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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Atrazine

Camp Pendleton (South)

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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

63

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
2014ND70ND
2015ND40ND
2016ND50ND
2017ND70ND
2018ND270ND
2019ND130ND

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
2014-03-139590-044-1126ND
2014-03-139590-043-1045ND
2014-03-259590-037-1205ND
2014-06-119590-043-1140ND
2014-06-129590-044-1220ND
2014-08-219590-043-1155ND
2014-11-059590-044-1245ND
2015-01-269590-044-1136ND
2015-05-209590-044-1035ND
2015-08-249590-051-1230ND
2015-11-169590-051-1030ND
2016-02-119590-051-1130ND
2016-04-289590-044-1102ND
2016-05-059590-051-1045ND
2016-07-289590-044-1145ND
2016-10-279590-044-1120ND
2017-01-259590-044-1300ND
2017-05-109590-039-1215ND
2017-05-119590-030-1245ND
2017-11-179590-039-1230ND
2017-11-179590-032-1045ND
2017-12-049590-030-1245ND
2017-12-289590-049-1110ND
2018-02-089590-014-1235ND
2018-02-129590-036-1335ND
2018-02-149590-018-0740ND
2018-03-149590-051-1242ND
2018-03-169590-020-1110ND
2018-03-199590-035-1200ND
2018-03-219590-034-1245ND
2018-03-229590-043-1125ND
2018-03-229590-044-1020ND
2018-03-269590-022-1340ND
2018-03-299590-037-1302ND
2018-03-299590-019-1225ND
2018-04-249590-039-1220ND
2018-04-259590-030-1300ND
2018-05-019590-049-1300ND
2018-05-169590-032-1230ND
2018-08-169590-014-1032ND
2018-08-169590-036-1100ND
2018-08-249590-018-0725ND
2018-09-199590-035-1102ND
2018-09-199590-043-1205ND
2018-09-199590-044-1150ND
2018-09-199590-020-1055ND
2018-09-209590-034-1202ND
2018-09-209590-051-1125ND
2018-09-249590-037-1145ND
2018-09-249590-019-1215ND
2019-01-309590-020-1052ND
2019-01-319590-034-1100ND
2019-02-219590-014-1320ND
2019-02-289590-051-1042ND
2019-03-019590-035-1102ND
2019-03-159590-044-1120ND
2019-03-159590-043-1035ND
2019-03-219590-037-1100ND
2019-03-219590-019-1136ND
2019-05-079590-049-1025ND
2019-05-079590-032-0835ND
2019-05-099590-030-1100ND
2019-06-269590-039-1115ND