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The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.

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Cattle Dip Vats in Florida

Contact the Water Programs

  •  850-245-4240
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    Fax

    850-487-0864
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    Mailing Address

    Bureau of Environmental Health, Water Programs 

    4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin A-08 

    Tallahassee, FL 32399-1710 

Cattle Dip Vats Florida 

Approximately 3400 cattle-dipping vats were constructed throughout Florida from 1906 through 1962. These vats were used to eradicate ticks from cattle and other live stock. The vats were constructed of concrete and were typically 30 feet long, 3 feet wide and 7 feet deep. The vats were generally filled with an Arsenic solution that killed the ticks. It is now known that the solutions used in these cattle-dipping vats are harmful to humans and areas with the vats may have contaminated ground water in their vicinity. Other possible contaminants are BHC, DDT, DDE and toxaphene.

See a list of the number of known cattle-dipping vats in each of Florida's counties that have been accounted for thus far. For additional information, please check out DEP's website (Opens in a new window).

If you suspect that you have a cattle-dipping vat on your property or have located one on another piece of property that has not been documented by the State of Florida, please contact us.