EWG INVESTIGATION

Findings

About The Data

News Release

EWG Statement, 03/10/2008

Related News Clips

WHAT'S IN YOUR WATER?

Find Your Water Company

NATIONAL SUMMARY

Quality Varies Across the U.S.

CONTAMINANTS DATABASE

Find a Contaminant

Credits

Sign up to receive email updates from EWG

Status: Unregulated - EPA has not established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant.

Acetochlor is a herbicide used with cabbage, citrus, coffee, and corn crops. Potential health impacts associated with Acetochlor include cancer, endocrine toxicity, and neurotoxicity. Potential health impacts associated with Acetochlor include cancer, endocrine toxicity, and neurotoxicity.

Sources of Acetochlor:

Agriculture (pesticides, fertilizer, factory farms)

An Environmental Working Group analysis of Acetochlor tests reported by 2,890 public water suppliers in 11 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 3.5 million people in 37 communities drank water contaminated with Acetochlor. No health-based limit has been established by the federal government.Acetochlor remains unregulated in tap water, without a maximum legal limit.

Exposure Summary

3,514,991 People drinking water contaminated with Acetochlor 37 Communities served water contaminated with Acetochlor

Table. Acetochlor Exposure by State

3.5 million Americans in 2 states were served tap water contaminated with Acetochlor between 1998 and 2003.

State	Water suppliers with Acetochlor contamination
	Systems	Population
Illinois	34	3,385,599
Iowa	3	129,392
Total	37	3,514,991

Table. The most polluted communities

3.5 million Americans in 37 communities were served tap water contaminated with Acetochlor between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average Acetochlor level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	Panama Panama, IL	380	1 of 1	74.5 ppb (74.5 to 74.5 ppb)
2	Carlyle Southwest Public Water District Carlyle, IL	1,182	1 of 1	64.1 ppb (64.1 to 64.1 ppb)
3	Hoffman Rwd Carlyle, IL	1,050	1 of 1	55.7 ppb (55.7 to 55.7 ppb)
4	Clinton County East Public Water Distric Carlyle, IL	2,277	1 of 1	45.6 ppb (45.6 to 45.6 ppb)
5	Xenia Xenia, IL	575	1 of 1	42.7 ppb (42.7 to 42.7 ppb)
6	Beckemeyer Beckemeyer, IL	1,155	1 of 1	42.4 ppb (42.4 to 42.4 ppb)
7	Aviston Aviston, IL	1,231	1 of 2	31.05 ppb (0 to 62.1 ppb)
8	Des Plaines Des Plaines, IL	56,945	1 of 1	30.8 ppb (30.8 to 30.8 ppb)
9	Langleyville Public Water District Langleyville, IL	320	1 of 1	28.3 ppb (28.3 to 28.3 ppb)
10	Owaneco Owaneco, IL	256	1 of 1	27.8 ppb (27.8 to 27.8 ppb)

  Next -->

Testing Summary for Acetochlor

Water suppliers report an average of 0.5 Acetochlor tests per year. 36,861 water suppliers failed to report any Acetochlor tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for Acetochlor by federal law? No Water suppliers reporting tests for Acetochlor (1998-2003): 2,890 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): 0.5 per year

Acetochlor Violations

Because Acetochlor is unregulated in tap water, no violations are recorded in EPA's violations database, the Safe Drinking Water Information System. Under the federal tap water law, water suppliers are not required to routinely test for Acetochlor, and any level is legal in tap water.