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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Atrazine

City of Tempe

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

 

62

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
2014ND260ND
2015N/A00N/A
2016N/A00N/A
2017ND320ND
2018ND20ND
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
2014-01-02201401020127SND
2014-01-28201401280517SND
2014-01-28201401280513SND
2014-01-28201401280511SND
2014-01-28201401280471SND
2014-01-29201401290590SND
2014-01-29201401290579SND
2014-01-29201401290576SND
2014-01-29201401290573SND
2014-01-29201401290571SND
2014-03-24201403240026SND
2014-04-28201404290168SND
2014-04-30201404300549SND
2014-07-29201407290362SND
2014-07-29201407290356SND
2014-07-29201407290358SND
2014-07-29201407290360SND
2014-07-29201407290364SND
2014-07-30201407300568SND
2014-07-30201407300566SND
2014-07-30201407300564SND
2014-07-30201407300562SND
2014-07-30201407300560SND
2014-07-30201407300558SND
2014-11-12201411120111SND
2014-11-12201411120110SND
2017-01-03201701030387SND
2017-01-03201701030385SND
2017-01-17201701170373SND
2017-01-17201701170371SND
2017-01-18201701190155SND
2017-01-18201701190150SND
2017-01-18201701190148SND
2017-01-19201701190167SND
2017-01-26201701260263SND
2017-01-26201701260254SND
2017-01-31201702010341SND
2017-01-31201702010339SND
2017-03-23201703230333SND
2017-06-01201706010858SND
2017-06-01201706010849SND
2017-08-28201708280362SND
2017-08-28201708280365SND
2017-08-28201708280402SND
2017-08-28201708280413SND
2017-08-28201708280408SND
2017-08-29201708290330SND
2017-08-29201708290316SND
2017-08-30201708300568SND
2017-09-06201709060759SND
2017-09-06201709060739SND
2017-09-06201709060717SND
2017-09-07201709070469SND
2017-09-07201709070466SND
2017-10-03201710030741SND
2017-10-11201710110933SND
2017-10-11201710110930SND
2017-10-26201710260283SND
2018-02-13201802130408SND
2018-04-10201804100343SND
2019-01-02201901020284SND
2019-07-25201907250154SND