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Status: Regulated - EPA has established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant.

Alachlor (Lasso) is a herbicide used on row crops. Potential health impacts associated with Alachlor (Lasso) include cancer, cardiovascular or blood toxicity, developmental toxicity, endocrine toxicity, immunotoxicity, kidney toxicity, and skin sensitivity. [read more]

Sources of Alachlor (Lasso):

Agriculture (pesticides, fertilizer, factory farms)

An Environmental Working Group analysis of Alachlor (Lasso) tests reported by 21,548 public water suppliers in 40 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 584 thousand people in 53 communities drank water contaminated with Alachlor (Lasso).

Exposure Summary

584,181 People drinking water contaminated with Alachlor (Lasso) 53 Communities served water contaminated with Alachlor (Lasso)

Table. Alachlor (Lasso) Exposure by State

584 thousand Americans in 15 states were served tap water contaminated with Alachlor (Lasso) between 1998 and 2003.

State	Water suppliers with Alachlor (Lasso) contamination
	Systems	Population
Texas	7	193,015
Florida	7	184,225
Ohio	10	82,162
Nebraska	4	37,424
Missouri	6	34,249
Michigan	1	22,275
Indiana	3	6,535
Wisconsin	7	6,143
Arizona	2	5,514
North Carolina	1	4,538
Kentucky	1	3,061
Tennessee	1	2,675
Iowa	1	963
Minnesota	1	778
Oregon	1	624
Total	53	584,181

Table. The most polluted communities

584,000 Americans in 53 communities were served tap water contaminated with Alachlor (Lasso) between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average Alachlor (Lasso) level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	North Decatur Co. Utility District Parsons, TN	2,675	1 of 1	0.71 ppb (0.71 to 0.71 ppb)
2	Beaver Dam Mun Water / Sewer Sys Beaver Dam, KY	3,061	1 of 3	0.67 ppb (0 to 2 ppb)
3	Lodi Waterworks Lodi, WI	2,925	11 of 15	0.41 ppb (0 to 0.8 ppb)
4	City of Imperial Water Imperial, NE	1,984	4 of 7	0.39 ppb (0 to 1.3 ppb)
5	Hilltop Court Mobile Homes Long Lake, MN	64	5 of 5	0.26 ppb (0.2 to 0.3 ppb)
6	Lynn Mobile Home Park Monticello, IN	112	4 of 10	0.23 ppb (0 to 1 ppb)
7	Paoli Water Department Paoli, IN	4,735	1 of 8	0.16 ppb (0 to 1.3 ppb)
8	Sarasota Co Special Util Dist Sarasota, FL	144,740	1 of 7	0.14 ppb (0 to 1 ppb)
9	Kimberly Estates Newbury, OH	288	1 of 1	0.14 ppb (0.14 to 0.14 ppb)
10	Glasgow Glasgow, MO	1,295	1 of 44	0.11 ppb (0 to 4.7 ppb)

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Health based limits for Alachlor (Lasso)

Health Limit	Limit Value	Limit Description
Maximum Contaminant Limit (MCL)	2 ppb	The enforceable standard which defines the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to health-based limits (Maximum Contaminant Level Goals, or MCLGs) as feasible using the best available analytical and treatment technologies and taking cost into consideration. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Maximum Contaminant Limit Goal (MCLG)	0 ppb	A non-enforceable health goal that is set at a level at which no known or anticipated adverse effect on the health of persons occurs and which allows an adequate margin of safety. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
One in ten thousand (10-4) Cancer Risk	40 ppb	The concentration of a chemical in drinking water corresponding to an excess estimated lifetime cancer risk of 1 in 10,000. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
California Public Health Goals	4 ppb	Defined by the State of California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) as the level of contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. For acutely toxic substances, levels are set at which scientific evidence indicates that no known or anticipated adverse effects on health will occur, plus an adequate margin-of safety. PHGs for carcinogens or other substances which can cause chronic disease shall be based solely on health effects without regard to cost impacts and shall be set at levels which OEHHA has determined do not pose any significant risk to health.
Children's health-based limit for 1-day exposure	100 ppb	Concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects for up to one day of exposure. The One-Day health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is typically set to protect a 10-kg child consuming 1 liter of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Children's health-based limit for 10-day exposure	100 ppb	Concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic effects for up to ten days of exposure. The Ten-Day health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is typically set to protect a 10-kg child consuming 1 liter of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Drinking Water Equivalent Level	400 ppb	A lifetime exposure concentration protective of adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects, that assumes all of the exposure to a contaminant is from drinking water. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Testing Summary for Alachlor (Lasso)

Water suppliers report an average of 0.5 Alachlor (Lasso) tests per year. 18,203 water suppliers failed to report any Alachlor (Lasso) tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for Alachlor (Lasso) by federal law? Yes Water suppliers reporting tests for Alachlor (Lasso) (1998-2003): 21,548 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): 0.5 per year

Alachlor (Lasso) Violations

Table. 2.8 percent of all water suppliers violated safe drinking water standards for Alachlor (Lasso) between 1998 and 2003

Violation Type	Violations	Systems
Any Violation (1998-2003)	2,674	1,605
	(2.8% of all suppliers)
Testing violations (1998-2003)	2,673	1,605
	(2.8% of all suppliers)
Reporting violations (1998-2003)	1	1
	(< 0.1% of all suppliers)