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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Atrazine

City of Kerrville

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.

 

28

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
2014ND20ND
2015ND50ND
2016ND30ND
2017ND90ND
2018ND70ND
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
2014-02-10AC42045ND
2014-10-15AC69763ND
2015-01-28AC78283ND
2015-01-28AC78284ND
2015-04-15AC88477ND
2015-08-14AD04451ND
2015-08-14AD04452ND
2016-02-01AD21266ND
2016-02-01AD21273ND
2016-10-24AD54448ND
2017-02-13AD70497ND
2017-05-08AD83181ND
2017-05-09AD83439ND
2017-05-09AD83440ND
2017-07-05AD88368ND
2017-07-05AD88369ND
2017-07-05AD88367ND
2017-10-09AD99914ND
2017-10-09AD99915ND
2018-01-08AE08201ND
2018-01-08AE08191ND
2018-01-08AE08190ND
2018-03-22AE19736ND
2018-10-01AE42289ND
2018-10-01AE42290ND
2018-10-01AE42291ND
2019-01-14AE49688ND
2019-04-08AE61490ND