Water samples are extracted for pesticides at the USGS Organic Chemistry Research Laboratory.
Photo credit: Elisabeth LaBarbera
Does the use of pesticides affect our Nation's water quality?
Pesticide use in the United States has increased because not only must we supply our exploding population with food, but crops and food are also grown for export to other countries. The United States has become the largest producer of food products in the world, partly owing to our use of modern chemicals (pesticides) to control the insects, weeds, and other organisms that attack food crops. But, as with many things in life, there's a hidden cost to the benefit we get from pesticides. We've learned that pesticides can potentially harm the environment and our own health. Water plays an important role here because it is one of the main ways that pesticides are transported from the areas where they are applied to other locations where they might cause health problems.
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Related
What can be causing our drinking water to have a reddish color?
Your water might be affected by iron, which is a commonly-occurring constituent of drinking water. Iron tends to add a rusty, reddish-brown (or sometimes yellow) color to water. If the color is more black than red, your water might contain a combination of iron and manganese. Both of these metals can cause staining of plumbing fixtures or laundry, but they are not known to cause health problems...
Where can I find information about my local drinking water supply?
The best way to learn about your local drinking water quality is to read the annual drinking water quality report/consumer confidence report that water suppliers now send out by July 1 of each year. The reports are often sent out with water bills, but they may be sent separately. The reports tell where drinking water comes from, what contaminants are in it, and at what levels. The U.S...
Why does my drinking water look cloudy sometimes?
Once in a while you get a glass of water that looks cloudy; maybe milky is a better term. After a few seconds it miraculously clears up! The cloudiness is due to tiny air bubbles in the water. Like any bubbles, the air rises to the top of the water and goes into the air, clearing up the water. The water in the pipes coming into your house might be under a bit of pressure. This causes gases (air)...
What can cause our water to have an earthy odor or to smell like rotten eggs?
Naturally-occurring organic compounds are created when plant material decays in lakes and reservoirs. Those organic compounds frequently cause musty, earthy odors, especially toward the end of summer. The odors can be objectionable, but generally are not harmful to health. However, odors can be caused by other constituents as well, so you might want to call your local Health Department and mention...
Why is our porcelain sink stained brown?
The brown stain is from a large amount of iron in your water. It is closely related to simple rust that you see on metal, which is iron oxide. Your water probably comes from groundwater that filtered through rocks containing iron-rich minerals on its way to the well. Learn more: Water Color USGS Drinking Water and Source Water Research
Where can I find information about bottled water?
Bottled water is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and by individual states. For general information about bottled water, sources include the International Bottled Water Association and NSF International. Learn More: Water bottling across the U.S. - interactive map Water Use - Withdrawals for Bottled Water
Water samples are extracted for pesticides.
Water samples are extracted for pesticides at the USGS Organic Chemistry Research Laboratory.
Photo credit: Elisabeth LaBarbera
Collecting sample for pesticide analyses, Big Horn River near Kane, WY
Sample collection from cableway above Big Horn River near Kane, Wyoming as part of project evaluating pesticides in Wyoming.
Sample collection from cableway above Big Horn River near Kane, Wyoming as part of project evaluating pesticides in Wyoming.
Sampling the Greybull River for pesticides
Sampling the Greybull River for pesticides
Sampling the Greybull River for pesticides
Lowering pump down monitoring well to sample for pesticides
Lowering pump down monitoring well to sample for pesticides
Lowering pump down monitoring well to sample for pesticides
Water-quality sampling for pesticides, Shoshone River near Lovell
Water-quality sampling for pesticides, Shoshone River near Lovell
Water-quality sampling for pesticides, Shoshone River near Lovell
USGS Scientist Collecting a Water-Quality Sample from Zollner Creek, Oregon, for the Analysis of Dissolved Pesticides
linkU.S. Geological Survey (USGS) hydrologic technician Dan Polette collecting a water-quality sample from Zollner Creek, Oregon for a national-scale investigation of the environmental occurrence of neonicotinoid insecticides in agricultural and urban settings.
USGS Scientist Collecting a Water-Quality Sample from Zollner Creek, Oregon, for the Analysis of Dissolved Pesticides
linkU.S. Geological Survey (USGS) hydrologic technician Dan Polette collecting a water-quality sample from Zollner Creek, Oregon for a national-scale investigation of the environmental occurrence of neonicotinoid insecticides in agricultural and urban settings.
Pesticides are transported throughout the environment.
Sources and Pathways in the Hydrologic System
Sources and Pathways in the Hydrologic System
Related
What can be causing our drinking water to have a reddish color?
Your water might be affected by iron, which is a commonly-occurring constituent of drinking water. Iron tends to add a rusty, reddish-brown (or sometimes yellow) color to water. If the color is more black than red, your water might contain a combination of iron and manganese. Both of these metals can cause staining of plumbing fixtures or laundry, but they are not known to cause health problems...
Where can I find information about my local drinking water supply?
The best way to learn about your local drinking water quality is to read the annual drinking water quality report/consumer confidence report that water suppliers now send out by July 1 of each year. The reports are often sent out with water bills, but they may be sent separately. The reports tell where drinking water comes from, what contaminants are in it, and at what levels. The U.S...
Why does my drinking water look cloudy sometimes?
Once in a while you get a glass of water that looks cloudy; maybe milky is a better term. After a few seconds it miraculously clears up! The cloudiness is due to tiny air bubbles in the water. Like any bubbles, the air rises to the top of the water and goes into the air, clearing up the water. The water in the pipes coming into your house might be under a bit of pressure. This causes gases (air)...
What can cause our water to have an earthy odor or to smell like rotten eggs?
Naturally-occurring organic compounds are created when plant material decays in lakes and reservoirs. Those organic compounds frequently cause musty, earthy odors, especially toward the end of summer. The odors can be objectionable, but generally are not harmful to health. However, odors can be caused by other constituents as well, so you might want to call your local Health Department and mention...
Why is our porcelain sink stained brown?
The brown stain is from a large amount of iron in your water. It is closely related to simple rust that you see on metal, which is iron oxide. Your water probably comes from groundwater that filtered through rocks containing iron-rich minerals on its way to the well. Learn more: Water Color USGS Drinking Water and Source Water Research
Where can I find information about bottled water?
Bottled water is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and by individual states. For general information about bottled water, sources include the International Bottled Water Association and NSF International. Learn More: Water bottling across the U.S. - interactive map Water Use - Withdrawals for Bottled Water
Water samples are extracted for pesticides.
Water samples are extracted for pesticides at the USGS Organic Chemistry Research Laboratory.
Photo credit: Elisabeth LaBarbera
Water samples are extracted for pesticides at the USGS Organic Chemistry Research Laboratory.
Photo credit: Elisabeth LaBarbera
Collecting sample for pesticide analyses, Big Horn River near Kane, WY
Sample collection from cableway above Big Horn River near Kane, Wyoming as part of project evaluating pesticides in Wyoming.
Sample collection from cableway above Big Horn River near Kane, Wyoming as part of project evaluating pesticides in Wyoming.
Sampling the Greybull River for pesticides
Sampling the Greybull River for pesticides
Sampling the Greybull River for pesticides
Lowering pump down monitoring well to sample for pesticides
Lowering pump down monitoring well to sample for pesticides
Lowering pump down monitoring well to sample for pesticides
Water-quality sampling for pesticides, Shoshone River near Lovell
Water-quality sampling for pesticides, Shoshone River near Lovell
Water-quality sampling for pesticides, Shoshone River near Lovell
USGS Scientist Collecting a Water-Quality Sample from Zollner Creek, Oregon, for the Analysis of Dissolved Pesticides
linkU.S. Geological Survey (USGS) hydrologic technician Dan Polette collecting a water-quality sample from Zollner Creek, Oregon for a national-scale investigation of the environmental occurrence of neonicotinoid insecticides in agricultural and urban settings.
USGS Scientist Collecting a Water-Quality Sample from Zollner Creek, Oregon, for the Analysis of Dissolved Pesticides
linkU.S. Geological Survey (USGS) hydrologic technician Dan Polette collecting a water-quality sample from Zollner Creek, Oregon for a national-scale investigation of the environmental occurrence of neonicotinoid insecticides in agricultural and urban settings.
Pesticides are transported throughout the environment.
Sources and Pathways in the Hydrologic System
Sources and Pathways in the Hydrologic System
Updated Date: January 16, 2025