Picloram
Status: National drinking water standard exists
Picloram is a herbicide that in studies of laboratory animals has been linked with reduced testicular size and damage to the liver and thyroid.
2015-2017:
24
states detected
92
utilities detected
1.8 million
people served
0
states over health guideline
0
utilities over health guideline
0
people served over health guideline
0
states over legal limit
0
utilities over legal limit
0
people served over legal limit
Health concerns for picloram
Harm to the liver
Harm to the kidney
Change to the reproductive system
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 166 ppb
The EWG Health Guideline of 166 ppb for picloram was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. This health guideline protects against change to internal organs.
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 500 ppb
The legal limit for picloram, established in 1992, was based on toxicity studies in laboratory animals conducted in the 1980s.
ppb = parts per billion
States reporting picloram in drinking water
UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION | |||
---|---|---|---|
State | Utilities | People Served | |
Florida | 12 | 773,595 | |
Colorado | 10 | 481,867 | |
California | 1 | 190,308 | |
New York | 3 | 104,806 | |
Texas | 17 | 45,484 | |
New Mexico | 1 | 39,508 | |
Iowa | 4 | 27,704 | |
Oklahoma | 6 | 23,873 | |
Arkansas | 5 | 13,448 | |
Oregon | 1 | 12,500 | |
Washington | 5 | 10,699 | |
Wisconsin | 1 | 10,619 | |
Alabama | 1 | 9,828 | |
Louisiana | 4 | 9,495 | |
Indiana | 3 | 7,820 | |
Nevada | 2 | 5,700 | |
Pennsylvania | 1 | 3,400 | |
Minnesota | 3 | 2,633 | |
North Dakota | 4 | 1,650 | |
West Virginia | 1 | 1,624 | |
Idaho | 3 | 1,595 | |
Georgia | 2 | 713 | |
Montana | 1 | 92 | |
North Carolina | 1 | 61 |
Filtering technologies that reduce picloram

Activated Carbon

Reverse Osmosis
Utilities with the highest amounts of picloram, 2015-2017
Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
---|---|---|---|---|
Timber Creek LLC | Warsaw, IN | 1 of 1 | 6.50 ppb | 110 |
Merrywood Mobile Home Park | Des Plaines, IN | 1 of 1 | 3.00 ppb | 210 |
Juliaetta, City of | Juliaetta, ID | 3 of 4 | 1.70 ppb | 579 |
Live Oak WTP | Live Oak, FL | 1 of 4 | 1.53 ppb | 12,340 |
Emanuel Heights Water System | Tonasket, WA | 1 of 1 | 0.960 ppb | 60 |
Meadow Lakes Subdivision | Crawford, GA | 4 of 8 | 0.954 ppb | 81 |
Lexington* | Lexington, GA | 4 of 8 | 0.954 ppb | 632 |
Sunset Bay S/d | Mooresville, NC | 3 of 5 | 0.636 ppb | 61 |
Waterville, Town Of | Waterville, WA | 3 of 4 | 0.625 ppb | 1,145 |
Villisca Municipal Water Department | Villisca, IA | 1 of 1 | 0.600 ppb | 1,252 |
Oto Water Supply | Oto, IA | 2 of 3 | 0.533 ppb | 108 |
Seibert, Town of | Seibert, CO | 4 of 5 | 0.458 ppb | 193 |
Red Rock Incorporated | Moscow, ID | 2 of 3 | 0.458 ppb | 60 |
Creston Water Supply* | Creston, IA | 1 of 2 | 0.400 ppb | 7,834 |
SIRWA #2 (Creston)* | Creston, IA | 1 of 2 | 0.400 ppb | 18,510 |
Royal Oaks Apartments | Fredericksburg, TX | 2 of 3 | 0.367 ppb | 57 |
Lignite, City of | Lignite, ND | 3 of 3 | 0.309 ppb | 155 |
Ruth Water District | Mcgill, NV | 6 of 13 | 0.308 ppb | 700 |
Ely Municipal Water Department* | Ely, NV | 6 of 13 | 0.308 ppb | 5,000 |
Fischers Garden Mobile Home Park | Sauk Rapids, MN | 2 of 5 | 0.306 ppb | 220 |
Rockport Colony | Pendroy, MT | 2 of 4 | 0.305 ppb | 92 |
Mountain Lake | Mountain Lake, MN | 1 of 1 | 0.300 ppb | 2,100 |
Warwick, City of | Warwick, ND | 3 of 3 | 0.291 ppb | 65 |
South Logan County Water | Booneville, AR | 3 of 4 | 0.195 ppb | 1,540 |
Ratcliff Waterworks* | Ratcliff, AR | 3 of 4 | 0.195 ppb | 1,350 |
Magazine Waterworks* | Magazine, AR | 3 of 4 | 0.195 ppb | 1,038 |
Booneville Waterworks* | Booneville, AR | 3 of 4 | 0.195 ppb | 5,892 |
Lumberport Town Of | Lumberport, WV | 2 of 2 | 0.192 ppb | 1,624 |
Cucamonga Valley Water District* | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | 1 of 8 | 0.175 ppb | 190,308 |
City of Lawn | Lawn, TX | 3 of 5 | 0.140 ppb | 780 |
Maxbass, City of | Maxbass, ND | 2 of 2 | 0.123 ppb | 84 |
Deer Park, City Of | Deer Park, WA | 1 of 1 | 0.116 ppb | 3,800 |
Haxtun, Town of | Haxtun, CO | 5 of 12 | 0.108 ppb | 952 |
Seelyville Water Works | Brazil, IN | 1 of 2 | 0.1000 ppb | 7,500 |
City of Llano | Llano, TX | 1 of 3 | 0.1000 ppb | 3,325 |
Hackensack | Hackensack, MN | 1 of 2 | 0.1000 ppb | 313 |
Larimore, City of | Larimore, ND | 1 of 2 | 0.0950 ppb | 1,346 |
St John, Town Of | St. John, WA | 1 of 1 | 0.0890 ppb | 544 |
Springfield, Town of | Springfield, CO | 4 of 10 | 0.0810 ppb | 1,451 |
Frostproof, City of | Frostproof, FL | 2 of 6 | 0.0767 ppb | 3,550 |
Cedar Oak Mesa Water Supply Corporation | Wimberley, TX | 1 of 4 | 0.0750 ppb | 609 |
Eagles Watch Homeowners Association | Walden, CO | 2 of 4 | 0.0750 ppb | 65 |
Benwood Knolls Mobile Home Park | Millerton, NY | 1 of 2 | 0.0600 ppb | 87 |
City of Fort Meade | Fort Meade, FL | 1 of 2 | 0.0500 ppb | 5,455 |
Edgewood Mobile Home Park | Ocala, FL | 1 of 5 | 0.0500 ppb | 42 |
Beauregard Water Authority | Opelika, AL | 1 of 5 | 0.0418 ppb | 9,828 |
Mountain Water Association | Fairchance, PA | 1 of 3 | 0.0400 ppb | 3,400 |
Mulberry, City of | Mulberry, FL | 2 of 5 | 0.0376 ppb | 3,780 |
St. Martin Parish Water Works District 3 - Cade* | St Martinville, LA | 2 of 12 | 0.0367 ppb | 2,715 |
Le Triomphe Subdivision Water System | Scott, LA | 2 of 12 | 0.0367 ppb | 957 |
* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Picloram, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.
Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
---|---|---|---|---|
Live Oak WTP | Live Oak, FL | 1 of 4 | 1.53 ppb | 12,340 |
SIRWA #2 (Creston)* | Creston, IA | 1 of 2 | 0.400 ppb | 18,510 |
Cucamonga Valley Water District* | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | 1 of 8 | 0.175 ppb | 190,308 |
Toho Water Authority - Poinciana System | Kissimmee, FL | 1 of 3 | 0.0313 ppb | 69,447 |
Westchester County WD #2* | Somers, NY | 1 of 5 | 0.0280 ppb | 36,000 |
McAlester PWA* | Mcalester, OK | 1 of 4 | 0.0200 ppb | 17,783 |
City of Port Lavaca* | Port Lavaca, TX | 1 of 5 | 0.0200 ppb | 12,248 |
Miramar (East & West) Plants | Miramar, FL | 1 of 6 | 0.0157 ppb | 128,729 |
Epcor Water New Mexico Inc Clovis | Clovis, NM | 2 of 21 | 0.0152 ppb | 39,508 |
City of The Dalles | The Dalles, OR | 1 of 13 | 0.00769 ppb | 12,500 |
Palm Beach County Water Utilities* | West Palm Beach, FL | 1 of 15 | 0.00627 ppb | 529,876 |
Verona Waterworks | Verona, WI | 1 of 5 | 0.00600 ppb | 10,619 |
Colorado Springs Utilities* | Colorado Springs, CO | 1 of 18 | 0.00556 ppb | 418,096 |
US Air Force Academy | Usaf Academy, CO | 1 of 18 | 0.00556 ppb | 16,876 |
Fort Carson Army Base | Fort Carson, CO | 1 of 18 | 0.00556 ppb | 42,000 |
* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Picloram, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.