US water has large amounts of likely carcinogen: study

[IDemo]

WASHINGTON (AFP) – A US environmental group has found that drinking water in 35 American cities contains hexavalent chromium, a probable carcinogen, The Washington Post reported Sunday.

The study by the Environmental Working Group -- the first nationwide analysis measuring the presence of the chemical in US water systems -- is to be made public on Monday, the daily reported.

The group found hexavalent chromium in the tap water of 31 out of 35 cities sampled. Of those, 25 had levels that exceeded the goal proposed in California, which has been trying aggressively to reduce the chemical in its water supply.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency is considering whether to set a limit for hexavalent chromium in tap water. The agency is reviewing the chemical after the National Institutes of Health, deemed it a "probable carcinogen" in 2008.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101219/ts_alt_afp/healthusenvironmentpollutionwater_20101219221247;_ylt=AtJgW0_7JegY__ducgdEn5as0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTFlNzlzNGIxBHBvcwM2NgRzZWMDYWNjb3JkaW9uX3Vfc19uZXdzBHNsawN1c3dhdGVyaGFzbGE-

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. The flouride sock-puppet worked.

[peacetalksforall]

2. Does anyone know if there is a list of the 35 cities - or is that coming in

the annoucement?

[IDemo]

3. I've only found a list of 10 so far

Norman, Okla.
Honolulu
Riverside
Madison, Wis.
San Jose
Tallahassee, Fla.
Omaha, Neb.
Albuquerque, N.M.
Pittsburgh
Bend, Ore.

[progressoid]

4. Mmm... hexavalent chromium

[Turbineguy]

5. Repubublican Brand

water, for when you are thirsty and have lived too long.

[ngant17]

6. I would think that hexavalent chromium is just one of

dozens of carcinogens which can be found in the typical samples of tap water from US cities. Most local governments don't have the equipment or money to make an accurate analysis. And to avoid the public relations problems.

[customerserviceguy]

7. It would be helpful to know a fact only alluded to in this article

It mentions "the goal proposed in California" without giving us a number as to what that goal is, and who's proposing it. A quick Wikipedia search shows that the EPA's Maximum Contaminant Level is 0.10 ppm. For reference, the amount in the Erin Brockovich case was 0.58 ppm in the groundwater in Hinkley, California.

Ideally, we'd all like our drinking water to be as pure as the driven snow, but realistically, that isn't going to happen. Even if human beings had never evolved from an animalistic state, there would be naturally occuring amounts of all kinds of things in the air and the water.