Fleck 1,2,3-TCP Filter

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At your kitchen faucet in North Kingstown, you may wonder about the chemical 1,2,3-TCP appearing in reports about local water quality. If you’ve seen this name or heard concerns about 1,2,3-trichloropropane, a chlorinated solvent sometimes linked to groundwater pollution, this page explains the regional facts and what applies to your home’s water.

Does California’s 5 ng/L State Limit Mean North Kingstown Water Is Unsafe Without a Federal Limit?

California has set a stringent notification level of 5 nanograms per liter (5 ng/L), or 0.005 micrograms per liter (µg/L), for 1,2,3-TCP in drinking water. This level is much lower than the federal monitoring reporting level of 0.03 µg/L (30 ng/L) used by EPA during the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR3) sampling from 2013 to 2015.

For the Town of North Kingstown, which serves about 27,732 people using groundwater sources, EPA’s public water system record shows no detections of 1,2,3-trichloropropane above that 0.03 µg/L reporting threshold. Because there is no federal Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) established for 1,2,3-TCP, this absence of detections above the reporting level is not a violation or health-based finding. It is simply a measurement reflecting local groundwater quality during the monitoring period.

How Did a Chlorinated Solvent Used Decades Ago Reach Groundwater in Washington County?

1,2,3-Trichloropropane is an impurity originally linked to soil fumigants manufactured and applied primarily during the 1950s through the 1980s. Over time, this solvent has leached through soil layers into deep groundwater aquifers. Despite the time passed, traces can remain detectable near agricultural areas or former fumigant use sites.

In North Kingstown’s groundwater-supplied system, the EPA’s monitoring did not detect 1,2,3-TCP above the reporting threshold during 2013-2015 sampling, indicating no measurable presence at those sites in the monitored wells at that time.

Does Seasonal or Multi-Year Variation Affect 1,2,3-TCP Levels in This Area?

The EPA’s UCMR3 provided snapshots rather than continuous monitoring, with samples dated from July 2013 to January 2014. The 18 sample results in this period showed zero detections above the reporting level for 1,2,3-trichloropropane.

While groundwater quality can vary over time due to factors like rainfall, well use, and contaminant migration, the available public data suggests stable low or non-detectable 1,2,3-TCP levels in the North Kingstown system’s monitored sources during those months.

What Additional Concerns Would Commercial or Industrial Users Have?

Businesses may face stricter scrutiny or require more frequent contaminant testing due to regulatory or operational demands. They may also manage larger volumes, different plumbing materials, or treatment needs beyond household scale.

For residential use in North Kingstown, the public water records do not indicate 1,2,3-TCP presence above the UCMR3 reporting level. Households do not have additional monitoring requirements beyond standard public water system oversight.

What Does a Certified Lab Test Report for 1,2,3-Trichloropropane Include?

If you test your home’s water through a certified laboratory, the results will report concentrations in micrograms per liter (µg/L) or parts per billion (ppb). The lab’s detection limits may vary but typically match or improve upon EPA reporting levels.

Understanding any detection requires comparing it to regulatory standards and health guidelines. Since there is no federal MCL for 1,2,3-TCP, interpretation depends on state advisories, testing methodology, and consultation with water quality experts.

How Does Plumbing Material and Age Affect 1,2,3-TCP Presence?

1,2,3-Trichloropropane originates from source water contamination and does not interact with typical household plumbing materials. Its presence in tap water is unrelated to pipe age or material composition.

Plumbing factors generally influence mineral leaching or corrosion-related substances rather than chlorinated solvents like TCP.

For households in North Kingstown concerned about 1,2,3-trichloropropane, the Fleck 1,2,3-TCP Filter, a Fleck system designed for residential use, ships ready to configure for point-of-entry treatment. It is documented to address chlorinated solvents such as 1,2,3-TCP, providing targeted filtration based on your own water testing results.

Where this information comes from

Source: EPA SDWIS public water system record. Sampled 2014-01-30. These figures describe the public water system's record, not the plumbing inside any individual building.

On record: EPA UCMR3 monitoring (2013-2015) for Town of North Kingstown (RI1559517), RI: 18 results across 1 listed contaminants, 0 detections above the reporting level; nothing detected above the method reporting level