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

Bentazon (Basagran) is a bentazon is an herbicide used to control broadleaf weeds for alfalfa, asparagus, cereals, beans, and many other crops.. No information on potential health impacts for Bentazon (Basagran) was identified in standard government and academic sources.

Sources of Bentazon (Basagran):

Agriculture (pesticides, fertilizer, factory farms)

An Environmental Working Group analysis of Bentazon (Basagran) tests reported by 1,831 public water suppliers in 6 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 3,815 people in 5 communities drank water contaminated with Bentazon (Basagran). Bentazon (Basagran) remains unregulated in tap water, without a maximum legal limit.

Exposure Summary

3,815 People drinking water contaminated with Bentazon (Basagran) 5 Communities served water contaminated with Bentazon (Basagran)

Table. Bentazon (Basagran) Exposure by State

3,815 Americans in 1 states were served tap water contaminated with Bentazon (Basagran) between 1998 and 2003.

State	Water suppliers with Bentazon (Basagran) contamination
	Systems	Population
Iowa	5	3,815
Total	5	3,815

Table. The most polluted communities

3,815 Americans in 5 communities were served tap water contaminated with Bentazon (Basagran) between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average Bentazon (Basagran) level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	Kiron Water Supply Kiron, IA	273	1 of 1	2.5 ppb (2.5 to 2.5 ppb)
2	Lost Nation Water Supply Lost Nation, IA	497	1 of 1	2.2 ppb (2.2 to 2.2 ppb)
3	Villisca Municipal Water Department Villisca, IA	1,344	1 of 1	0.45 ppb (0.45 to 0.45 ppb)
4	Whiting Water Supply Whiting, IA	801	1 of 1	0.41 ppb (0.41 to 0.41 ppb)
5	Graettinger Municipal Water Supply Graettinger, IA	900	1 of 1	0.37 ppb (0.37 to 0.37 ppb)

Health based limits for Bentazon (Basagran)

Health Limit	Limit Value	Limit Description
California Public Health Goals	200 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	300 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	300 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.
Lifetime health-based limit, non-cancer risk	20 ppb	Concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects for a lifetime of exposure. The Lifetime health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is based on exposure for a a 70-kg adult consuming 2 liters of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Drinking Water Equivalent Level	1000 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 Bentazon (Basagran)

Water suppliers report an average of 0.5 Bentazon (Basagran) tests per year. 37,920 water suppliers failed to report any Bentazon (Basagran) tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for Bentazon (Basagran) by federal law? No Water suppliers reporting tests for Bentazon (Basagran) (1998-2003): 1,831 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): 0.5 per year

Bentazon (Basagran) Violations

Because Bentazon (Basagran) 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 Bentazon (Basagran), and any level is legal in tap water.