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

Portsmouth Water Works

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
2014	ND	14	ND
2015	ND	14	ND
2016	ND	14	ND
2017	ND	14	ND
2018	ND	17	ND
2019	ND	7	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
2014-01-27	A400382003	ND
2014-01-27	A400382003	ND
2014-01-27	A400382002	ND
2014-01-27	A400382002	ND
2014-01-27	A400382001	ND
2014-01-27	A400382001	ND
2014-02-03	A400530001	ND
2014-02-03	A400530001	ND
2014-02-03	A400530003	ND
2014-02-03	A400530002	ND
2014-02-03	A400530002	ND
2014-02-03	A400530003	ND
2014-07-17	A405023001	ND
2014-07-17	A405023001	ND
2015-01-20	A500311005	ND
2015-01-20	A500311006	ND
2015-01-20	A500311006	ND
2015-01-20	A500311005	ND
2015-01-20	A500311004	ND
2015-01-20	A500311004	ND
2015-01-20	A500311003	ND
2015-01-20	A500311002	ND
2015-01-20	A500311002	ND
2015-01-20	A500311001	ND
2015-01-20	A500311001	ND
2015-01-20	A500311003	ND
2015-07-08	A504792001	ND
2015-07-08	A504792001	ND
2016-02-03	B600549004	ND
2016-02-03	B600549006	ND
2016-02-03	B600549006	ND
2016-02-03	B600549004	ND
2016-02-03	B600549002	ND
2016-02-03	B600549002	ND
2016-02-08	B600586002	ND
2016-02-08	B600586002	ND
2016-02-08	B600586004	ND
2016-02-08	B600586004	ND
2016-02-08	B600586006	ND
2016-02-08	B600586006	ND
2016-08-18	B607708002	ND
2016-08-18	B607708002	ND
2017-01-25	39125-001	ND
2017-01-25	39125-006	ND
2017-01-25	39125-006	ND
2017-01-25	39125-005	ND
2017-01-25	39125-005	ND
2017-01-25	39125-004	ND
2017-01-25	39125-004	ND
2017-01-25	39125-003	ND
2017-01-25	39125-003	ND
2017-01-25	39125-002	ND
2017-01-25	39125-002	ND
2017-01-25	39125-001	ND
2017-08-01	1708-00583-001	ND
2017-08-01	41312-001	ND
2018-02-08	43406-003	ND
2018-02-08	43406-003	ND
2018-02-08	43406-002	ND
2018-02-08	43406-002	ND
2018-02-08	43406-001	ND
2018-02-08	43406-001	ND
2018-02-14	43453-003	ND
2018-02-14	43453-002	ND
2018-02-14	43453-002	ND
2018-02-14	43453-001	ND
2018-02-14	43453-001	ND
2018-02-14	43453-003	ND
2018-05-16	1805-02255-001	ND
2018-08-29	1808-04203-001	ND
2018-08-30	1808-04207-001	ND
2018-08-30	1808-04205-001	ND
2018-11-05	1811-00621-001	ND
2019-01-29	1901-02588-001	ND
2019-01-29	1901-02591-001	ND
2019-01-29	1901-02594-001	ND
2019-01-29	1901-02596-001	ND
2019-01-29	1901-02597-001	ND
2019-01-29	1901-02601-001	ND
2019-08-15	1908-02440-001	ND