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Atrazine

Status: National drinking water standard exists

 

Atrazine is a herbicide commonly detected in drinking water that comes from cornfield and other agricultural runoff. It is a hormone disrupter that harms the male and female reproductive systems of people and wildlife. Read More.

Federal laws allow up to 3 parts per billion of atrazine in treated tap water. Water suppliers average atrazine measurements collected over a year, which means that the reported values underestimate intense spikes of elevated exposures during the periods in late spring and early summer when atrazine is applied in large amounts on farm fields.

Human epidemiological studies suggest that federal standards for atrazine are insufficient to protect public health. In 1999 the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment set a public health goal of 0.15 parts per billion for atrazine in drinking water, based on a study finding increased rates of breast cancer in rats exposed to the chemical. California's legal maximum for atrazine in tap water is 1 ppb.

Click here to read more about atrazine.

2015:

FOUND
FOUND ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES

27

states detected

1,363

utilities detected

29 million

people served

18

states over health guideline

813

utilities over health guideline

7.6 million

people served over health guideline

Health concerns for atrazine

Harm to the developing fetus

Hormone disruption

Harm to the reproductive system

Changes in the nervous system

Changes in brain and behavior

Cancer

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

Health Guideline 0.15 ppb

The health guideline of 0.15 ppb for atrazine 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 cancer.

ppb = parts per billion.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 3 ppb

The enforceable federal standard that defines the highest level of a contaminant allowed in drinking water.

ppb = parts per billion.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level Goal (MCLG)3 ppb

A non-enforceable federal health guideline. For cancer-causing chemicals, these health goals are typically set to zero.

ppb = parts per billion.

States reporting atrazine in drinking water

UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION
State UtilitiesPeople Served UtilitiesPeople Served
Texas2453,286,6264729,780,014
Missouri102330,4131603,114,367
Ohio45530,546902,459,377
Maryland464,297112,038,035
Pennsylvania00161,933,320
Kansas1921,240,3522331,468,896
Indiana18953,605401,401,848
Virginia0021,269,000
Iowa32264,51859971,217
New York56,31918654,194
District Of Columbia003644,822
Illinois113291,017128478,974
Florida005468,741
North Carolina9153,36528407,320
South Carolina0012369,013
Kentucky15223,80925333,555
Delaware002307,000
Louisiana36,3037280,891
Tennessee12196,96019275,710
Massachusetts240,544240,544
Michigan00337,555
Alabama127,534127,534
Rhode Island00114,500
Oklahoma913,176913,176
Hawaii54,5821112,984
Washington0025,190
Wisconsin0033,655
New Mexico11661166
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Utilities with the highest amounts of atrazine, 2015

ALL UTILITIES
LARGE UTILITIES
UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Richmond, City of*Richmond, KS1 of 12.80 ppb457
Springfield Water System*Springfield, TN2 of 42.48 ppb38,472
Beloit, City of*Beloit, KS2 of 22.35 ppb3,792
Garnett, City of*Garnett, KS2 of 22.31 ppb3,295
Udall, City ofUdall, KS1 of 22.05 ppb738
Russell, City ofRussell, KS1 of 21.95 ppb4,484
Coffeyville, City of*Coffeyville, KS1 of 11.90 ppb9,876
City of Atchison*Atchison, KS1 of 31.83 ppb10,771
Howard, City of*Howard, KS1 of 11.60 ppb642
Public Wholesale WSD 13*Mound City, KS1 of 11.60 ppb16,053
Lacygne, City of*La Cygne, KS3 of 31.57 ppb1,116
Napoleon City*Napoleon, OH9 of 91.56 ppb8,749
Independence, City of*Independence, KS2 of 31.50 ppb9,162
Kaskaskia Water District*New Athens, IL2 of 51.34 ppb1
Iola, City of*Iola, KS1 of 11.30 ppb5,553
Osawatomie, City of*Osawatomie, KS1 of 11.30 ppb4,357
S L M Water Commission*Mascoutah, IL2 of 51.30 ppb300
Mitchell County Rural Water District 2*Glen Elder, KS1 of 11.20 ppb1,291
Valley Falls, City of*Valley Falls, KS1 of 11.20 ppb1,158
Hamilton*Hamilton, MO4 of 41.18 ppb1,813
Maryville*Maryville, MO4 of 41.12 ppb11,972
Oswego, City of*Oswego, KS2 of 41.11 ppb1,781
Bonner Springs, City of*Bonner Springs, KS1 of 11.10 ppb7,553
Public Wholesale WSD 5*Iola, KS4 of 51.04 ppb12,192
Concordia*Concordia, MO4 of 41.01 ppb2,450
Burlington, City of*Burlington, KS1 of 11.000 ppb2,635
Linn Valley Lakes Property Owners AssociationLinn Valley, KS1 of 11.000 ppb193
VandaliaVandalia, MO4 of 40.988 ppb2,529
Lexington*Lexington, MO3 of 40.960 ppb4,700
Marais Des Cygnes Public Utility Authority*Louisburg, KS1 of 10.930 ppb1

* 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 Atrazine, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

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UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Springfield Water System*Springfield, TN2 of 42.48 ppb38,472
City of Atchison*Atchison, KS1 of 31.83 ppb10,771
Public Wholesale WSD 13*Mound City, KS1 of 11.60 ppb16,053
Maryville*Maryville, MO4 of 41.12 ppb11,972
Public Wholesale WSD 5*Iola, KS4 of 51.04 ppb12,192
City of Ottawa*Ottawa, KS1 of 10.900 ppb12,403
Bedford County UD*Shelbyville, TN1 of 10.830 ppb18,531
Athens Utilities*Athens, AL1 of 40.700 ppb27,534
Ottumwa Water Works*Ottumwa, IA1 of 10.660 ppb25,023
City of Olathe*Olathe, KS1 of 10.630 ppb133,062
Leavenworth Water Department*Leavenworth, KS1 of 20.600 ppb36,000
Hopkinsville Water Environmental Authority*Hopkinsville, KY1 of 10.600 ppb37,033
City of GardnerGardner, KS1 of 10.590 ppb20,667
City of Topeka*Topeka, KS11 of 120.542 ppb165,000
Piqua City PWSPiqua, OH3 of 60.527 ppb20,522
Hannibal*Hannibal, MO2 of 40.508 ppb17,916
Del-Co Water Company Inc.*Delaware, OH7 of 70.496 ppb141,407
Newark City PWS*Newark, OH2 of 70.471 ppb47,573
Columbia Power and Water System*Columbia, TN1 of 30.467 ppb59,953
Van Wert CityVan Wert, OH2 of 30.457 ppb10,846
Fremont CityFremont, OH6 of 60.435 ppb16,677
Lewisburg Water System*Lewsiburg, TN1 of 10.400 ppb18,648
Water District 1 of Johnson County*Kansas City, KS3 of 30.400 ppb331,900
City of Greenville*Greenville, TX1 of 10.400 ppb25,557
Aqua Ohio - TiffinTiffin, OH4 of 60.364 ppb17,963
Centralia*Centralia, IL1 of 40.350 ppb14,274
Greenville City PWSGreenville, OH1 of 30.333 ppb13,223
City of Corpus Christi*Corpus Christi, TX1 of 10.310 ppb316,381
City of Winfield*Winfield, KS1 of 10.310 ppb12,258
City of Corsicana*Corsicana, TX1 of 20.270 ppb26,531

* 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 Atrazine, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

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