Law – The Pesticide Contamination Prevention Act

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DPR began addressing pesticide contamination of groundwater in the early 1980's after the discovery of contamination from the legal application of the fumigant dibromochloropropane (DBCP). Reports of additional pesticides in groundwater resulted in the passage of the Pesticide Contamination Prevention Act (PCPA) in 1985.

The PCPA (Food and Agricultural Code Sections 13141-13152) requires DPR to:

• Obtain environmental fate and chemistry data for agricultural pesticides before they can be registered for use in California.
• Identify agricultural pesticides with the potential to pollute groundwater.
• Sample wells for presence of agricultural pesticides in groundwater.
• Obtain, report and analyze the results of well sampling for pesticides conducted by public agencies.
• Formally review a detected pesticide to determine if its continued use can be allowed.
• Adopt use modifications to protect groundwater from pollution if the formal review indicates that continued use can be allowed.

Reports mandated by the PCPA:

• Well Water Sampling
• Data Gap Call-in Status and the Groundwater Protection List

For content questions, contact:
GWPP@cdpr.ca.gov