The Brunswick/Topsham Water District in Cumberland County, Maine, supplies groundwater to about 18,863 residents through 7,545 connections. This water is drawn from deep aquifers and delivered to household taps after treatment and distribution. Knowing about 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP), a chlorinated solvent once used as a soil fumigant, helps consumers understand the water they receive.

How a soil fumigant impurity from the 1950s-1980s reached deep groundwater decades later

Historical use

1,2,3-TCP was an impurity in soil fumigants applied primarily between the 1950s and 1980s. Over time, this compound has leached through soil layers into groundwater.

Delayed groundwater impact

Because groundwater moves slowly through the subsurface, the presence of 1,2,3-TCP in deep aquifers reflects contamination events from decades past, not current surface applications.

How to judge treatment capacity against the household’s daily demand

Daily water use variability

Household water needs fluctuate daily. Understanding local water use patterns helps in choosing treatment that ensures effective TCP management without flow interruption.

Matching technology to volume

Filters using C-Series technology ship ready to configure to match household demand. Sizing must consider peak and average daily consumption to maintain flow rates while addressing 1,2,3-trichloropropane.

How many samples and wells stand behind the figures, and what a small sample means

Sampling scope

The EPA’s UCMR3 monitoring recorded six groundwater samples from the Brunswick/Topsham Water District between 2013 and 2015.

Detection results

None of these samples showed 1,2,3-TCP levels above the reporting threshold of 0.03 micrograms per liter (0.03 parts per billion).

Sample size implications

A small number of samples provides limited insight into spatial variation. Individual wells not tested could differ, so private testing is essential for precise household assessment.

How sample depth, well depth or source type changes what a reader should expect

Groundwater source variability

Brunswick and Topsham rely on groundwater wells tapping deep aquifers. Deeper wells may have different 1,2,3-TCP levels compared to shallow sources.

Influence of well construction

Well depth and casing influence exposure to contaminants migrating vertically. Sampling depth in regulatory surveys can affect detection likelihood.

What questions a commercial or industrial operator adds that a household does not

Higher volume demands

Industries consuming large water volumes need treatment scaled to continuous and peak demands, considering cumulative exposure to 1,2,3-TCP.

Regulatory compliance

Commercial operators may face additional monitoring and reporting requirements beyond household testing, depending on use and discharge.

What the reader should NOT conclude from area data

No direct measurement of home water

The EPA monitoring results describe the public water system overall, not specific household water. Individual well or tap water testing is necessary to understand local conditions.

No indication of exceedance or violation

Detection below the reporting level does not imply contamination or safety concerns. Likewise, no federal maximum contaminant level exists for 1,2,3-TCP, so there are no violations recorded for this system.

Water safety record

The Brunswick/Topsham Water District has zero health-based EPA violations on record, indicating compliance with federal drinking water standards.

For households seeking additional protection or assurance, the C-Series 1,2,3-TCP Filter offers a documented solution designed to reduce 1,2,3-trichloropropane levels. It ships ready to configure for residential use, matching household water demand while addressing this specific chlorinated solvent.

Where this information comes from

Source: EPA SDWIS public water system record. Sampled 2015-08-04. These figures describe the public water system's record, not the plumbing inside any individual building.

On record: EPA UCMR3 monitoring (2013-2015) for Brunswick/Topsham Water District (ME0090260), ME: 6 results across 1 listed contaminants, 0 detections above the reporting level; nothing detected above the method reporting level