Bromochloroacetic acid
Status: No national drinking water standard exists
Bromochloroacetic acid is formed when chlorine or other disinfectants are used to treat drinking water. Bromochloroacetic acid and other disinfection byproducts increase the risk of cancer and may cause problems during pregnancy.
Health concerns for bromochloroacetic acid
Cancer
Change to fetal growth and development
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 0.02 ppb
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.02 ppb for bromochloroacetic acid was defined in a peer-reviewed scientific study by EWG and represents a on-in-a-million lifetime cancer risk level. This health guideline protects against cancer.
ppb = parts per billion
States reporting bromochloroacetic acid in drinking water
UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES | UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
State | Utilities | People Served | Utilities | People Served | |||
Texas | 2,474 | 25,584,716 | 2,473 | 25,583,909 | |||
California | 192 | 11,635,284 | 192 | 11,635,284 | |||
Washington | 287 | 2,109,876 | 293 | 3,243,116 | |||
Michigan | 301 | 2,790,121 | 301 | 2,790,121 | |||
Missouri | 406 | 2,720,892 | 406 | 2,720,892 | |||
Ohio | 129 | 2,420,706 | 129 | 2,420,706 | |||
Nebraska | 81 | 1,179,123 | 81 | 1,179,123 | |||
Virginia | 23 | 1,018,862 | 23 | 1,018,862 | |||
Delaware | 19 | 661,197 | 19 | 661,197 | |||
Utah | 9 | 660,355 | 9 | 660,355 | |||
Minnesota | 18 | 556,771 | 18 | 556,771 | |||
Montana | 192 | 533,306 | 191 | 533,281 | |||
Oklahoma | 214 | 483,930 | 210 | 481,945 | |||
Wyoming | 140 | 327,001 | 130 | 323,472 | |||
Pennsylvania | 9 | 246,491 | 6 | 245,511 | |||
New York | 46 | 243,002 | 45 | 240,559 | |||
Hawaii | 7 | 97,194 | 7 | 97,194 | |||
Nevada | 3 | 88,830 | 3 | 88,830 | |||
New Hampshire | 22 | 36,750 | 22 | 36,750 | |||
Connecticut | 2 | 20,781 | 2 | 20,781 | |||
Iowa | 2 | 4,608 | 1 | 3,785 | |||
Maryland | 1 | 3,500 | 1 | 3,500 | |||
Vermont | 2 | 1,448 | 2 | 1,448 | |||
North Dakota | 2 | 336 | 2 | 336 |
Filtering technologies that reduce bromochloroacetic acid
Activated Carbon
Reverse Osmosis
Utilities with the highest amounts of bromochloroacetic acid, 2017-2019
Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
---|---|---|---|---|
Snyder Public Works Authority* | Snyder, OK | 2 of 2 | 27.7 ppb | 1,509 |
D.C. Water and Sewer Authority* | Washington, DC | 1 of 1 | 24.0 ppb | 632,323 |
Mountain Park Public Works Authority | Mountain Park, OK | 7 of 7 | 23.7 ppb | 473 |
Lakewood Water System | Lufkin, TX | 23 of 23 | 21.5 ppb | 42 |
Rowena Water Supply Corporation | Rowena, TX | 24 of 24 | 20.8 ppb | 480 |
City of Paint Rock | Paint Rock, TX | 24 of 24 | 20.6 ppb | 273 |
Millersview-doole Water Supply Corporation* | Millersview, TX | 48 of 48 | 20.0 ppb | 3,987 |
City of Beeville | Beeville, TX | 96 of 96 | 19.7 ppb | 15,039 |
Ryan Utilities Authority | Ryan, OK | 46 of 46 | 19.7 ppb | 800 |
Sierra Country Club | Oak Harbor, WA | 18 of 18 | 17.4 ppb | 355 |
Anthony Harbor Subdivision | Lufkin, TX | 23 of 23 | 17.3 ppb | 109 |
Walnut Ridge Estates Water System | Zavala, TX | 22 of 24 | 17.3 ppb | 134 |
Coke County Water Supply Corporation | Robert Lee, TX | 45 of 46 | 16.6 ppb | 400 |
Rra Preston Shores Water System* | Wichita Falls, TX | 46 of 46 | 16.4 ppb | 2,037 |
City of Gorman | Gorman, TX | 37 of 38 | 16.2 ppb | 1,083 |
City of Dublin* | Dublin, TX | 48 of 48 | 16.0 ppb | 3,600 |
Comanche County Rural Water District #4* | Cache, OK | 20 of 20 | 15.7 ppb | 3,000 |
Rra Foard County Water System | Wichita Falls, TX | 24 of 24 | 15.4 ppb | 120 |
Buena Vista Ws Burnet | Burnet, TX | 24 of 24 | 15.3 ppb | 375 |
City of Lueders | Lueders, TX | 40 of 44 | 15.2 ppb | 346 |
City of Rio Hondo | Rio Hondo, TX | 35 of 37 | 15.1 ppb | 2,400 |
La Playa Subdivision Water System | Kirbyville, TX | 14 of 14 | 15.0 ppb | 59 |
Powell Point Water System | Lufkin, TX | 23 of 23 | 14.9 ppb | 363 |
City of Obrien | O Brien, TX | 20 of 20 | 14.6 ppb | 101 |
West Wise Special Utility District* | Bridgeport, TX | 46 of 48 | 14.6 ppb | 3,354 |
City of Comanche* | Comanche, TX | 48 of 48 | 14.6 ppb | 4,335 |
Tx Airstream Harbor Water | Zavalla, TX | 22 of 24 | 14.6 ppb | 174 |
Ericksdahl Water Supply Corporation | Stamford, TX | 43 of 43 | 14.5 ppb | 275 |
Fort Belknap Water Supply Corporation* | Graham, TX | 47 of 48 | 14.5 ppb | 6,738 |
City of Crowell* | Crowell, TX | 40 of 40 | 14.2 ppb | 948 |
Golden Acres Water Company | Austin, TX | 23 of 23 | 14.2 ppb | 183 |
City of Weinert | Weinert, TX | 2 of 2 | 13.9 ppb | 162 |
City of De Leon | De Leon, TX | 37 of 37 | 13.9 ppb | 2,200 |
Lakeshore Sites Water | Haskell, TX | 24 of 24 | 13.8 ppb | 58 |
Upper Leon River Municipal Water District* | Comanche, TX | 24 of 24 | 13.8 ppb | 2,712 |
City of Olney | Olney, TX | 24 of 24 | 13.8 ppb | 3,285 |
Coleman County Special Utility District | Coleman, TX | 48 of 48 | 13.7 ppb | 5,000 |
City of Knox City | Knox City, TX | 46 of 46 | 13.3 ppb | 1,100 |
La Salle Water Control and Improvement District 1-a | Port Lavaca, TX | 20 of 21 | 13.3 ppb | 180 |
Turtle Cove Lot Owners Association | Freeport, TX | 24 of 24 | 13.3 ppb | 66 |
Seaboard Water Supply Corporation | Odem, TX | 6 of 6 | 13.2 ppb | 321 |
Staff Water Supply Corporation Flatwood Area | Ranger, TX | 41 of 41 | 13.2 ppb | 273 |
Graham East Water Supply Corporation | Graham, TX | 37 of 37 | 13.1 ppb | 694 |
Paint Creek Water Supply Corporation* | Stamford, TX | 19 of 20 | 12.9 ppb | 445 |
Ridgecrest | Pflugerville, TX | 39 of 40 | 12.9 ppb | 1,617 |
Copano Ridge Subdivision | Rockport, TX | 24 of 24 | 12.8 ppb | 798 |
City of Megargel | Megargel, TX | 24 of 24 | 12.8 ppb | 205 |
City of Newcastle | Newcastle, TX | 24 of 24 | 12.7 ppb | 585 |
City of Carbon* | Carbon, TX | 40 of 41 | 12.7 ppb | 220 |
City of Rockport* | Rockport, TX | 96 of 96 | 12.7 ppb | 27,282 |
* 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 Bromochloroacetic acid, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.
Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
---|---|---|---|---|
D.C. Water and Sewer Authority* | Washington, DC | 1 of 1 | 24.0 ppb | 632,323 |
City of Beeville | Beeville, TX | 96 of 96 | 19.7 ppb | 15,039 |
City of Rockport* | Rockport, TX | 96 of 96 | 12.7 ppb | 27,282 |
Nueces County WCID 4 | Port Aransas, TX | 88 of 88 | 11.9 ppb | 11,403 |
City of Alice | Alice, TX | 96 of 96 | 11.4 ppb | 18,949 |
City of Weatherford* | Weatherford, TX | 96 of 96 | 11.4 ppb | 27,900 |
Brookesmith Special Utility District* | Brownwood, TX | 68 of 68 | 10.9 ppb | 11,289 |
City of Portland | Portland, TX | 96 of 96 | 10.8 ppb | 21,501 |
Nueces County WCID 3* | Robstown, TX | 96 of 96 | 10.7 ppb | 14,607 |
Walnut Creek SUD* | Springtown, TX | 96 of 96 | 10.6 ppb | 23,118 |
City of Laredo* | Laredo, TX | 212 of 212 | 10.3 ppb | 259,113 |
City of Corpus Christi* | Corpus Christi, TX | 288 of 288 | 10.2 ppb | 325,733 |
City of Temple* | Temple, TX | 192 of 192 | 10.0 ppb | 85,884 |
Kempner WSC* | Kempner, TX | 95 of 96 | 9.99 ppb | 19,313 |
City of Kerrville* | Kerrville, TX | 95 of 96 | 9.78 ppb | 22,217 |
City of Port Lavaca* | Port Lavaca, TX | 91 of 92 | 9.67 ppb | 12,248 |
Marshall* | Marshall, MO | 96 of 96 | 9.66 ppb | 13,065 |
Duncan Public Utilities Authority* | Duncan, OK | 96 of 96 | 9.59 ppb | 23,000 |
Agua SUD | Mission, TX | 96 of 96 | 9.38 ppb | 46,872 |
Chickasha Municipal Authority* | Chickasha, OK | 26 of 28 | 9.22 ppb | 16,036 |
City of Mineral Wells* | Mineral Wells, TX | 96 of 96 | 9.07 ppb | 14,826 |
City of Copperas Cove* | Copperas Cove, TX | 96 of 96 | 8.97 ppb | 33,919 |
City of Midlothian* | Midlothian, TX | 99 of 100 | 8.79 ppb | 16,728 |
City of San Benito | San Benito, TX | 88 of 88 | 8.73 ppb | 24,250 |
Town of Little Elm* | Little Elm, TX | 93 of 93 | 8.67 ppb | 41,796 |
City of McKinney* | Mckinney, TX | 186 of 186 | 8.61 ppb | 169,710 |
City of Murphy | Murphy, TX | 93 of 93 | 8.57 ppb | 20,361 |
City of Brownwood | Brownwood, TX | 96 of 96 | 8.49 ppb | 19,288 |
City of Rio Grande City* | Rio Grande City, TX | 96 of 96 | 8.43 ppb | 17,901 |
City of Wylie | Wylie, TX | 96 of 96 | 8.32 ppb | 44,418 |
City of Richardson | Richardson, TX | 187 of 187 | 8.31 ppb | 104,300 |
City of Donna | Donna, TX | 93 of 96 | 8.30 ppb | 16,176 |
East Fork SUD | Wylie, TX | 77 of 78 | 8.20 ppb | 13,596 |
City of Waxahachie* | Waxahachie, TX | 96 of 96 | 8.15 ppb | 36,422 |
City of Melissa | Melissa, TX | 52 of 52 | 8.12 ppb | 11,883 |
Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District* | Lake Elsinore, CA | 1 of 1 | 8.10 ppb | 142,264 |
Caddo Basin SUD | Greenville, TX | 8 of 8 | 8.08 ppb | 13,335 |
City of Azle* | Azle, TX | 96 of 96 | 8.03 ppb | 11,800 |
City of Frisco* | Frisco, TX | 185 of 185 | 7.98 ppb | 192,261 |
Town of Prosper | Prosper, TX | 92 of 92 | 7.97 ppb | 22,650 |
City of Allen | Allen, TX | 185 of 185 | 7.94 ppb | 102,762 |
City of Royse City | Royse City, TX | 96 of 96 | 7.92 ppb | 14,212 |
City of Pharr | Pharr, TX | 191 of 192 | 7.90 ppb | 77,320 |
City of Harker Heights | Harker Heights, TX | 96 of 96 | 7.88 ppb | 30,365 |
City of Fate | Fate, TX | 78 of 78 | 7.88 ppb | 14,327 |
City of Rockwall* | Rockwall, TX | 93 of 93 | 7.87 ppb | 43,750 |
City of Sachse | Sachse, TX | 93 of 93 | 7.80 ppb | 25,937 |
City of Plano* | Plano, TX | 280 of 280 | 7.79 ppb | 277,720 |
City of Weslaco* | Weslaco, TX | 96 of 96 | 7.70 ppb | 32,092 |
City of Raymondville | Raymondville, TX | 88 of 88 | 7.70 ppb | 11,288 |
* 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 Bromochloroacetic acid, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.