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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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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.

2017-2019:

FOUND
FOUND ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES

24

states detected

4,566

utilities detected

55 million

people served

24

states over health guideline

4,581

utilities over health guideline

53 million

people served over health guideline

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 UtilitiesPeople Served UtilitiesPeople Served
Texas2,47425,584,7162,47325,583,909
California19211,635,28419211,635,284
Washington2872,109,8762933,243,116
Michigan3012,790,1213012,790,121
Missouri4062,720,8924062,720,892
Ohio1292,420,7061292,420,706
Nebraska811,179,123811,179,123
Virginia231,018,862231,018,862
Delaware19661,19719661,197
Utah9660,3559660,355
Minnesota18556,77118556,771
Montana192533,306191533,281
Oklahoma214483,930210481,945
Wyoming140327,001130323,472
Pennsylvania9246,4916245,511
New York46243,00245240,559
Hawaii797,194797,194
Nevada388,830388,830
New Hampshire2236,7502236,750
Connecticut220,781220,781
Iowa24,60813,785
Maryland13,50013,500
Vermont21,44821,448
North Dakota23362336
MORE
LESS

Filtering technologies that reduce bromochloroacetic acid

carbon filter icon

Activated Carbon

reverse osmosis icon

Reverse Osmosis

Utilities with the highest amounts of bromochloroacetic acid, 2017-2019

ALL UTILITIES
LARGE UTILITIES
UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Snyder Public Works Authority*Snyder, OK2 of 227.7 ppb1,509
D.C. Water and Sewer Authority*Washington, DC1 of 124.0 ppb632,323
Mountain Park Public Works AuthorityMountain Park, OK7 of 723.7 ppb473
Lakewood Water SystemLufkin, TX23 of 2321.5 ppb42
Rowena Water Supply CorporationRowena, TX24 of 2420.8 ppb480
City of Paint RockPaint Rock, TX24 of 2420.6 ppb273
Millersview-doole Water Supply Corporation*Millersview, TX48 of 4820.0 ppb3,987
City of BeevilleBeeville, TX96 of 9619.7 ppb15,039
Ryan Utilities AuthorityRyan, OK46 of 4619.7 ppb800
Sierra Country ClubOak Harbor, WA18 of 1817.4 ppb355
Anthony Harbor SubdivisionLufkin, TX23 of 2317.3 ppb109
Walnut Ridge Estates Water SystemZavala, TX22 of 2417.3 ppb134
Coke County Water Supply CorporationRobert Lee, TX45 of 4616.6 ppb400
Rra Preston Shores Water System*Wichita Falls, TX46 of 4616.4 ppb2,037
City of GormanGorman, TX37 of 3816.2 ppb1,083
City of Dublin*Dublin, TX48 of 4816.0 ppb3,600
Comanche County Rural Water District #4*Cache, OK20 of 2015.7 ppb3,000
Rra Foard County Water SystemWichita Falls, TX24 of 2415.4 ppb120
Buena Vista Ws BurnetBurnet, TX24 of 2415.3 ppb375
City of LuedersLueders, TX40 of 4415.2 ppb346
City of Rio HondoRio Hondo, TX35 of 3715.1 ppb2,400
La Playa Subdivision Water SystemKirbyville, TX14 of 1415.0 ppb59
Powell Point Water SystemLufkin, TX23 of 2314.9 ppb363
City of ObrienO Brien, TX20 of 2014.6 ppb101
West Wise Special Utility District*Bridgeport, TX46 of 4814.6 ppb3,354
City of Comanche*Comanche, TX48 of 4814.6 ppb4,335
Tx Airstream Harbor WaterZavalla, TX22 of 2414.6 ppb174
Ericksdahl Water Supply CorporationStamford, TX43 of 4314.5 ppb275
Fort Belknap Water Supply Corporation*Graham, TX47 of 4814.5 ppb6,738
City of Crowell*Crowell, TX40 of 4014.2 ppb948
Golden Acres Water CompanyAustin, TX23 of 2314.2 ppb183
City of WeinertWeinert, TX2 of 213.9 ppb162
City of De LeonDe Leon, TX37 of 3713.9 ppb2,200
Lakeshore Sites WaterHaskell, TX24 of 2413.8 ppb58
Upper Leon River Municipal Water District*Comanche, TX24 of 2413.8 ppb2,712
City of OlneyOlney, TX24 of 2413.8 ppb3,285
Coleman County Special Utility DistrictColeman, TX48 of 4813.7 ppb5,000
City of Knox CityKnox City, TX46 of 4613.3 ppb1,100
La Salle Water Control and Improvement District 1-aPort Lavaca, TX20 of 2113.3 ppb180
Turtle Cove Lot Owners AssociationFreeport, TX24 of 2413.3 ppb66
Seaboard Water Supply CorporationOdem, TX6 of 613.2 ppb321
Staff Water Supply Corporation Flatwood AreaRanger, TX41 of 4113.2 ppb273
Graham East Water Supply CorporationGraham, TX37 of 3713.1 ppb694
Paint Creek Water Supply Corporation*Stamford, TX19 of 2012.9 ppb445
RidgecrestPflugerville, TX39 of 4012.9 ppb1,617
Copano Ridge SubdivisionRockport, TX24 of 2412.8 ppb798
City of MegargelMegargel, TX24 of 2412.8 ppb205
City of NewcastleNewcastle, TX24 of 2412.7 ppb585
City of Carbon*Carbon, TX40 of 4112.7 ppb220
City of Rockport*Rockport, TX96 of 9612.7 ppb27,282

* 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.

UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
D.C. Water and Sewer Authority*Washington, DC1 of 124.0 ppb632,323
City of BeevilleBeeville, TX96 of 9619.7 ppb15,039
City of Rockport*Rockport, TX96 of 9612.7 ppb27,282
Nueces County WCID 4Port Aransas, TX88 of 8811.9 ppb11,403
City of AliceAlice, TX96 of 9611.4 ppb18,949
City of Weatherford*Weatherford, TX96 of 9611.4 ppb27,900
Brookesmith Special Utility District*Brownwood, TX68 of 6810.9 ppb11,289
City of PortlandPortland, TX96 of 9610.8 ppb21,501
Nueces County WCID 3*Robstown, TX96 of 9610.7 ppb14,607
Walnut Creek SUD*Springtown, TX96 of 9610.6 ppb23,118
City of Laredo*Laredo, TX212 of 21210.3 ppb259,113
City of Corpus Christi*Corpus Christi, TX288 of 28810.2 ppb325,733
City of Temple*Temple, TX192 of 19210.0 ppb85,884
Kempner WSC*Kempner, TX95 of 969.99 ppb19,313
City of Kerrville*Kerrville, TX95 of 969.78 ppb22,217
City of Port Lavaca*Port Lavaca, TX91 of 929.67 ppb12,248
Marshall*Marshall, MO96 of 969.66 ppb13,065
Duncan Public Utilities Authority*Duncan, OK96 of 969.59 ppb23,000
Agua SUDMission, TX96 of 969.38 ppb46,872
Chickasha Municipal Authority*Chickasha, OK26 of 289.22 ppb16,036
City of Mineral Wells*Mineral Wells, TX96 of 969.07 ppb14,826
City of Copperas Cove*Copperas Cove, TX96 of 968.97 ppb33,919
City of Midlothian*Midlothian, TX99 of 1008.79 ppb16,728
City of San BenitoSan Benito, TX88 of 888.73 ppb24,250
Town of Little Elm*Little Elm, TX93 of 938.67 ppb41,796
City of McKinney*Mckinney, TX186 of 1868.61 ppb169,710
City of MurphyMurphy, TX93 of 938.57 ppb20,361
City of BrownwoodBrownwood, TX96 of 968.49 ppb19,288
City of Rio Grande City*Rio Grande City, TX96 of 968.43 ppb17,901
City of WylieWylie, TX96 of 968.32 ppb44,418
City of RichardsonRichardson, TX187 of 1878.31 ppb104,300
City of DonnaDonna, TX93 of 968.30 ppb16,176
East Fork SUDWylie, TX77 of 788.20 ppb13,596
City of Waxahachie*Waxahachie, TX96 of 968.15 ppb36,422
City of MelissaMelissa, TX52 of 528.12 ppb11,883
Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District*Lake Elsinore, CA1 of 18.10 ppb142,264
Caddo Basin SUDGreenville, TX8 of 88.08 ppb13,335
City of Azle*Azle, TX96 of 968.03 ppb11,800
City of Frisco*Frisco, TX185 of 1857.98 ppb192,261
Town of ProsperProsper, TX92 of 927.97 ppb22,650
City of AllenAllen, TX185 of 1857.94 ppb102,762
City of Royse CityRoyse City, TX96 of 967.92 ppb14,212
City of PharrPharr, TX191 of 1927.90 ppb77,320
City of Harker HeightsHarker Heights, TX96 of 967.88 ppb30,365
City of FateFate, TX78 of 787.88 ppb14,327
City of Rockwall*Rockwall, TX93 of 937.87 ppb43,750
City of SachseSachse, TX93 of 937.80 ppb25,937
City of Plano*Plano, TX280 of 2807.79 ppb277,720
City of Weslaco*Weslaco, TX96 of 967.70 ppb32,092
City of RaymondvilleRaymondville, TX88 of 887.70 ppb11,288

* 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.