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3 Pesticides in water In this section we compare official data from the government’s Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) with the results we have obtained from questionnaire survey of both the water companies who report to the DWI, summarised in Table 4 (Appendix 6a and 6b), and local authorities, summarised in Table 6 (Appendix 6c). Local authorities are responsible for private water supplies, but conduct only a small number of tests. Indications of ubiquitous contamination of drinking water at low levels are confirmed through the PAN UK survey. A gap in the protection of health from potentially harmful pesticides in water, due to the limited number of pesticides tested for, is revealed. According to the official data from the government’s Drinking Water Inspectorate, pesticides in water are a minor and diminishing cause for concern 26 . The legal limit, set by the European Commission, is 0.1 micrograms per litre, or one part in ten billion, for a single pesticide, 0.5 micrograms per litre for the sum of detectable concentrations of individual pesticides, and 0.03 micrograms per litre for the pesticides aldrin, dieldrin, heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide 27 (persistent organochlorine pesticides now banned in the UK and globally under the Stockholm Convention, but still detected many years after their use). Only 18 ‘exceedances’ of the legal limit for pesticides were detected in 2004. This is a decrease from 31 in 2003 and 72 in 2002. However, data gathered in the PAN UK survey (see Table 4) indicates that drinking water contains low levels of pesticides. Looking in detail at both the public and private water supply, the presence of pesticides is confirmed in both raw Table 4. Pesticides in the public water supply. Summary of PAN UK survey – Appendix 6a, page 39 PAN UK Questionnaires sent to: All 26 water companies in England and Wales, Scottish Water, and the Northern Ireland Drinking Inspectorate Number of responses received: In 2004 (2002 data) In 2005 (2004 data) 12 12 Number of companies reporting 10 or more pesticides found above 0.01 micrograms per litre (below the legal limit) in raw (untreated) water 4 5 Number of companies reporting 10 or more pesticides found above 0.01 micrograms per litre (below the legal limit) in drinking (treated) water 4 5 12 (untreated), and drinking water at levels which are below the legal limit, but above the limit of detection. As the EC legal limit was intended to achieve zero pesticides in drinking water on a precautionary basis 28 , our evidence indicates that, to maintain this objective, the legal limit needs to be lowered to the levels at which pesticides can now be detected. Harmful effects are suspected to risk, in particular, the foetus. The health effects of a lifetime’s exposure to a mixture of chemicals at low levels is unknown. Of the twelve water companies who received and responded to our survey, seven companies completed the section in our questionnaire which asked them to report the levels of pesticides found below the legal limit, but above the limit of detection. In Appendix 6b we present the highest occurrences: atrazine, isoproturon, mecoprop, propyzamide and simazine are all being detected in a high number of tests. According to Southern Water, atrazine occurred in 62.6 per cent of drinking water samples, and simazine in 43.2 per cent of drinking water samples. Numerous other pesticides are routinely detected in a lower percentage of tests. The water companies varied in their facility to extract data in the format of our information request. According to the Drinking Water Inspectorate, aldin, dieldrin, heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide are ‘generally are not found in water sources 29 ’. These are obsolete pesticides, banned since the 1980s on health grounds, which have not had approved uses in the UK for many years. However, the PAN UK survey showed that these pesticides are present in water. Of the respondents to PAN UK’s survey who disclosed details about pesticides tested for, and detected at levels below the legal limit, but above the limit of detection, the following water companies reported in their questionnaire return the presence of these pesticides in raw or treated water: Bristol, Dee Valley, Essex & Suffolk, Mid Kent, Northumbrian, Southern, South Staffordshire, Sutton & East Surrey, Wessex. Aldrin, dieldrin and heptachlor are classified carcinogens and endocrine disruptors according to international authorities 30 . Some studies have found banned pesticides, including these, occurring in rainwater 31 indicating that they persist in the Your daily poison
environment in the cycle of precipitation and evaporation. Private water supplies There are about 42,000 private water supplies in England and 8,000 in Wales, ranging from those supplying a single property to much larger supplies. Although there are some in urban areas, they are mostly in more remote rural parts of the country. The source of the supply may be a well, a borehole, a spring, a lake or a stream 32 . Local authorities have the responsibility for testing for pesticides in private water supplies, see table. Only four local authorities disclosed how many pesticides they test for in private water supplies: North Herefordshire District Council 29 Perth & Kinross Council 25 Penwith District Council 19 Sevenoaks District Council 28 The data on which companies and local authorities base judgements about usage of Table 5. Pesticides in private drinking water supplies. Summary of PAN UK survey – Appendix 6c, page 42 PAN UK Questionnaires sent Approx 468 local authorities in England, to: Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland Number of responses received In 2004 (2002 data) In 2005 (2004 (from local authorities with data) private water supplies): 37 20, 17 of which are from new respondents Number range of private 1 to 1780 (average 0 to 1153 (average water supplies for which 206) 177) local authority responsible for testing Number range of private 1992 to 2002: In 2003-2004: water supplies tested by 0 to 76 0 to 16 local authority respondents Number range of pesticides 0 to 89 19 to 29 reported by local authority respondents as tested for Number of local authority 8 Not answered. respondents reporting that 100 per cent of the pesticides they tested for were detected in all tests above limit of detection Number of local authority 3 0 respondents reporting exceedances of legal limit (0.1 micrograms per litre) pesticides on horticultural and most arable crops in their catchment areas is the limited sample survey carried out by the Central Science Laboratory’s Pesticide Usage Survey Group 33 , which can be analysed to produce locally-relevant data. Some specialist companies produce data on pesticides used on arable crops on a regional basis. Conclusions Data gathered in PAN UK surveys indicate that pesticides are present in water at low levels. Looking in detail at both the public and private water supply, the presence of pesticides is confirmed in both raw (untreated), and drinking water, at levels which are below the legal limit, but above the limit of detection. As the EC threshold was intended to achieve zero pesticides in drinking water on a precautionary basis 34 , our evidence indicates the need to lower the limit. Proper protocols for testing are needed; and mandatory pesticide usage reporting should be implemented to provide a reliable source of information for water companies and local authorities. the second UK pesticide exposure report 13
Page 1 and 2: YOUR DAILY POISON: THE SECOND UK PE
Page 3 and 4: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY . . . . . . . . .
Page 5 and 6: 1 Pesticide exposure in the environ
Page 7 and 8: ◆ A baby girl of 9 months was fou
Page 9 and 10: Exposure to spray-drift, pesticide
Page 11 and 12: 2 Food residues PAN UK has conducte
Page 13: David Mason, ‘official laboratori
Page 17 and 18: conference that a Europe-wide biomo
Page 19 and 20: 5 Conclusions and Recommendations T
Page 21 and 22: APPENDIX 1 Pesticide usage trends i
Page 23 and 24: APPENDIX 3 The regulatory testing a
Page 25 and 26: APPENDIX 4a ‘The human health inc
Page 27 and 28: APPENDIX 4c PAN UK survey: pesticid
Page 29 and 30: Local authority Number and nature o
Page 31 and 32: APPENDIX 5b Food residues (UK testi
Page 33 and 34: Food Pesticide WHO hazard OP WHO Cl
Page 41 and 42: APPENDIX 6a Pesticides in the publi
Page 43 and 44: APPENDIX 6b PAN UK survey: pesticid
Page 45 and 46: APPENDIX 7 Members of the All Party
Page 47 and 48: development in the womb. As a resul
Page 49 and 50: pollution stems from steroid hormon
Page 51 and 52: APPENDIX 10 Copies of PAN UK questi
Page 53 and 54: the second UK pesticide exposure re
Page 55 and 56: the second UK pesticide exposure re
Page 57 and 58: References 1. Craig A, People’s P
Page 59 and 60: 57 Your daily poison:

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