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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Atrazine

Doyon Utilities Jber - Richardson

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.

 

27

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014N/A00N/A
2015ND120ND
2016ND10ND
2017ND40ND
2018ND80ND
2019ND20ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.1 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.1 ppb for atrazine was defined by EWG based on epidemiological studies of human exposure to atrazine in drinking water.. This health guideline protects against harm to the developing fetus, harm to the reproductive system and hormone disruption.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 3 ppb

The legal limit for atrazine, established in 1991, was based on a toxicity study in laboratory animals conducted in the 1980s. This limit does not fully protect against harm to the reproductive system, harm to the developing fetus, and hormone disruption.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2015-02-24PE*3195339ND
2015-02-24PE*3195672ND
2015-02-24PE*3195308ND
2015-06-23PE*3268442ND
2015-06-23PE*3268599ND
2015-06-23PE*3268614ND
2015-09-14PE*3322324ND
2015-09-14PE*3322335ND
2015-09-14PE*3322352ND
2015-12-07PE*3371143ND
2015-12-07PE*3371156ND
2015-12-07PE*3371166ND
2016-03-29PE*3422157ND
2017-03-06PE*3649762ND
2017-05-22PE*3698683ND
2017-08-28PE*3767824ND
2017-10-11PE*3797936ND
2018-01-29PE*3861792ND
2018-01-29PE*3860525ND
2018-06-25PE*3973219ND
2018-06-26PE*3975412ND
2018-08-21PE*4031295ND
2018-08-21PE*4031320ND
2018-10-02PE*4075656ND
2018-10-02PE*4075678ND
2019-01-294185340ND
2019-01-294186385ND