
| 2017-03-07 | 5806-026-0900 | 0.0670 ppb |
| 2017-04-12 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0200 ppb |
| 2017-04-12 | 5806-026-0900 | ND |
| 2017-05-02 | 5806-026-0900 | ND |
| 2017-05-02 | 5806-015-0900 | ND |
| 2017-06-06 | 5806-026-0900 | 0.0870 ppb |
| 2017-06-06 | 5806-015-0900 | 0.0550 ppb |
| 2017-07-11 | 5806-015-0900 | ND |
| 2018-12-26 | 5806-014-0940 | ND |
| 2018-12-26 | 5806-013-0910 | ND |
| 2018-12-26 | 5806-016-1000 | 0.140 ppb |
| 2018-12-26 | 5806-017-0845 | 0.110 ppb |
| 2018-12-26 | 5806-018-1030 | ND |
| 2018-12-26 | 5806-019-1100 | ND |
| 2018-12-26 | 5806-021-1115 | ND |
| 2019-02-27 | 5806-015-0655 | ND |