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Quick Facts

• Contaminant Type: Chemical - Organic
• Sources: Domestic, commercial, and agricultural use and waste
• Health Effects: Can cause acute poisoning; dermal reaction; skin, lung, and allergic responses; endocrine disruption (visit the Emerging Contaminants page for more info)
• Treatment Options: Activated carbon, ozone, reverse osmosis

About Pesticides
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Treatment
Point-of-use devices like reverse osmosis treatments can be used to remove or minimize pesticides in drinking water. Activated carbon is also effective; the filters act as an adsorbant to remove or reduce levels of water contaminants that affect the taste and odor of water as well as harmful solvents, including pesticides and other chemical waste. Ozone oxidation can also reduce natural and synthetic organic compounds (including pesticides). ​

Related Articles:

• 05/2005 Waste Water and Risks of Drinking Water Contamination [Link]
• 11/2019 The Uncertain Risk of Pyrethrin Exposures [Link]

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Other Resources: 

• EPA: Drinking Water and Pesticides [Link]
• National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC): Drinking Water and Pesticides [Link]
• USGS: Pesticides and Water Quality [Link]