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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Atrazine

City of Garden Grove

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.

 

54

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
2014ND120ND
2015ND120ND
2016ND20ND
2017ND100ND
2018ND170ND
2019ND10ND

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
2014-04-024417-006-1400ND
2014-04-024417-009-0825ND
2014-04-024417-014-0700ND
2014-04-024417-039-1015ND
2014-04-024417-016-1125ND
2014-04-024417-018-1105ND
2014-07-234417-006-0955ND
2014-07-234417-009-0755ND
2014-07-234417-014-0700ND
2014-07-234417-016-1135ND
2014-07-234417-018-1050ND
2014-09-304417-039-1000ND
2015-01-074417-061-0840ND
2015-01-074417-011-1010ND
2015-01-074417-020-0755ND
2015-04-014417-019-0730ND
2015-04-014417-061-0905ND
2015-04-014417-020-0710ND
2015-04-014417-011-1025ND
2015-04-014417-013-1440ND
2015-04-014417-012-0850ND
2015-07-224417-013-1430ND
2015-07-224417-012-0840ND
2015-07-224417-019-0735ND
2016-01-064417-063-0700ND
2016-04-274417-063-0700ND
2017-04-264417-014-0925ND
2017-04-264417-039-0955ND
2017-04-264417-009-0725ND
2017-04-264417-018-1055ND
2017-04-264417-016-1120ND
2017-07-194417-014-0925ND
2017-07-194417-009-0730ND
2017-07-194417-039-0945ND
2017-07-194417-016-1110ND
2017-08-164417-018-1050ND
2018-01-314417-011-0905ND
2018-01-314417-061-0705ND
2018-01-314417-020-1010ND
2018-01-314417-012-0735ND
2018-01-314417-019-0840ND
2018-01-314417-013-1140ND
2018-02-214417-006-1000ND
2018-02-214417-006-0950ND
2018-04-254417-061-0720ND
2018-04-254417-020-1000ND
2018-04-254417-013-1140ND
2018-04-254417-012-0750ND
2018-04-254417-011-0840ND
2018-06-134417-019-0840ND
2018-07-184417-019-0810ND
2018-07-184417-013-1130ND
2018-07-184417-012-1225ND
2019-11-064417-063-1020ND