Measures to reduce pesticides leaching into groundwater-based drinking water resources: An appeal to national and local governments, water boards and farmers

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to show that a number of pesticides is found in groundwater and drinking water resources and to define measures that should reduce the pesticide load in groundwater resources for drinking water in the future. Although the pesticide load that enters groundwater bodies in the Netherlands has gradually decreased over the past ten years, good drinking water quality in the future is not guaranteed. Currently, a number of pesticides ise found in groundwater abstracted for the production of drinking water, worldwide. The most frequently found compounds in the Netherlands are the herbicides BAM (2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile), bentazon and mecoprop. In shallow groundwater, the same compounds are generally found as in deeper groundwater that is abstracted for the production of drinking water, mainly bentazon and mecoprop. Additionally, DEET (N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide) is frequently found in shallower groundwater.In order to reduce the pesticide load in groundwater resources for drinking water in the future, 43 measures have been inventoried and ranked based on their scores for ‘effectiveness’ and for ‘practicability’. This paper describes both the most effective measures, with high scores on practicability, and those with limitations regarding practicability. These measures are the most relevant with respect to the frequently found compounds that are still authorised, i.e., bentazon, mecoprop and DEET and, to a lesser extent, glyphosate (due to the presence of its metabolite AMPA (aminomethylphosphonic acid) and glyphosate itself) and isoproturon. The implementation of abstraction-specific ‘Drinking Water Protection Files’, including the systematic collection of data about the relevant water abstraction and the sources and activities that can negatively affect water quality, is recommended.