voice (916) 324-4100
fax (916) 324-4088
info@empm.cdpr.ca.gov
The executive summary of the report is also available in the
"Publications" section of DPR's Web page: http://www.cdpr.ca.gov.
************************
</fontfamily>Kathy Brunetti, Agriculture Program Supervisor
California Department of Pesticide Regulation
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param>************************
November 5, 1998 (98-30)
Media Contacts:
Veda Federighi, 916/445-3974
Glenn Brank, 916/445-3970
DPR RELEASES 1997 REPORT ON
GROUND WATER TESTING FOR PESTICIDES
SACRAMENTO -- Cal/EPA's Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) has
released its 1997 report on ground water testing for pesticides. Based
on 2,508 water well samples, the report showed 96 wells -- less than 4
percent -- had verified pesticide detections. All residues were below
levels of health concern.
The annual report is required by the Pesticide Contamination
Prevention Act of 1985 (AB 2021, Connelly). Among other provisions of
the law, government agencies that test well water for pesticide
residues must report the results to DPR. When pesticides are found in
ground water as a result of agricultural use, DPR prohibits or
restricts their further use in areas where they were detected. In
addition, the Department uses the monitoring data to help develop
pesticide use practices designed to prevent contamination of ground
water by other chemicals.
The report summarizes results from ground water surveys that were
submitted to DPR between July 1996 and June 1997. (Agencies are not
required to report results immediately. The monitoring reflected in
the report was done between 1989 and 1997.) The testing was done by
DPR, the State Department of Health Services, State Department of Water
Resources, Santa Clara County Water District, City of San Francisco,
San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, East San
Joaquin Water Conservation District, U.S. Forest Service, and
Ciba-Geigy, Inc.
Samples were taken from 2,508 wells in 48 of California's 58 counties.
While pesticide residues were detected and verified in 96 wells in
seven counties, residues were all below levels of health concern. (See
attached table for details on county detections.) The verified
detections were made in 86 private drinking water wells, 7 public
wells, and 3 non-drinking wells.
Most samples were analyzed for multiple chemicals. Overall, the tests
targeted a total of 165 pesticide active ingredients and breakdown
products. Of those, verified detections were made of seven herbicides
(atrazine, bromacil, diuron, hexazinone, norflurazon, prometon, and
simazine) and four breakdown products of herbicides. (See attached
table for details.) This is the first time norflurazon and the
herbicide breakdown product DACT have been found in California ground
water.
In addition, three other agricultural chemicals were found that are
recurring contaminants of ground water but have not been used in
several years: DBCP, ethylene dibromide, and 1,2-D. There were also
unconfirmed detections of six other pesticides that are no longer
registered for agricultural use. DPR does not conduct follow-up
sampling to verify these agricultural detections because there is no
need to put use restrictions on agricultural chemicals no longer used.
Single copies of the Well Inventory Report can be obtained free from:
Environmental Monitoring and Pest Management Branch, Department of
Pesticide Regulation, 830 K Street, Sacramento, California 95814-3510,
phone (916) 324-4100. The executive summary of the report is also
available in the "Publications" section of DPR's Web page:
http://www.cdpr.ca.gov.
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