Lindane
Status: National drinking water standard exists
Lindane is a neurotoxic and carcinogenic insecticide phased out of agricultural use in the U.S. since 2002. It is prescribed to treat lice or scabies, although safer alternatives are available.
Health concerns for lindane
Cancer
Harm to the brain and nervous system
Harm to the immune system
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 0.032 ppb
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.032 ppb for lindane was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. This health guideline protects against cancer.
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 0.2 ppb
The legal limit for lindane, established in 1991, was based on a toxicity study in laboratory animals conducted in the 1980s.
ppb = parts per billion
States reporting lindane in drinking water
UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES | UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
State | Utilities | People Served | Utilities | People Served | |||
Florida | 0 | 0 | 18 | 1,046,317 | |||
Colorado | 6 | 17,520 | 25 | 103,916 | |||
North Carolina | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10,842 | |||
Illinois | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9,699 | |||
New Mexico | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8,687 | |||
New York | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2,985 | |||
Wyoming | 0 | 0 | 1 | 800 | |||
Nebraska | 0 | 0 | 2 | 481 | |||
Texas | 0 | 0 | 1 | 378 | |||
Louisiana | 0 | 0 | 1 | 120 |
Filtering technologies that reduce lindane
Activated Carbon
Reverse Osmosis
Utilities with the highest amounts of lindane, 2017-2019
Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sundown Cove | Denver, NC | 5 of 8 | 0.0238 ppb | 246 |
Tilden, City of | Tilden, NE | 1 of 3 | 0.0223 ppb | 951 |
Oak Meadows Subdivision II | Glenwood Springs, CO | 1 of 9 | 0.0211 ppb | 50 |
Oak Meadows Service Company* | Glenwood Springs, CO | 1 of 9 | 0.0211 ppb | 180 |
Wilsonville, Village of | Wilsonville, NE | 1 of 4 | 0.0203 ppb | 71 |
Mount Houston Square | Houston, TX | 1 of 2 | 0.0200 ppb | 93 |
Countryside Village Of Denver | Lakewood, CO | 1 of 4 | 0.0190 ppb | 1,000 |
City of Federal Heights* | Federal Heights, CO | 1 of 4 | 0.0190 ppb | 11,678 |
Kimberly Hills Mobile Home Park | Lakewood, CO | 1 of 4 | 0.0190 ppb | 2,005 |
Denver Cascade Mobile Home Park | Lakewood, CO | 1 of 4 | 0.0190 ppb | 1,200 |
Holiday Hills Village | Wheat Ridge, CO | 1 of 4 | 0.0190 ppb | 986 |
Lamplighter Mobile Home Park | Lakewood, CO | 1 of 4 | 0.0190 ppb | 651 |
H O E Water Supply Corporation | Pinehurst, TX | 1 of 3 | 0.0167 ppb | 378 |
Miller, Village of | Miller, NE | 1 of 4 | 0.0158 ppb | 136 |
Jones Creekwood | Freeport, TX | 1 of 2 | 0.0150 ppb | 51 |
Mid Valley Md* | Basalt, CO | 1 of 15 | 0.0107 ppb | 4,500 |
Dayspring Health Public Water System | Hilliard, FL | 1 of 10 | 0.00990 ppb | 64 |
Mitchell Cooper Ditch Pipeline | Glenwood Springs, CO | 1 of 7 | 0.00943 ppb | 1,200 |
Aberdeen, Town of* | Aberdeen, NC | 23 of 100 | 0.00928 ppb | 10,380 |
Village of Briarcliff | Briarcliff, TX | 1 of 9 | 0.00889 ppb | 1,438 |
Marquette, Village of | Marquette, NE | 1 of 8 | 0.00838 ppb | 108 |
City of Snook | Snook, TX | 1 of 6 | 0.00833 ppb | 650 |
Grand Lakes Municipal Utility District 1 | Houston, TX | 1 of 8 | 0.00750 ppb | 3,204 |
Grand Lakes Municipal Utility District 2 | Houston, TX | 1 of 8 | 0.00750 ppb | 2,070 |
Grand Lakes Municipal Utility District 4* | Houston, TX | 1 of 8 | 0.00750 ppb | 2,985 |
Sopris Village Homeowners Association | Carbondale, CO | 1 of 6 | 0.00733 ppb | 425 |
Columbia County Water System | Lake City, FL | 1 of 1 | 0.00710 ppb | 75 |
Leray Town Water District 2 & 4 | Watertown, NY | 1 of 16 | 0.00688 ppb | 6,000 |
Harris County UD 16 | Houston, TX | 1 of 6 | 0.00667 ppb | 4,472 |
Forestbrook S/d | Charlotte, NC | 2 of 9 | 0.00667 ppb | 216 |
Mohawk | Mohawk, NY | 1 of 6 | 0.00633 ppb | 2,985 |
El Jebel Mobile Home Park | El Jebel, CO | 1 of 3 | 0.00633 ppb | 1,962 |
Travis County WCID 17 | Austin, TX | 1 of 13 | 0.00615 ppb | 43,074 |
Forest Lakes Md | Colorado Springs, CO | 1 of 5 | 0.00600 ppb | 294 |
Harris County Municipal Utility District 152 | Houston, TX | 1 of 9 | 0.00556 ppb | 7,353 |
St. Lucie Mobile Village | Indiantown, FL | 1 of 2 | 0.00500 ppb | 750 |
Powder Mill Estates | Tomball, TX | 1 of 6 | 0.00500 ppb | 342 |
Waterview Condominium Association | Basalt, CO | 1 of 6 | 0.00500 ppb | 30 |
Yampa, Town of | Yampa, CO | 1 of 9 | 0.00456 ppb | 467 |
Coronado Shores Water System | Silverton, TX | 1 of 7 | 0.00429 ppb | 150 |
Olney Springs, Town of | Olney Springs, CO | 1 of 5 | 0.00420 ppb | 399 |
Upland, Village of | Upland, NE | 1 of 11 | 0.00418 ppb | 176 |
Homestead Park S/d | Denver, NC | 1 of 5 | 0.00380 ppb | 137 |
Entranosa Water and Wastewater Co-op* | Tijeras, NM | 1 of 6 | 0.00350 ppb | 8,500 |
East Mountain Water Hauling | Tijeras, NM | 1 of 6 | 0.00350 ppb | 124 |
Vista De Manana | Tijeras, NM | 1 of 6 | 0.00350 ppb | 63 |
North Weld County WD* | Lucerne, CO | 1 of 11 | 0.00309 ppb | 10,640 |
Soldier Canyon Filter Plant* | Ft Collins, CO | 1 of 11 | 0.00309 ppb | 0 |
East Larimer County WD* | Fort Collins, CO | 1 of 11 | 0.00309 ppb | 20,503 |
Stapleton, Village of | Stapleton, NE | 1 of 20 | 0.00300 ppb | 305 |
* 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 Lindane, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.
Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
---|---|---|---|---|
City of Federal Heights* | Federal Heights, CO | 1 of 4 | 0.0190 ppb | 11,678 |
Aberdeen, Town of* | Aberdeen, NC | 23 of 100 | 0.00928 ppb | 10,380 |
Travis County WCID 17 | Austin, TX | 1 of 13 | 0.00615 ppb | 43,074 |
East Larimer County WD* | Fort Collins, CO | 1 of 11 | 0.00309 ppb | 20,503 |
North Weld County WD* | Lucerne, CO | 1 of 11 | 0.00309 ppb | 10,640 |
Miramar (East & West) Plants | Miramar, FL | 1 of 16 | 0.000181 ppb | 127,700 |
Lee County Utilities* | Fort Myers, FL | 1 of 25 | 0 ppb | 251,502 |
Gateway Services District | Fort Myers, FL | 1 of 25 | 0 ppb | 12,717 |
Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA Major Grid)* | Jacksonville, FL | 1 of 135 | 0 ppb | 739,834 |
* 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 Lindane, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.