Autotrol 1,2,3-TCP Filter

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Why Are There Concerns About 1,2,3-TCP in Shelby County Water?

Many Memphis-area residents ask: "Is there 1,2,3-TCP in our water, and do I need specialized treatment at home?" Two federal sentences sum the public data: the municipal water system serving Memphis, Shelby County, detects no 1,2,3-trichloropropane above reporting levels, and there have been no health-based violations recorded for this constituent. Understanding the historical and geological context helps households decide what treatment fits their needs.

How Historical Agriculture Influences 1,2,3-TCP Occurrence in the Region

From the 1950s through the 1980s, parts of Shelby County saw use of soil fumigants containing trace amounts of chlorinated solvents, including 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP). This agricultural land use created potential sources of TCP that, over decades, have migrated through soil profiles. While present-day agricultural practices have shifted, this legacy land use explains why federal monitoring programs include 1,2,3-TCP in their analyses.

Legacy Contaminants: From Soil Fumigants to Deep Groundwater

1,2,3-TCP is a volatile chlorinated solvent historically found as an impurity in soil fumigants. Due to its chemical stability and soil mobility, it can take decades to travel downward through unsaturated zones, eventually reaching groundwater aquifers supplying wells and municipal systems. The lag time means detections today reflect historical application areas rather than recent use. Local geology and aquifer properties in Shelby County affect this behavior, with groundwater sourced mainly from deep wells.

Public Water System Monitoring Versus Private Well Testing

The Memphis Light, Gas & Water system, serving over 650,000 residents and using groundwater sources, reports no detected 1,2,3-TCP above the 0.03 microgram per liter (0.03 parts per billion) reporting limit in federal surveys conducted between 2013 and 2015. This data pertains to the municipal supply as a whole, not individual buildings. Private wells, which vary greatly in location and depth, require personal testing to establish their own levels. Public system data cannot confirm or rule out private well concentrations.

Deciphering the Regional Record: Median and Range for 1,2,3-TCP

The public water system record for Memphis shows zero detections in twenty measurements, indicating that 1,2,3-trichloropropane levels, if present, were below 0.03 micrograms per liter in the sampled period. This median reading and lack of detections mean that, regionally, TCP concentrations in municipal water distribution are minimal at best. Homeowners relying on the public supply can consider this context when evaluating the need for specialized equipment.

How 1,2,3-TCP Might Enter Home Water in Shelby County

In this region, 1,2,3-trichloropropane could enter water primarily via groundwater wells tapping aquifers affected by historical soil fumigant impurities. For municipal customers, treatment and distribution processes further influence constituent presence. Variability in private-well construction and proximity to former agricultural sites can affect 1,2,3-TCP levels. Thus, only direct testing of a household's water identifies its specific concentrations.

Determining Your Home’s Need: The Decisive Water Test

The single, most informative step for Memphis-area households considering their 1,2,3-TCP exposure is conducting a certified laboratory analysis of their own water supply for TCP concentration, reported in micrograms per liter or parts per billion. A result showing levels above the 0.03 micrograms per liter federal reporting threshold would indicate the presence of this chlorinated solvent at or above typical detection capabilities, guiding the decision toward a targeted treatment approach. For homes supplied by the municipal system, available records suggest minimal TCP influence; private well owners should confirm with testing.

For those seeking a documented treatment option, the Autotrol 1,2,3-TCP Filter system ships ready to configure and is designed specifically to address TCP presence in household water.

Where this information comes from

Source: EPA SDWIS public water system record. Sampled 2015-12-08. These figures describe the public water system's record, not the plumbing inside any individual building.

On record: EPA UCMR3 monitoring (2013-2015) for Memphis Light, Gas & Water (TN0000450), TN: 20 results across 1 listed contaminants, 0 detections above the reporting level; nothing detected above the method reporting level