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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Atrazine

Onslow Water And Sewer Authority

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

 

70

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
2015ND50ND
2016ND330ND
2017ND310ND
2018N/A00N/A
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
2015-06-17ND
2015-07-21ND
2015-11-02ND
2015-11-18ND
2015-11-18ND
2016-01-1337729_16-01250ND
2016-01-2537729_16-02424ND
2016-01-2537729_16-02423ND
2016-01-2537729_16-02422ND
2016-01-2537729_16-02421ND
2016-01-2637729_16-02582ND
2016-01-2637729_16-02604ND
2016-01-2737729_16-02718ND
2016-01-2737729_16-02719ND
2016-01-2737729_16-02720ND
2016-01-2737729_16-02721ND
2016-01-2837729_16-02716ND
2016-01-2837729_16-02715ND
2016-02-1037729_16-04415ND
2016-02-1037729_16-04414ND
2016-03-0237729_16-06646ND
2016-03-0237729_16-06647ND
2016-04-1937729_16-12273ND
2016-04-1937729_16-12275ND
2016-04-1937729_16-12269ND
2016-04-1937729_16-12274ND
2016-04-1937729_16-12265ND
2016-04-1937729_16-12270ND
2016-04-1937729_16-12272ND
2016-04-1937729_16-12271ND
2016-04-2637729_16-13061ND
2016-04-2637729_16-13074ND
2016-04-2637729_16-13065ND
2016-04-2637729_16-13064ND
2016-04-2637729_16-13063ND
2016-04-2637729_16-13062ND
2016-04-2637729_16-13060ND
2016-04-2737729_16-13059ND
2017-04-2437729_17-13503ND
2017-04-2437729_17-13517ND
2017-04-2437729_17-13524ND
2017-04-2437729_17-13529ND
2017-05-0137729_17-14273ND
2017-05-0137729_17-14272ND
2017-05-0937729_17-15208ND
2017-05-0937729_17-15209ND
2017-05-1537729_17-16113ND
2017-05-1537729_17-16121ND
2017-05-2337729_17-17002ND
2017-05-2337729_17-17014ND
2017-06-0537729_17-18410ND
2017-06-0537729_17-18407ND
2017-06-1437729_17-19985ND
2017-07-1737729_17-24654ND
2017-08-0737729_17-27624ND
2017-08-0737729_17-27629ND
2017-08-0737729_17-27628ND
2017-08-0737729_17-27627ND
2017-08-0737729_17-27626ND
2017-08-0737729_17-27625ND
2017-08-1437729_17-28679ND
2017-08-1437729_17-28677ND
2017-08-1437729_17-28681ND
2017-08-1437729_17-28680ND
2017-08-1437729_17-28678ND
2017-08-2137729_17-29911ND
2017-08-2137729_17-29912ND
2017-08-2137729_17-29913ND
2017-10-0237729_17-36583ND
2019-10-2937729_19-46572 ND