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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Holiday Estates

EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Delaware Health and Social Services - Division of Public Health, as well as information from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History database (ECHO). For the latest quarter assessed by the U.S. EPA (January 2021 - March 2021), tap water provided by this water utility was in serious violation federal health-based drinking water standards.

Utility Details

  • Dagsboro, Delaware
  • Serves: 37
  • Data available: 2014-2019
  • Source: Groundwater

Contaminants Detected

3

EXCEED
EWG HEALTH
GUIDELINES

9 Total Contaminants

  • Legal does not necessarily equal safe. Getting a passing grade from the federal government does not mean the water meets the latest health guidelines.
  • Legal limits for contaminants in tap water have not been updated in almost 20 years.
  • The best way to ensure clean tap water is to keep pollution out of source water in the first place.

What To Do

Filter contaminants out Contact Your Local Official What About Lead?

Legal ≠ Safe

EWG Health Guidelines fill the gap in outdated government standards.

The federal government’s legal limits are not health-protective. The EPA has not set a new tap water standard in almost 20 years, and some standards are more than 40 years old.

Contaminants Detected

VIEW: EXCEED GUIDELINES OTHER DETECTED

Bromodichloromethane

Potential Effect: cancer9.5x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINE
THIS UTILITY0.570 ppb
EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE0.06 ppb
NO LEGAL LIMIT
DETAILS
X

Bromodichloromethane

more about
this contaminant

Bromodichloromethane, one of the total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), is formed when chlorine or other disinfectants are used to treat drinking water. Bromodichloromethane and other disinfection byproducts increase the risk of cancer and may cause problems during pregnancy. Click here to read more about disinfection byproducts.

Bromodichloromethane was found at 9.5 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.06 ppb or less

This Utility

0.57 ppb

National Average

5.79 ppb

State Average

4.97 ppb
NO LEGAL LIMIT
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2017-2019.
ppb = parts per billion

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.06 ppb for bromodichloromethane was proposed in 2018 by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a one-in-a-million lifetime risk of cancer. Values greater than one-in-a-million cancer risk level can result in increased cancer cases above one in a million people.

VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

water treatment icon

Treatment Byproducts

Filtering Options

carbon filter icon

Activated Carbon

reverse osmosis icon

Reverse Osmosis

Chloroform

Potential Effect: cancer8.9x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINE
THIS UTILITY3.58 ppb
EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE0.4 ppb
NO LEGAL LIMIT
DETAILS
X

Chloroform

more about
this contaminant

Chloroform, one of the total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), is formed when chlorine or other disinfectants are used to treat drinking water. Chloroform and other disinfection byproducts increase the risk of cancer and may cause problems during pregnancy.

Chloroform was found at 8.9 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.4 ppb or less

This Utility

3.58 ppb

National Average

15.5 ppb

State Average

15.1 ppb
NO LEGAL LIMIT
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2017-2019.
ppb = parts per billion

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.4 ppb for chloroform was proposed in 2018 by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a one-in-a-million lifetime risk of cancer. Values greater than one-in-a-million cancer risk level can result in increased cancer cases above one in a million people.

VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

water treatment icon

Treatment Byproducts

Filtering Options

carbon filter icon

Activated Carbon

reverse osmosis icon

Reverse Osmosis

Radium, combined (-226 & -228)

Potential Effect: cancer7.1x EWG'S HEALTH GUIDELINE
THIS UTILITY0.35 pCi/L
EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE0.05 pCi/L
LEGAL LIMIT5 pCi/L
DETAILS
X

Radium, combined (-226 & -228)

more about
this contaminant

Radium is a radioactive element that causes bone cancer and other cancers. It can occur naturally in groundwater, and oil and gas extraction activities such as hydraulic fracturing can elevate concentrations.

Radium, combined (-226 & -228) was found at 7.1 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.05 pCi/L or less

This Utility

0.35 pCi/L

Legal Limit

5 pCi/L

National Average

0.46 pCi/L

State Average

1.6 pCi/L
The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2014-2019.
pCi/L = picocuries per liter

Health Risks

EWG applied the health guideline of 0.05 pCi/L, defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal for radium-226, to radium-226 and radium-228 combined. This health guideline protects against cancer.
VIEW MORE TESTING DATA

Pollution Sources

industry icon

Industry

naturally occuring icon

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

reverse osmosis icon

Reverse Osmosis

ion exchange icon

Ion Exchange

Includes chemicals detected in 2017-2019 for which annual utility averages exceeded an EWG-selected health guideline established by a federal or state public health authority; radiological contaminants detected between 2014 and 2019.

Other Contaminants Tested

✕

Chemicals tested for but not detected from 2014 to 2019:

1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane , 1,1,1-Trichloroethane , 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane , 1,1,2-Trichloroethane , 1,1-Dichloroethane , 1,1-Dichloroethylene , 1,1-Dichloropropene , 1,2,3-Trichlorobenzene , 1,2,3-Trichloropropane , 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene , 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene , 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) , 1,2-Dichloroethane , 1,2-Dichloropropane , 1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene , 1,3-Dichloropropane , 2,2-Dichloropropane , 2,4,5-T , 2,4,5-TP (Silvex) , 2,4,5-Trichlorophenol , 2,4-D , 2,4-DB , 2,4-Dinitrotoluene , 2,6-Dinitrotoluene , 2-Methyl naphthalene , 3-Hydroxycarbofuran , Acenaphthene , Acenaphthylene , Acetochlor , Alachlor (Lasso) , Aldicarb , Aldicarb sulfone , Aldicarb sulfoxide , Aldrin , Anthracene , Antimony , Arsenic , Atrazine , Barium , Baygon (Propoxur) , Bentazon (Basagran) , Benzene , Benzo[a]anthracene , Benzo[a]pyrene , Benzo[b]fluoranthene , Benzo[g,h,i]perylene , Benzo[k]fluoranthene , Beryllium , Bromobenzene , Bromochloromethane , Bromoform , Bromomethane , Butachlor , Butyl benzyl phthalate , Cadmium , Carbaryl , Carbofuran , Carbon tetrachloride , Chloramben , Chlordane , Chloroethane , Chloromethane , Chrysene , cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene , cis-1,3-Dichloropropene , Cyanide , DCPA mono- and di-acid degradates , Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate , Di-n-butyl phthalate , Dibenzofuran , Dibenz[a,h]anthracene , Dibromochloromethane , Dibromomethane , Dicamba , Dichlorodifluoromethane , Dichloromethane (methylene chloride) , Dichlorprop , Dieldrin , Diethyl phthalate , Dimethyl phthalate , Dinoseb , Endrin , EPTC (Eptam) , Ethylbenzene , Ethylene dibromide , Fluoranthene , Fluorene , Fluoride , Heptachlor , Heptachlor epoxide , Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) , Hexachlorobutadiene , Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene , Isopropylbenzene , Lindane , m-Dichlorobenzene , Manganese , Mercury (inorganic) , Methiocarb , Methomyl , Methoxychlor , Metolachlor , Metribuzin , Molinate , Monochlorobenzene (chlorobenzene) , MTBE , n-Butylbenzene , n-Propylbenzene , Naphthalene , Nitrite , o-Chlorotoluene , o-Dichlorobenzene , Oxamyl (Vydate) , p-Chlorotoluene , p-Dichlorobenzene , p-Isopropyltoluene , Para-para DDE , Pentachlorophenol , Phenanthrene , Picloram , Propachlor , Pyrene , sec-Butylbenzene , Selenium , Simazine , Styrene , Terbacil , tert-Butylbenzene , Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene) , Thallium , Toluene , Toxaphene , trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene , trans-1,3-Dichloropropene , Trichloroethylene , Trichlorofluoromethane , Vinyl chloride , Xylenes (total)

Holiday Estates compliance with legally mandated federal standards:

  • From April 2019 to March 2021, Holiday Estates did not comply with health-based drinking water standards.
  • 12 QUARTERS
    in violation of any federal drinking water standard from April 2019 to March 2021
  • Over the last 3 years this water utility has spent
    11 QUARTERS
    in significant violation of federal drinking water standards

Information in this section on Holiday Estates comes from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History Online database (ECHO).

LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS UTILITY

Water Filters That Can Reduce Contaminant Levels

ContaminantActivated Carbonactivated carbonReverse Osmosisreverse osmosisIon Exchangeion exchange
CONTAMINANTS ABOVE
HEALTH GUIDELINES
Bromodichloromethane✔✔
Chloroform✔✔
Radium, combined (-226 & -228)✔✔
OTHER CONTAMINANTS
DETECTED
Chromium (total)✔✔
Dalapon✔✔
Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate✔✔
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene✔✔
Nitrate✔✔
Nitrate & nitrite✔✔

Take Action

Contact Your Local Official

One of the best ways to push for cleaner water is to hold accountable the elected officials who have a say in water quality – from city hall and the state legislature to Congress all the way to the Oval Office – by asking questions and demanding answers.

LEARN MORE

Filter Out Contaminants

Check out our recommendations for filters to protect your water against the detected contaminants.

EWG’S WATER FILTER GUIDE
Get the guide

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