Heptachlor in Drinking Water: Health Risks, Sources, and How to Remove It

Heptachlor is an organic chemical contaminant that can sometimes be found in drinking water sources. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for this substance at 0.4 μg/L. Because of its potential health risks, public water supplies are monitored to ensure levels remain below this limit.

Health Effects

Exposure to heptachlor in drinking water above the MCL can lead to adverse health effects over time. Long-term consumption of contaminated water is associated with liver damage and an increased risk of cancer. Consuming water that meets federal standards is important for minimizing these chronic health risks.

How Heptachlor Gets Into Tap Water

The presence of heptachlor in water supplies is primarily due to insecticide residues. These chemical residues can persist in the environment and leach into groundwater or run off into surface water. Once in the environment, they can migrate into the water sources used for public and private drinking supplies.

How to Remove Heptachlor From Your Water

Drinking water can be treated to remove heptachlor using granular activated carbon filtration methods. Treatment systems using granular activated carbon are commonly utilized to filter out this organic compound from water. Consumers looking to address this contaminant in their home supply should select treatment systems utilizing this technology.

Should You Test Your Water?

To check for heptachlor, you can review your local water system's annual consumer confidence report or search the WaterQ database. If you rely on a private well, you may want to consider periodic laboratory testing for organic contaminants. You can also look up your local water system on WaterQ or check the Heptachlor data page for reported levels in your area.

Source: EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations and WaterQ National Database. For more contaminants, visit our contaminant library.