Significance of Pesticides in Water Supplies

SINCE World War II, the pesticide chemical industry has undergone a revolution. Before the war, the principal insecticides were either inorganic compounds, such as the arsenic compounds, or naturally occurring organic compounds, such as pyrethrum, rotenone, and nicotine. Herbicides were primarily copper sulfate, arsenic compounds, and other inorganic materials. The introduction of DDT and 2,4-D marked the start of a tremendous surge in the development and use of new products that have had far-reaching effects on public health and agriculture. An almost bewildering array of pesticide chemicals are on the market today, and new ones are being developed and introduced continuously. Several hundred pesticide chemicals are now in use, and the number of products and formulations registered under the federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act exceeds 90,00o.1 Water utilities have not felt much