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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Atrazine

Plainview WD

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

 

74

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND90ND
2015ND110ND
2016ND110ND
2017ND140ND
2018ND100ND
2019ND190ND

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
2014-01-131401452-002-SOCSND
2014-01-131401427-002-SOCSND
2014-01-131401427-001-SOCSND
2014-01-131401427-003-SOCSND
2014-01-131401452-001-SOCSND
2014-01-171401784-002-SOCSND
2014-01-171401784-001-SOCSND
2014-01-281401B24-001-SOCSND
2014-01-281401B24-002-SOCSND
2015-01-131501859-001-SOCSND
2015-01-131501687-002-SOCSND
2015-01-131501687-001-SOCSND
2015-01-141501751-001-SOCSND
2015-01-141501751-002-SOCSND
2015-01-151501859-002-POCSND
2015-01-231501E11-002-SOCSND
2015-01-231501E11-003-SOCSND
2015-01-231501E11-001-SOCSND
2015-05-081505607-001-SOCSND
2015-10-0715105630001-SOCSND
2016-01-141601939-002-SOCSND
2016-01-141601939-003-SOCSND
2016-01-141601939-004-SOCSND
2016-01-141601939-001-SOCSND
2016-01-151601A31-001ND
2016-01-151601A31-002-SOCSND
2016-01-191601B54-002-SOCSND
2016-01-191601B54-001-SOCSND
2016-03-171603E00-001-SOCSND
2016-03-171603E00-002-SOCSND
2016-04-281604Q17-001-SOCSND
2017-01-03708178001-SOCND
2017-01-05708358001ND
2017-01-10708699001ND
2017-01-11708893003ND
2017-01-11708894001ND
2017-01-11708893004ND
2017-01-11708893002ND
2017-01-11709288001ND
2017-01-11709288002ND
2017-01-11708893001ND
2017-01-12708985001-SOCND
2017-01-307010126001ND
2017-01-317010228001ND
2017-04-197016312001ND
2018-06-017053391001ND
2018-06-047053542001ND
2018-06-047053542002ND
2018-06-077054095002ND
2018-06-077054095001ND
2018-06-147054988002ND
2018-06-157055114001ND
2018-06-157054988001ND
2018-06-157064984001ND
2018-07-237059098001ND
2019-06-067092590002ND
2019-06-067092590001ND
2019-06-077092780001ND
2019-06-117092780SWMND
2019-06-117092590SWMND
2019-06-197094510002ND
2019-06-197094510001ND
2019-06-207094599001ND
2019-06-207094599002ND
2019-06-247095006002ND
2019-06-247095006001ND
2019-06-257094510004ND
2019-06-257094510003ND
2019-06-267095006004ND
2019-06-267094599004ND
2019-06-267094599003ND
2019-06-267095006003ND
2019-07-027096164001ND
2019-07-10420-156539-1ND