In certain areas of the country, pesticides are showing up where they're not wanted in the drinking water. Fortunately, there are not widespread reports of pesticides occurring in Arkansas drinking water. However, if pesticides are not handled carefully around the farmstead, they can seep through the ground after a leak or spill, or they can enter a well directly during mixing and loading.
Pesticides play an important role in agriculture.
They have increased farm production, and they have enabled farmers to manage more acres with less labor. Taking voluntary action to prevent pesticide contamination of groundwater will help assure their continued availability for responsible use by farmers. Pesticides are toxic by nature and work by interfering with the life processes of plants and insects. Many pesticides can also be toxic to people. Pesticide concentrations found in water supplies are usually not found in water supplies high enough to cause acute health effects, such as chemical burns, nausea, and convulsions.