Atrazine that has been linked with a series of reproductive disorders and with breast tumors. Farmers make extensive use of it as a herbicide on their fields. When it rains, especially when the spring rains hit just after an application, some atrazine runs into our surface waters and some enters our ground water.

On March 14, 2000, IDEM released a report at the Indiana Pesticide Review Board regarding the presence of pesticides in the Wabash River in Indiana. Several pesticides were found at relatively high levels. Atrazine in particular was found at levels four times higher than the drinking water limit in the river near Lafayette during June 1998. And the concentrations exceeded the limit for several consecutive weeks. The concentrations at the drinking water intake for Kokomo on the Wildcat Creek, a Wabash River tributary, also exceeded the limit.

While these levels may not exceed the quarterly averages set by the drinking water regulations, they are cause for concern — especially since the standard is twelve years old and is under serious reevaluation as not reflecting current science or children’s health risks.

When IDEM ran the calculations, it found that 1.4% of the atrazine applied to the land upstream of the Wabash River and Wildcat Creek confluence made it to the river as a non-point source of pollution.

IDEM took action late in May. It sent all public water suppliers that rely on surface water a letter alerting them to the issue and asking them to:

• Enhance their monitoring for atrazine;
• Treat the water with carbon to remove atrazine and other organics at an estimated cost of three pennies per 1,000 gallons;
• Provide the treatment year round unless their analysis shows that the atrazine and other pesticide levels are as low as possible; and
• Initiate or participate in efforts to reduce the non-point source runoff that causes the high levels of atrazine.