Carbofuran in Drinking Water
EPA limits, health effects, and what to do if your water is affected.
🩨 Health Effects
Can cause problems with blood, the nervous system, and the reproductive system. Carbofuran inhibits acetylcholinesterase and is highly toxic to birds as well as mammals.
📍 Sources in Water
A soil fumigant and insecticide used on rice, alfalfa, corn, and potatoes. Most uses were cancelled by the EPA in 2009 due to environmental and health concerns. Still found in groundwater from historical use.
✅ What To Do
Activated carbon and reverse osmosis can reduce carbofuran. Violations are increasingly rare as its use has been phased out in the US.
📜 Regulation History
The EPA set the carbofuran MCL at 0.04 mg/L (40 ppb) in 1991. In 2009, the EPA revoked all food tolerances for carbofuran, effectively banning most uses. The WHO guideline is 0.007 mg/L, much stricter than the US standard. Carbofuran remains one of the most toxic carbamate pesticides.
🔬 How To Test Your Water
Certified lab tests for carbofuran cost $50-$100 using EPA Method 531.1 or 531.2. Home test kits are not available. Testing is mainly relevant for private wells in areas where carbofuran was historically applied to crops.
💧 Which Filters Remove Carbofuran?
Granular activated carbon (GAC) filters are effective at removing carbofuran. Reverse osmosis also works. NSF/ANSI 53 certification for pesticide reduction is the standard to look for. Violations are increasingly rare as agricultural use has been phased out.
Check your tap water for Carbofuran
Search your ZIP code to see if your water system has had Carbofuran violations, plus lead testing results and an overall safety grade.
Search your ZIP code →Data from the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). MCLs reflect minimum federal standards; some contaminants may pose health risks below these thresholds.