Ethylene dibromide
Status: National drinking water standard exists
Ethylene dibromide, a likely human carcinogen, was used until 1984 as a gasoline additive and a pesticide. It affects the hormone, reproductive and nervous systems; causes testicular atrophy; and damages the heart, liver and kidneys.
2017-2019:
22
states detected
86
utilities detected
1.5 million
people served
10
states over health guideline
15
utilities over health guideline
124,000
people served over health guideline
1
states over legal limit
1
utilities over legal limit
158
people served over legal limit
Health concerns for ethylene dibromide
Cancer
Harm to the reproductive system
Harm to the central nervous system
Change to fetal growth and development
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 0.01 ppb
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.01 ppb for ethylene dibromide 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) 0.05 ppb
The legal limit for ethylene dibromide, established in 1991, was based on analytical detection limits at the time that the standard was set. This limit may not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to ethylene dibromide exposure.
ppb = parts per billion
States reporting ethylene dibromide in drinking water
| UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES | UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Utilities | People Served | Utilities | People Served | |||
| California | 3 | 67,809 | 7 | 442,959 | |||
| Florida | 0 | 0 | 15 | 297,126 | |||
| Idaho | 0 | 0 | 4 | 233,558 | |||
| Maryland | 0 | 0 | 10 | 191,419 | |||
| New York | 0 | 0 | 4 | 107,823 | |||
| South Carolina | 0 | 0 | 7 | 80,686 | |||
| New Jersey | 2 | 36,900 | 8 | 62,688 | |||
| Massachusetts | 0 | 0 | 1 | 28,391 | |||
| Colorado | 1 | 600 | 10 | 20,892 | |||
| Hawaii | 1 | 100 | 2 | 20,165 | |||
| Pennsylvania | 0 | 0 | 2 | 13,225 | |||
| Texas | 1 | 3,940 | 2 | 12,607 | |||
| Alabama | 2 | 11,091 | 2 | 11,091 | |||
| Washington | 1 | 2,765 | 1 | 2,765 | |||
| New Mexico | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2,739 | |||
| Kentucky | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2,404 | |||
| North Carolina | 2 | 716 | 3 | 1,158 | |||
| West Virginia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 488 | |||
| Georgia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 450 | |||
| Wisconsin | 0 | 0 | 1 | 349 | |||
| Connecticut | 1 | 155 | 2 | 232 | |||
| Illinois | 1 | 150 | 1 | 150 | |||
Filtering technologies that reduce ethylene dibromide
Activated Carbon
Reverse Osmosis
Utilities with the highest amounts of ethylene dibromide, 2017-2019
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morada Estates Public Water System | Stockton, CA | 7 of 8 | 0.0650 ppb | 158 |
| Seven Trails West Subdivision | Camdenton, MO | 1 of 3 | 0.0400 ppb | 435 |
| St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority | St Elmo, AL | 42 of 96 | 0.0349 ppb | 10,020 |
| Osage County Public Water Supply District 2 North | Westphalia, MO | 1 of 4 | 0.0300 ppb | 705 |
| Phelps County Public Water Supply District 1 | Edgar Springs, MO | 1 of 4 | 0.0300 ppb | 800 |
| Camden County PWSD #4 Shawnee Bend | Lake Ozark, MO | 1 of 4 | 0.0300 ppb | 1,700 |
| Warden City Of | Warden, WA | 3 of 13 | 0.0264 ppb | 2,765 |
| City of Manteca | Manteca, CA | 64 of 109 | 0.0200 ppb | 66,451 |
| Buck Lake Estates Subdivision | Somonauk, IL | 1 of 1 | 0.0190 ppb | 150 |
| Maunaolu Plantation | Wailuku, HI | 16 of 45 | 0.0184 ppb | 100 |
| Caruthers Community Services District | Caruthers, CA | 9 of 41 | 0.0173 ppb | 2,497 |
| American Falls, City of | American Falls, ID | 9 of 14 | 0.0159 ppb | 4,225 |
| Indian Hill Subdivision | Merrick, NY | 1 of 7 | 0.0157 ppb | 320 |
| Markowski Farms | West Suffield, CT | 1 of 2 | 0.0150 ppb | 155 |
| Biola Community Services District | Biola, CA | 1 of 3 | 0.0147 ppb | 1,200 |
| Tradewinds S/d | Cary, NC | 5 of 22 | 0.0144 ppb | 442 |
| Stockton Water Department | Stockton, NJ | 1 of 10 | 0.0140 ppb | 650 |
| Boone County PWSD 9 | Columbia, MO | 1 of 10 | 0.0130 ppb | 12,200 |
| Teller County Water & Sanitation District | Wheat Ridge, CO | 29 of 74 | 0.0130 ppb | 600 |
| Brookstone S/d | Cary, NC | 4 of 17 | 0.0116 ppb | 396 |
| Granton Waterworks | Granton, WI | 6 of 26 | 0.0110 ppb | 349 |
| Sumter Co-wedgefield-stateburg Water District | Sumter, SC | 8 of 44 | 0.00989 ppb | 1,200 |
| Point Baker Water System Inc. | Milton, FL | 7 of 25 | 0.00924 ppb | 9,105 |
| Woodbridge S/d | Denver, NC | 1 of 6 | 0.00867 ppb | 320 |
| Paw Paw Water Works | Paw Paw, WV | 1 of 3 | 0.00833 ppb | 488 |
| Equestrian Estates | Chubbuck, ID | 3 of 11 | 0.00782 ppb | 88 |
| School Hill Association Inc. | Broad Brook, CT | 15 of 48 | 0.00781 ppb | 77 |
| Midville | Midville, GA | 1 of 14 | 0.00736 ppb | 450 |
| Friona Municipal Water System | Friona, TX | 4 of 30 | 0.00700 ppb | 3,940 |
| Vineland Water & Sewer Utility | Vineland, NJ | 12 of 92 | 0.00682 ppb | 36,250 |
| El Jebel Mobile Home Park | El Jebel, CO | 1 of 7 | 0.00643 ppb | 1,962 |
| Cole County PWSD 2 | Jefferson City, MO | 1 of 20 | 0.00600 ppb | 12,945 |
| Oak Meadows Service Company* | Glenwood Springs, CO | 1 of 10 | 0.00570 ppb | 180 |
| Oak Meadows Subdivision II | Glenwood Springs, CO | 1 of 10 | 0.00570 ppb | 50 |
| Frisco, Town of | Frisco, CO | 4 of 24 | 0.00542 ppb | 4,495 |
| Sterlingshire S/d | Denver, NC | 2 of 8 | 0.00525 ppb | 147 |
| Florida Pines Mobile Home Park | Venice, FL | 1 of 2 | 0.00500 ppb | 280 |
| St. Lucie Mobile Village | Indiantown, FL | 1 of 2 | 0.00500 ppb | 750 |
| Fort Detrick | Frederick, MD | 1 of 2 | 0.00500 ppb | 7,900 |
| Sherwood Forest S/d | Denver, NC | 2 of 7 | 0.00429 ppb | 160 |
| Upper Deerfield Township Water Department | Seabrook, NJ | 10 of 29 | 0.00404 ppb | 2,463 |
| Marlboro Water Company* | Bennettsville, SC | 2 of 13 | 0.00392 ppb | 4,588 |
| Perry County Public Water Supply District 2 | Perryville, MO | 1 of 32 | 0.00375 ppb | 567 |
| Perryville PWS* | Perryville, MO | 1 of 32 | 0.00375 ppb | 8,456 |
| City of Earth | Earth, TX | 1 of 8 | 0.00375 ppb | 1,113 |
| Summerdale Water Works | Summerdale, AL | 6 of 39 | 0.00373 ppb | 1,071 |
| Piedra Park Md | Bayfield, CO | 1 of 6 | 0.00300 ppb | 850 |
| Ruidoso Downs Water System | Ruidoso Downs, NM | 1 of 6 | 0.00300 ppb | 2,739 |
| Connecticut Water Company - Shoreline Region-chester System* | Clinton, CT | 1 of 7 | 0.00286 ppb | 5,030 |
| Town of Payson* | Payson, AZ | 1 of 66 | 0.00273 ppb | 17,682 |
* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Ethylene dibromide, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Elmo-irvington Water Authority | St Elmo, AL | 42 of 96 | 0.0349 ppb | 10,020 |
| City of Manteca | Manteca, CA | 64 of 109 | 0.0200 ppb | 66,451 |
| Boone County PWSD 9 | Columbia, MO | 1 of 10 | 0.0130 ppb | 12,200 |
| Vineland Water & Sewer Utility | Vineland, NJ | 12 of 92 | 0.00682 ppb | 36,250 |
| Cole County PWSD 2 | Jefferson City, MO | 1 of 20 | 0.00600 ppb | 12,945 |
| Town of Payson* | Payson, AZ | 1 of 66 | 0.00273 ppb | 17,682 |
| Cassatt Water Kershaw-lee Company RWA | Cassatt, SC | 2 of 36 | 0.00208 ppb | 25,061 |
| Westbury WD | Westbury, NY | 12 of 81 | 0.00201 ppb | 20,500 |
| West Springfield Dpw Water Division | West Springfield, MA | 4 of 37 | 0.00192 ppb | 28,391 |
| Mobile Area Water and Sewer* | Theodore, AL | 1 of 17 | 0.00177 ppb | 279,000 |
| Prichard Water Works Board | Prichard, AL | 1 of 17 | 0.00177 ppb | 32,400 |
| Bordentown Water Departm* | Bordentown, NJ | 3 of 34 | 0.00172 ppb | 15,821 |
| Murphysboro* | Murphysboro, IL | 1 of 12 | 0.00167 ppb | 10,941 |
| City of Frostburg* | Frostburg, MD | 1 of 6 | 0.00167 ppb | 11,000 |
| Garden City | Garden City, NY | 6 of 50 | 0.00160 ppb | 46,000 |
| Oxnard Water Department* | Oxnard, CA | 1 of 31 | 0.00142 ppb | 200,855 |
| Plainview WD | Plainview, NY | 8 of 77 | 0.00123 ppb | 35,000 |
| Darlington County W&SA* | Darlington, SC | 1 of 18 | 0.00122 ppb | 45,911 |
| City of Frederick* | Frederick, MD | 2 of 17 | 0.00118 ppb | 54,000 |
| City of Cumberland* | Cumberland, MD | 1 of 10 | 0.001000 ppb | 27,039 |
| E Stroudsburg Boro Water Dept* | East Stroudsburg, PA | 1 of 24 | 0.000833 ppb | 13,000 |
| City of Fresno* | Fresno, CA | 19 of 1,619 | 0.000703 ppb | 522,352 |
| Hicksville WD | Hicksville, NY | 9 of 184 | 0.000663 ppb | 48,000 |
| City of Santa Fe Water System* | Santa Fe, NM | 1 of 15 | 0.000467 ppb | 78,247 |
| Miramar (East & West) Plants | Miramar, FL | 1 of 16 | 0.000450 ppb | 127,700 |
| Harford County Department of Public Works* | Bel Air, MD | 1 of 23 | 0.000435 ppb | 104,567 |
| Suez* | Boise, ID | 2 of 147 | 0.000306 ppb | 228,790 |
| Missouri American St. Louis County & St. Charles County* | Chesterfield, MO | 1 of 70 | 0.000286 ppb | 1,100,000 |
| Jefferson County PWSD 10 | Arnonld, MO | 1 of 70 | 0.000286 ppb | 10,000 |
| Jefferson County Cons. PWSD C 1* | Barnhart, MO | 1 of 70 | 0.000286 ppb | 35,000 |
| Jefferson County PWSD 3* | Arnold, MO | 1 of 70 | 0.000286 ppb | 17,000 |
| Jefferson County PWSD1* | Arnold, MO | 1 of 70 | 0.000286 ppb | 20,000 |
| Kirkwood | Kirkwood, MO | 1 of 70 | 0.000286 ppb | 28,000 |
| California American Water Company - Lincoln Oaks | Sacramento, CA | 1 of 121 | 0.000248 ppb | 46,606 |
| Ontario Municipal Utilities Company | Ontario, CA | 1 of 111 | 0.000189 ppb | 167,382 |
| Port Washington WD | Port Washington, NY | 1 of 89 | 0.000112 ppb | 34,000 |
| Gateway Services District | Fort Myers, FL | 1 of 25 | 0 ppb | 12,717 |
| Lee County Utilities* | Fort Myers, FL | 1 of 25 | 0 ppb | 251,502 |
| Vaughn WC Inc | Bakersfield, CA | 1 of 373 | 0 ppb | 29,825 |
| City of Lodi | Lodi, CA | 3 of 344 | 0 ppb | 63,395 |
| Lahaina | Wailuku, HI | 2 of 838 | 0 ppb | 20,065 |
| Jacksonville Utilities | Jacksonville, AL | 1 of 7 | 0 ppb | 13,809 |
* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Ethylene dibromide, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.