Are you concerned about 1,2,3-trichloropropane (1,2,3-TCP) in your home water supply in Yarmouth, Barnstable County, MA? According to federal public water system monitoring data, no detections of 1,2,3-TCP above the reporting level have been recorded for the Yarmouth Water Department system that supplies the area.

If you want to understand why 1,2,3-trichloropropane resists air stripping and what that means for treatment choice

1,2,3-Trichloropropane is a chlorinated solvent that does not readily volatilize from water under typical air stripping methods. Because of its chemical properties, it can persist in groundwater even when other volatile compounds may dissipate. This resistance means that methods such as aeration are generally ineffective in reducing 1,2,3-TCP levels. Instead, treatment approaches that rely on adsorption or specialized filtration media are recommended to address the presence of this constituent.

If you want to explore the agricultural land-use history of Barnstable County and how it relates to 1,2,3-TCP detections

The chlorinated solvent 1,2,3-TCP has historical links to its use as an impurity in soil fumigants, particularly in the mid-20th century. Barnstable County's groundwater source to the Yarmouth Water Department is fed by aquifers beneath areas with agricultural land use history. However, federal monitoring from 2013 to 2015 detected no measurable 1,2,3-TCP in this public system, suggesting that past agricultural practices have not resulted in significant soluble residues in the water supply measured at the system level.

If you want to interpret the measured range against the relevant federal standards and what these measurements do not indicate

Federal occurrence monitoring uses a reporting level of 0.03 micrograms per liter (or parts per billion) for 1,2,3-trichloropropane. The Yarmouth Water Department's data includes 26 samples taken between March and September 2015, all below this reporting threshold. Importantly, there is no federal maximum contaminant level (MCL) for 1,2,3-TCP, so these detections do not represent compliance failures or health-based violations. The lack of detection means the chlorinated solvent was not measurable above the detection limit, but individual household water quality can only be known through specific testing.

If you want to understand how a soil fumigant impurity from the 1950s-1980s might reach deep groundwater decades later

1,2,3-TCP often originates as an impurity in soil fumigants utilized primarily between the 1950s and 1980s. Over time, this chlorinated solvent can migrate slowly through soil layers and reach deep groundwater sources. The delay in transport means some groundwater could contain low levels of TCP long after its original application. However, local monitoring in Yarmouth's public water system has not detected levels above the monitoring threshold in recent years, indicating limited or no ongoing impact at the municipal supply level.

If you want to know what 'detected', 'median' and 'range' mean in the sampling record for this page

• Detected: A value measured above the instrument’s reporting threshold, confirming the chemical’s presence.
• Median: The middle value in a range of measurements, useful for understanding typical exposure in samples.
• Range: The lowest to highest measurement observed. In this case, all 26 samples were below the reporting level, so no range above 0.03 µg/L exists.

In Yarmouth's case, "not detected" means the specific chlorinated solvent was not measurable above 0.03 micrograms per liter in any sample during the EPA's monitoring period.

If you want to understand why the reporting level for 1,2,3-TCP is thousands of times lower than for common metals

The reporting level of 0.03 micrograms per liter for 1,2,3-trichloropropane is much lower than thresholds for metals like iron or manganese because chlorinated solvents require highly sensitive analytical methods for detection. Such low levels are necessary due to the compound’s potential health considerations and persistent environmental behavior. Analytical technology allows detection of trace amounts well below levels that would typically affect taste or odor, reflecting the compound’s chemical nature rather than an indicator of contamination severity.

After experiencing failure of your current equipment addressing your household water concerns, the critical next step is to have a comprehensive water test performed on your own service line. This will measure the presence and concentration of 1,2,3-trichloropropane directly from your water supply, beyond the system-wide data. With these results, you can better decide the suitable solution for your household needs.

For households in Barnstable County that require specialized treatment for 1,2,3-trichloropropane, the Pentair 1,2,3-TCP Filter ships ready to configure and offers advanced technology designed specifically to address this chlorinated solvent in residential water supplies.

Where this information comes from

Source: EPA SDWIS public water system record. Sampled 2015-09-17. These figures describe the public water system's record, not the plumbing inside any individual building.

On record: EPA UCMR3 monitoring (2013-2015) for Yarmouth Water Department (MA4351000), MA: 26 results across 1 listed contaminants, 0 detections above the reporting level; nothing detected above the method reporting level