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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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2,4-D

City of Kerrville

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.

 

22

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
2014ND50ND
2015N/A00N/A
2016ND10ND
2017ND120ND
2018ND30ND
2019ND10ND

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
2014-04-07AC49530ND
2014-04-07AC49531ND
2014-07-16AC59858ND
2014-10-15AC69753ND
2014-10-15AC69754ND
2016-02-01AD21211ND
2017-04-06AD78785ND
2017-05-08AD83154ND
2017-05-08AD83157ND
2017-05-09AD83421ND
2017-05-09AD83416ND
2017-05-09AD83420ND
2017-05-22AD85094ND
2017-07-05AD88360ND
2017-07-05AD88359ND
2017-07-05AD88358ND
2017-10-09AD99895ND
2017-10-09AD99896ND
2018-01-08AE08161ND
2018-01-08AE08167ND
2018-03-22AE19718ND
2019-04-08AE61467ND