Alachlor
Alachlor is an herbicide used on corn and soybeans. It enters drinking water through agricultural runoff and can cause kidney and liver problems if ingested.
Alachlor is a widely used herbicide introduced in the 1960s to control weeds in corn and soybean fields. It can leach into groundwater or be carried by surface runoff, potentially contaminating drinking water sources. The EPA has set a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 2 parts per billion for alachlor in drinking water. Water treatment facilities use activated carbon filtration to remove this chemical. Long-term exposure may increase cancer risk, though more research is needed to fully understand its health impacts.
- People affected
- 998.9K
- Utilities with this contaminant
- 42
- States with this contaminant
- 13
Utilities with the highest levels of this contaminant
| Utility | Service Areas | Level | Population Served |
|---|---|---|---|
LE Lebanon Water Dept | Lebanon, NH | 1.000 ppb | 10,050 |
BR Brunswick County Water System | Leland, NC | 0.300 ppb | 113,410 |
BR Brunswick Regional Water And Sewer H2Go | Leland, NC | 0.300 ppb | 45,748 |
MV Mvwa - Mohawk Valley Water Authority | Oneida County, NY | 0.200 ppb | 126,250 |
PI Pittsfield Dpu Water Dept | Pittsfield, MA | 0.196 ppb | 43,927 |
LI Limestone County Water System | Athens, AL | 0.100 ppb | 65,000 |
SE Seabrook Water Dept | Seabrook, NH | 0.100 ppb | 14,000 |
MO Mobile Board Of Water And Sewer Comm. | Mobile, AL | 0.010 ppb | 279,000 |
WA Warrior River Water Authority | Bessemer, AL | 0.001 ppb | 37,263 |
Sources
- https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/risk/docs/guidance/gw/alachlorinfo.pdf
- https://cals.cornell.edu/weed-science/herbicides/herbicide-reference/lasso-alachlor
- https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/environmental-health-protection/private-water/fact-sheets/alachlor-atrazine-groundwater.html
- https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-issues-emergency-order-stop-use-pesticide-dacthal-address-serious-health-risk-4