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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Atrazine

Kalaheo-Koloa

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

 

85

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
2014N/A00N/A
2015ND340ND
2016ND20ND
2017ND10ND
2018ND220ND
2019ND260ND

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
2015-07-06C15-07-0181ND
2015-07-06C15-07-0180ND
2015-07-06C15-07-0184AND
2015-07-06C15-07-0183ND
2015-07-08C15-07-0220ND
2015-07-08C15-07-0221ND
2015-07-08C15-07-0222ND
2015-07-08C15-07-0223ND
2015-08-17C15-08-0200ND
2015-09-01201509030217ND
2015-09-21201509230171ND
2015-09-21201509230170ND
2015-09-21201509230169ND
2015-09-21201509230165ND
2015-09-21201509230164ND
2015-09-21201509230172ND
2015-09-21201509230231ND
2015-09-21201509230232ND
2015-10-19C15-10-0061AND
2015-10-19C15-10-0060ND
2015-10-19C15-10-0059ND
2015-10-19C15-10-0058ND
2015-10-19C15-10-0057ND
2015-10-21C15-10-0088ND
2015-10-21C15-10-0090ND
2015-10-21C15-10-0089ND
2015-10-21C15-10-0087ND
2015-11-16201511180489ND
2015-11-18201511200370ND
2015-11-18201511200369ND
2015-12-01201512030497ND
2015-12-01201512030498ND
2015-12-01201512030499ND
2015-12-01201512030500ND
2016-04-11ND
2016-04-11ND
2017-05-16ND
2018-01-29201801000000ND
2018-01-29201801310036ND
2018-04-18C18-04-0209ND
2018-04-18C18-04-0211ND
2018-04-18C18-04-0210AND
2018-04-18C18-04-0208ND
2018-04-18C18-04-0207ND
2018-06-04C18-06-0012ND
2018-06-05C18-06-0038ND
2018-06-05C18-06-0036ND
2018-06-05C18-06-0037ND
2018-09-10C18-09-0221ND
2018-09-10C18-09-0220ND
2018-09-11C18-09-0223ND
2018-09-11C18-09-0224ND
2018-09-11C18-09-0225ND
2018-09-12C18-09-0250ND
2018-09-12C18-09-0251ND
2018-09-12C18-09-0249ND
2018-09-12C18-09-0248ND
2018-09-12C18-09-0252AND
2018-10-09C18-10-0045AND
2019-01-30201901310193ND
2019-03-20201903220416ND
2019-03-20201903220303ND
2019-03-20201903220488ND
2019-03-20201903220415ND
2019-03-20201903220302ND
2019-03-22201903260250ND
2019-03-22201903260283ND
2019-03-22201903260247ND
2019-03-22201903260219ND
2019-03-22201903260218ND
2019-06-18201906200462ND
2019-06-19C19-06-0091AND
2019-07-17C19-07-0161AND
2019-08-20201908220600ND
2019-08-20201908220601ND
2019-08-20201908220544ND
2019-08-20201908220543ND
2019-08-21201908230483ND
2019-08-21201908230494ND
2019-08-21201908230361ND
2019-08-21201908230362ND
2019-08-21201908230493ND
2019-08-21201908230482ND
2019-08-26201908280583ND
2019-10-21C19-10-0078AND