Glyphosate
Status: National drinking water standard exists
Glyphosate is the weedkiller marketed as Roundup. The state of California classifies glyphosate as a chemical known to cause cancer. Read More.
Glyphosate is classified as a probable human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and has been linked to increased risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in people. Exposure to glyphosate during pregnancy may affect fetal development.
2017-2019:
7
states detected
130
utilities detected
419,000
people served
2
states over health guideline
3
utilities over health guideline
25,220
people served over health guideline
0
states over legal limit
0
utilities over legal limit
0
people served over legal limit
Health concerns for glyphosate
Cancer
Harm to fetal growth
Harm to the kidney
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 5 ppb
The EWG Health Guideline of 5 ppb for glyphosate was defined by EWG as a one-in-a-million lifetime risk of cancer. Values greater than one-in-a-million cancer risk level can result in increased cancer cases above one in a million people.
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 700 ppb
The legal limit for glyphosate, established in 1992, was based on a toxicity study in laboratory animals conducted in the 1980s. This limit does not account for the cancer risks of glyphosate and does not include any additional consideration of children’s health.
ppb = parts per billion
States reporting glyphosate in drinking water
| UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES | UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Utilities | People Served | Utilities | People Served | |||
| Iowa | 1 | 857 | 114 | 229,001 | |||
| Oklahoma | 0 | 0 | 1 | 79,408 | |||
| California | 0 | 0 | 1 | 42,595 | |||
| Florida | 0 | 0 | 9 | 40,464 | |||
| Kentucky | 2 | 24,363 | 3 | 27,575 | |||
| Minnesota | 0 | 0 | 1 | 235 | |||
| Louisiana | 0 | 0 | 1 | 111 | |||
Filtering technologies that reduce glyphosate
Activated Carbon
Reverse Osmosis
Utilities with the highest amounts of glyphosate, 2017-2019
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Water & Sewer District* | Mcdowell, KY | 1 of 9 | 5.78 ppb | 22,480 |
| Winthrop Water Supply | Winthrop, IA | 1 of 1 | 5.49 ppb | 857 |
| Turkey Creek Water System* | Gilbert, LA | 2 of 14 | 4.77 ppb | 1,248 |
| South Bayou Macon Ws | Gilbert, LA | 2 of 14 | 4.77 ppb | 1,443 |
| Calmar Water Supply | Calmar, IA | 1 of 1 | 4.73 ppb | 983 |
| Ridgeway, City of | Ridgeway, IA | 1 of 1 | 4.54 ppb | 315 |
| Shellsburg Water Supply | Shellsburg, IA | 1 of 1 | 4.39 ppb | 985 |
| Riverside Water Supply | Riverside, IA | 1 of 1 | 4.29 ppb | 993 |
| City of El Centro | El Centro, CA | 1 of 8 | 3.50 ppb | 42,595 |
| Corridor Ridge Subdivision | Walford, IA | 1 of 1 | 3.46 ppb | 108 |
| Hanlontown Water Supply System | Hanlontown, IA | 1 of 1 | 3.44 ppb | 244 |
| Silver City Water Supply | Omaha, IA | 1 of 1 | 3.23 ppb | 245 |
| Ralston Water Treatment Plant | Glidden, IA | 1 of 1 | 3.22 ppb | 79 |
| Worthington Water Supply | Worthington, IA | 1 of 1 | 3.20 ppb | 401 |
| Lake Park Country Club Drive | Lake Park, IA | 1 of 1 | 3.13 ppb | 84 |
| Little Rock Water Supply | Little Rock, IA | 1 of 1 | 3.13 ppb | 461 |
| Ashton Municipal Water Department | Ashton, IA | 1 of 1 | 3.13 ppb | 468 |
| Harris Water Supply | Sibley, IA | 1 of 1 | 3.13 ppb | 170 |
| Osceola Rural Water System-north* | May City, IA | 1 of 1 | 3.13 ppb | 4,337 |
| Melvin Waterworks | Sibley, IA | 1 of 1 | 3.13 ppb | 214 |
| Sibley Public Water Supply | Sibley, IA | 1 of 1 | 3.13 ppb | 2,808 |
| Lake Park Municipal Utilities | Lake Park, IA | 1 of 1 | 3.13 ppb | 1,026 |
| Bigelow | Bigelow, MN | 1 of 1 | 3.13 ppb | 235 |
| Table Mound Park | Dubuque, IA | 2 of 2 | 3.09 ppb | 455 |
| Waldschmidt Subdivision | Iowa City, IA | 1 of 1 | 3.01 ppb | 45 |
| St. Lucie Mobile Village | Indiantown, FL | 1 of 2 | 3.00 ppb | 750 |
| Polk City System | Polk City, FL | 1 of 9 | 3.00 ppb | 2,568 |
| Tariffville Fire District Water Department | Tariffville, CT | 1 of 2 | 3.00 ppb | 1,477 |
| Hastings Water Supply | Omaha, IA | 1 of 1 | 2.98 ppb | 152 |
| Hawkeye Water Supply | Hawkeye, IA | 1 of 1 | 2.95 ppb | 449 |
| Shiloh | Kalona, IA | 1 of 1 | 2.92 ppb | 118 |
| Wadena Water System | Wadena, IA | 1 of 1 | 2.79 ppb | 262 |
| Fleming-neon Water Company | Neon, KY | 1 of 10 | 2.60 ppb | 3,212 |
| Jamaica Water Supply | Jamaica, IA | 1 of 1 | 2.55 ppb | 224 |
| Elgin Municipal Water Supply | Elgin, IA | 1 of 1 | 2.53 ppb | 690 |
| Egan Water Corporation | Egan, LA | 2 of 8 | 2.53 ppb | 4,980 |
| Thunder Hills Home & Utility Association | Epworth, IA | 1 of 1 | 2.44 ppb | 300 |
| Winfield Muni Water Department | Winfield, IA | 1 of 2 | 2.43 ppb | 1,134 |
| Lansing Water Supply | Lansing, IA | 1 of 1 | 2.40 ppb | 999 |
| Waucoma Water Supply | Calmar, IA | 1 of 1 | 2.39 ppb | 257 |
| Postville Water Department | Postville, IA | 1 of 2 | 2.35 ppb | 2,232 |
| Glenwood Municipal Utilities | Glenwood, IA | 1 of 1 | 2.33 ppb | 5,740 |
| Springville Water Supply | Springville, IA | 1 of 2 | 2.27 ppb | 1,078 |
| New Sharon Water Supply | New Sharon, IA | 1 of 1 | 2.25 ppb | 1,293 |
| Carriage Place Estates Homeowners Association | Davenport, IA | 1 of 1 | 2.16 ppb | 125 |
| Clayton Water Supply | Clayton, IA | 1 of 1 | 2.11 ppb | 43 |
| Shagbark Estates | Dubuque, IA | 1 of 1 | 2.10 ppb | 38 |
| Mangonia Park, Town of | Mangonia Park, FL | 1 of 2 | 2.10 ppb | 2,388 |
| Florida Pines Mobile Home Park | Venice, FL | 1 of 2 | 2.10 ppb | 280 |
| Vinton Municipal Water Department | Vinton, IA | 1 of 1 | 2.00 ppb | 5,257 |
* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Glyphosate, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Water & Sewer District* | Mcdowell, KY | 1 of 9 | 5.78 ppb | 22,480 |
| City of El Centro | El Centro, CA | 1 of 8 | 3.50 ppb | 42,595 |
| Burlington Municipal Waterworks* | Burlington, IA | 1 of 1 | 1.67 ppb | 25,619 |
| Ottumwa Water Works* | Ottumwa, IA | 1 of 1 | 0.580 ppb | 25,023 |
| City of Henderson | Henderson, NV | 1 of 14 | 0.364 ppb | 321,781 |
| Central | Winter Haven, FL | 1 of 20 | 0.325 ppb | 13,595 |
| Miramar (East & West) Plants | Miramar, FL | 1 of 16 | 0.263 ppb | 127,700 |
| Boulder City* | Boulder City, NV | 2 of 44 | 0.255 ppb | 15,000 |
| Tulsa* | Tulsa, OK | 1 of 9 | 0.244 ppb | 471,000 |
| Rogers County RWD # 3 Cot Sta* | Claremore, OK | 1 of 9 | 0.244 ppb | 10,750 |
| Jenks PWA | Jenks, OK | 1 of 9 | 0.244 ppb | 16,924 |
| Owasso | Owasso, OK | 1 of 9 | 0.244 ppb | 23,000 |
| Glenpool Water* | Glenpool, OK | 1 of 9 | 0.244 ppb | 12,500 |
| Bixby Public Works Authority* | Bixby, OK | 1 of 9 | 0.244 ppb | 18,750 |
| Central IA Water Assn (Waverly)* | Newton, IA | 1 of 2 | 0.1000 ppb | 34,245 |
| City of Edmond - Arcadia Lake* | Arcadia, OK | 2 of 265 | 0.0453 ppb | 79,408 |
* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Glyphosate, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.