Chlordane
Status: National drinking water standard exists
The cancer-causing pesticide chlordane was banned in 1988. Chlordane is persistent and accumulates in the body. It is still found in the environment and in the bodies of adults and newborn babies.
2017-2019:
10
states detected
69
utilities detected
1.8 million
people served
6
states over health guideline
25
utilities over health guideline
95,959
people served over health guideline
0
states over legal limit
0
utilities over legal limit
0
people served over legal limit
Health concerns for chlordane
Cancer
Hormone disruption
Harm to reproduction and child development
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 0.03 ppb
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.03 ppb for chlordane 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) 2 ppb
The legal limit for chlordane, 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 chlordane exposure.
ppb = parts per billion
States reporting chlordane in drinking water
| UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES | UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Utilities | People Served | Utilities | People Served | |||
| Hawaii | 2 | 71,636 | 5 | 719,373 | |||
| Florida | 3 | 8,760 | 17 | 337,119 | |||
| Delaware | 3 | 12,691 | 4 | 313,691 | |||
| New York | 0 | 0 | 3 | 303,300 | |||
| Pennsylvania | 0 | 0 | 9 | 87,870 | |||
| West Virginia | 0 | 0 | 11 | 30,883 | |||
| Alabama | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10,143 | |||
| North Carolina | 14 | 2,288 | 14 | 2,288 | |||
| Rhode Island | 2 | 429 | 2 | 429 | |||
| Texas | 1 | 155 | 1 | 155 | |||
Filtering technologies that reduce chlordane
Activated Carbon
Reverse Osmosis
Utilities with the highest amounts of chlordane, 2017-2019
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middlesex Water System | Raleigh, NC | 7 of 20 | 0.477 ppb | 975 |
| Gaddy Mobile Home Park | Kannapolis, NC | 6 of 6 | 0.450 ppb | 76 |
| Aloha Gardens Utilities | New Port Richey, FL | 6 of 11 | 0.433 ppb | 8,136 |
| Westwood S/d | Holiday, FL | 8 of 9 | 0.430 ppb | 344 |
| Ashebrook Park | Denver, NC | 12 of 25 | 0.405 ppb | 231 |
| Royal Acres S/d | Cary, NC | 7 of 15 | 0.349 ppb | 61 |
| Cedar Village II | Carrboro, NC | 8 of 12 | 0.315 ppb | 36 |
| Magnolia Woods | Climax, NC | 4 of 6 | 0.300 ppb | 72 |
| Henlopen Acres, Town of | Rehoboth, DE | 3 of 4 | 0.250 ppb | 999 |
| Helms Water System | Denver, NC | 7 of 20 | 0.158 ppb | 86 |
| Oak Ridge Military Academy | Oak Ridge, NC | 5 of 12 | 0.150 ppb | 80 |
| Mcconnell S/d | Denver, NC | 2 of 8 | 0.141 ppb | 124 |
| Adams Mobile Home Park | Middlesex, NC | 1 of 7 | 0.135 ppb | 80 |
| Berkshire Downs | Cary, NC | 3 of 15 | 0.111 ppb | 277 |
| Fort Elliott Cisd Briscoe | Briscoe, TX | 1 of 5 | 0.1000 ppb | 155 |
| Villas of Grandview | Dover, DE | 1 of 1 | 0.1000 ppb | 108 |
| Emerald Village S/d | Cary, NC | 2 of 9 | 0.0694 ppb | 125 |
| Colonial Heights-meadowbrook | Cary, NC | 1 of 10 | 0.0672 ppb | 77 |
| Spencer Rd Park | Denver, NC | 1 of 13 | 0.0637 ppb | 142 |
| Dalewood-monteray Water System | Denver, NC | 2 of 9 | 0.0630 ppb | 142 |
| Camelot S/d | Cary, NC | 2 of 19 | 0.0620 ppb | 604 |
| Amber Acres | Charlotte, NC | 2 of 10 | 0.0615 ppb | 239 |
| Rolling Acres S/d | Cary, NC | 2 of 20 | 0.0557 ppb | 58 |
| Chipley Park S/d | Denver, NC | 1 of 11 | 0.0504 ppb | 251 |
| Smyrna Water Department | Smyrna, DE | 2 of 8 | 0.0488 ppb | 11,584 |
| Ladd Center Water System* | North Kingstown, RI | 3 of 17 | 0.0479 ppb | 129 |
| Exeter Job Corps Center | Providence, RI | 3 of 17 | 0.0479 ppb | 300 |
| Boys Ranch Town | Edmond, OK | 1 of 1 | 0.0390 ppb | 75 |
| Aliamanu | Schofield Barracks, HI | 2 of 20 | 0.0355 ppb | 6,406 |
| Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam* | Jbpph, HI | 2 of 20 | 0.0355 ppb | 65,230 |
| Oakdale S/d | Charlotte, NC | 1 of 7 | 0.0329 ppb | 112 |
| Blue Skies Estates | Ocala, FL | 1 of 4 | 0.0325 ppb | 195 |
| Snow Creek Heights Water System | Denver, NC | 1 of 10 | 0.0280 ppb | 130 |
| Honolulu-Windward-Pearl Harbor* | Honolulu, HI | 60 of 539 | 0.0253 ppb | 631,389 |
| Marine Corps Base Hawaii | Kaneohe Bay, HI | 60 of 539 | 0.0253 ppb | 16,300 |
| Woodlands At Nuuanu | Honolulu, HI | 60 of 539 | 0.0253 ppb | 48 |
| Florida Pines Mobile Home Park | Venice, FL | 1 of 2 | 0.0225 ppb | 280 |
| Rogersville Water Works & Sewer Board | Rogersville, Alamama, AL | 2 of 12 | 0.0167 ppb | 4,893 |
| Avon Water Company* | Clinton, CT | 3 of 49 | 0.0159 ppb | 11,590 |
| Artesian Water Company* | Newark, DE | 10 of 189 | 0.0154 ppb | 301,000 |
| Woods Home Owners Association 2 | Martinsburg, WV | 1 of 3 | 0.0152 ppb | 1,723 |
| Mid-clarke Water System* | Grove Hill, AL | 1 of 16 | 0.0144 ppb | 1,500 |
| Grove Hill Water Works* | Grove Hill, AL | 1 of 16 | 0.0144 ppb | 3,750 |
| Barre Water Department | Barre, MA | 1 of 14 | 0.0143 ppb | 4,000 |
| Woods Hoa, The | Martinsburg, WV | 1 of 3 | 0.0120 ppb | 1,550 |
| Molino Utilities Inc. | Molino, FL | 1 of 4 | 0.0115 ppb | 7,746 |
| Hillburn Village | Hillburn, NY | 11 of 210 | 0.0112 ppb | 950 |
| United Water New York* | West Nyack, NY | 11 of 210 | 0.0112 ppb | 270,950 |
| Sugar Mountain Utility | Charlotte, NC | 1 of 41 | 0.0107 ppb | 3,000 |
| Berkeley Springs Center - Lower | Berkeley Springs, WV | 1 of 2 | 0.0101 ppb | 140 |
* 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 Chlordane, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smyrna Water Department | Smyrna, DE | 2 of 8 | 0.0488 ppb | 11,584 |
| Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam* | Jbpph, HI | 2 of 20 | 0.0355 ppb | 65,230 |
| Honolulu-Windward-Pearl Harbor* | Honolulu, HI | 60 of 539 | 0.0253 ppb | 631,389 |
| Marine Corps Base Hawaii | Kaneohe Bay, HI | 60 of 539 | 0.0253 ppb | 16,300 |
| Avon Water Company* | Clinton, CT | 3 of 49 | 0.0159 ppb | 11,590 |
| Artesian Water Company* | Newark, DE | 10 of 189 | 0.0154 ppb | 301,000 |
| United Water New York* | West Nyack, NY | 11 of 210 | 0.0112 ppb | 270,950 |
| City of Martinsburg* | Martinsburg, WV | 1 of 8 | 0.00411 ppb | 15,652 |
| Miramar (East & West) Plants | Miramar, FL | 1 of 16 | 0.00281 ppb | 127,700 |
| WA of Great Neck North | Great Neck, NY | 1 of 75 | 0.00280 ppb | 31,400 |
| Hurlburt Field AFB Water Sys. | Hurlburt Field, FL | 1 of 20 | 0.00255 ppb | 10,608 |
| City of Baltimore* | Baltimore, MD | 3 of 30 | 0.00147 ppb | 1,600,000 |
| Altoona Water Authority* | Altoona, PA | 1 of 24 | 0.00125 ppb | 62,500 |
| Naval Air Station Pensacola / Corry Station | Nas Pensacola, FL | 1 of 46 | 0.000283 ppb | 22,600 |
| Lee County Utilities* | Fort Myers, FL | 1 of 25 | 0 ppb | 251,502 |
| Gateway Services District | Fort Myers, FL | 1 of 25 | 0 ppb | 12,717 |
* 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 Chlordane, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.