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Pesticides and their metabolites in community water-supply wells of central and western New York, August 1999

Water-Resources Investigations Report 2000-4128
Prepared in cooperation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
By: , , , and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/wri004128

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Abstract

Ten pesticides and pesticide metabolites were detected in ground-water samples collected from each of 32 community water-supply (CWS) systems in central and western New York in August 1999. The sampling sites consisted of 30 wells that ranged from 23 to 120 feet in depth, and 2 springwater infiltration galleries. All wells tapped unconfined sand and gravel aquifers except one, which was completed in karstic limestone. These systems were selected because they were deemed vulnerable to pesticide contamination; accordingly, the results are not considered representative of all CWS systems in New York.

The samples were analyzed for 60 pesticides. Twenty-four of the 32 samples contained at least one pesticide, and one sample contained eight pesticides or pesticide metabolites. New York State and Federal water-quality standards were not exceeded in any sample collected in this study.

All pesticides detected in the CWS wells are a specific class of herbicides that are used to control broadleaf weeds and undesirable grasses in agricultural fields, lawns, and other areas that require control of vegetation. The four compounds detected most frequently were the herbicides atrazine and metolachlor and their metabolites—deethylatrazine and metolachlor ESA. Maximum concentrations of the four compounds ranged from 0.088 micrograms per liter (μg/L) for deethylatrazine to 3.58 μg/L for metolachlor ESA.

Suggested Citation

Eckhardt, D.A.V., Hetcher, K.K., Phillips, P.J., and Miller, T.S., 2001, Pesticides and their metabolites in community water-supply wells of central and western New York, August 1999: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 2000–4128, 12 p., https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/wri004128.

Table of Contents

  • Abstract
  • Introduction
  • Study Methods
  • Pesticides and Their Metabolites in Community Water-Supply Wells
  • Comparison with Long Island studies
  • Benefits of Low Detection Limits
  • What are Metabolites?
  • Effects of Land Use On Pesticide Concentrations
  • Effects of Inducted Infiltration On Pesticide Concentrations
  • Federal and New York State Water-Quality Standards Ued in This Study
  • Summary
  • Acknowledgment
  • References Cited
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Pesticides and their metabolites in community water-supply wells of central and western New York, August 1999
Series title Water-Resources Investigations Report
Series number 2000-4128
DOI 10.3133/wri004128
Year Published 2001
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) New York Water Science Center
Description 12 p.
Country United States
State New York
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details