To evaluate the effect of the treatment process on pesticide concentration, source water and
finished (treated) water samples were collected from 12 community water systems (CWSs)
and analyzed for water-soluble pesticides. The pesticides most frequently detected in the
source water were the triazine herbicides (atrazine, cyanazine, prometon, and simazine)
and the chloroacetanilide herbicides (acetochlor, alachlor, and metolachlor). Atrazine,
metolachlor, prometon, and simazine were detected in the source and finished water of
every system sampled. Deethylatrazine, a degradate, was detected in the source and finished
water of every CWS but one. The triazine and chloroacetanilide herbicides were usually
detected in the finished water after the treatment process, although for most treatment
plants the concentrations were significantly less in the finished water. For other pesticides
detected in source water, especially the organophosphate insecticides and other sulfur-containing
pesticides (diazinon, chlorpyrifos, malathion, and metribuzin), the treatment
process either removed or degraded the pesticide completely. Includes 33 references, tables, figures.