What types of water systems are most likely to have DBPs?
Water systems using sources with higher amounts of organic substances will form more DBPs when disinfected than those that do not. Sources with higher organics levels include: • Surface waters, such as lakes, rivers and streams. • Springs and wells that are shallow and/or located near surface waters. Groundwater, especially those from deep wells, tends to contain little organic substances. Even if they chlorinate the water, lesser amounts of DBPs are typically found. Do DBPs have harmful health effects? Scientists have conducted studies on health effects of exposure to high levels of DBPs on laboratory animals. These studies have shown that several DBPs cause cancer in laboratory animals. In addition, some DBPs cause undesirable effects in the animals’ growth and reproduction. It is, however, difficult to estimate how the results of these high dosage studies on laboratory animals can be applied to low dosage, long-term exposure for humans. Scientists have also studied the relationship
