Pesticide Storage and Handling: Assessing Drinking Water Contamination Risk

For each category listed on the left that is appropriate to your situation, click the box under rank 1-4 that best applies. Your "rank number" will then be genrated on the right.

Glossary for this Fact Worksheet

Information for this Fact Worksheet (PDF)

 

Please Select Your County:

Pesticide Storage (Addressed in Section 1)
 
Low Risk
(rank 4)
Low-Mod Risk
(rank 3)
Mod-High Risk
(rank 2)
High Risk
(rank 1)
Your Rank
1. Amount stored No pesticides stored at any time. Less than 1 gallon or less than 10 pounds of each pesticide. Less than 30 gallons or less than 300 pounds of each pesticide. More than 30 gallons or more than 300 pounds of each pesticide.

 

 
2. Leachability No chemicals stored. Chemicals classified as
having low leaching potential.		 Chemicals classified as
having medium leaching
potential.		 Chemicals classified as
having high leaching
potential.

 

 
Liquid or dry
formulation		 No liquids. All dry. Some liquids. Mostly dry. Mostly liquids. Some dry. All liquids.

 

 
3. Location of pesticide storage area in relation to well 400 feet or more downslope from well. 100–150 feet downslope from well. 100–150 feet downslope from well. Within 100 feet or upslope from well. Storage in well or pump house or a well lot.

 

 
4. Spill or leak
control in storage area		 Impermeable surface (such as coated
or sealed concrete) does not allow spills to soak into soil. Curb installed on floor to contain leaks and spills.		 Uncoated concrete surface with curb has some cracks, allowing spills to get to soil, or uncoated concrete surface without cracks has no curb. Permeable surface (wooden floor) has some cracks. Impermeable surface has no curb. Spills could contaminate wood or soil. Permeable surface (gravel or dirt floor). Impermeable surface with drain to a dry well. Spills could
contaminate floor.

 

 
5. Containers Original containers clearly labeled. No holes, tears, or weak seams. Containers fairly new. Labels partially missing or hard to read. Original containers old. Labels partially missing or hard to read. Containers are patched or have holes or tears that allow pesticides to leak. Metal containers show signs of rusting. No labels.

 

 
6. Security Fenced and locked area separate from all other activities. Fenced area separate from most other
activities.		 Open to activities that could damage containers or spill chemicals. Open access to theft, vandalism, children, or unauthorized persons.

 

 

Mixing And Loading Practices (Addressed in Section 2)
7. Location of mixing/loading area in relation to well 400 feet or more downslope from well. Mixing and loading done in field. 150–400 feet downslope from well. 100–150 feet down-slope from well. Within 100 feet or upslope from well.

 

 
8. Mixing and loading pad (spill
containment)		 Covered concrete pad with curb. Transfer sump for collection cleaned after each use. Uncovered concrete pad with curb. Transfer sump cleaned periodically. Concrete pad with some cracks. No curb or transfer sump. No pad. Spills soak into ground.

 

 
9. Backflow
prevention on
water supply		 Anti-backflow device installed or six-inch air gap maintained above sprayer tank. Hose never in tank. Anti-backflow device installed. Hose in tank above waterline. No anti-backflow device. Hose in tank above waterline. No anti-backflow device. Hose in tank below water line.

 

 
10. Water source Separate water tank. --- --- Obtained directly from water well, stream, or pond.

 

   

 
11. Filling
supervision		 Constant by certified individual. Constant by uncertified individual. Frequent. Seldom or never.
Occasionally overflows.

 

 
12. Handling
system		 Closed system for all liquid and dry product transfers. Closed system for most liquids. Some liquid and dry product hand poured. Sprayer fill port easy to reach. All liquids and dry product hand poured. Sprayer fill port easy to reach. All liquids and dry product hand poured. Sprayer fill port hard to reach.

 

 
13. Sprayer
cleaning		 Sprayer washed out in field. Sprayer washed out on curbed pad at homestead. Sprayer washed out on non-curbed pad at
homestead.		 Sprayer washed out at homestead. No pad.

 

 
14. Wash water (rinse water) disposal Wash water used in next load and applied to labeled crop. Wash water stored for later use and applied to labeled crop. Wash water sprayed on open areas around
homestead.		 Wash water dumped at homestead or in field.

 

 

Container Rinsing And Disposal (Addressed in Section 4)
15. Container
rinsing		 Container pressure- or multiple-rinsed at time of application. Rinsate used in current application. Container pressure- or multiple-rinsed at time of application. Rinsate stored for use at a later time. Containers rinsed at a later time. Rinsate sprayed out in same location every time. Containers unrinsed and not stored in pesticide storage shed.

 

 
16. Disposal
location		 Container pressure- or multiple-rinsed at time of application. Container disposed of through recycling program or returned to dealer. Container pressure- or multiple-rinsed at time of application. Rinsed container disposed of at approved landfill. Containers rinsed at a later time. Rinsed container disposed of on property. Unrinsed or partially filled containers, or empty bags disposed on property or at approved landfill.

 

 
Boldface type in high risk column: Besides representing a higher-risk choice, this practice also violates Idaho law or pesticide label.