Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Atrazine

Rolling Creek Utility District

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.

 

12

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

12

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.205 ppb220.200 ppb - 0.210 ppb
20190.245 ppb220.240 ppb - 0.250 ppb
20200.260 ppb220.260 ppb
20210.210 ppb220.200 ppb - 0.220 ppb
20220.180 ppb220.140 ppb - 0.220 ppb
20230.165 ppb220.150 ppb - 0.180 ppb

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

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
2018-03-12AE180170.200 ppb
2018-03-12AE180190.210 ppb
2019-05-14AE663120.240 ppb
2019-05-14AE663160.250 ppb
2020-03-24AF044050.260 ppb
2020-03-24AF044060.260 ppb
2021-06-17AF587030.220 ppb
2021-06-17AF587060.200 ppb
2022-03-24AF906010.140 ppb
2022-05-04AF955880.220 ppb
2023-01-23AG258640.150 ppb
2023-08-07AG516460.180 ppb