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Thursday January 18 5:39 PM ET
EPA Lowers Allowable Arsenic Levels in Drinking Water
By Keith Mulvihill
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - After much political wrangling, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the reduction of the maximum allowable levels of arsenic in drinking water to 10 parts per billion (ppb), down from the current level of 50 ppb.
The new level will allow for the protection of 13 million Americans from cancer and other health problems, the agency reports in a press release.
``When we turn on our taps, Americans expect the water that comes out to be clean and safe. Access to clean, safe water is fundamental to our quality of life,'' President Clinton (news - web sites) said in an accompanying statement.
While all community water systems are required to follow the new standard, the EPA estimates that approximately 5%, or 3,000, community water systems serving 13 million people exceed the new 10 ppb standard. These systems will need to take some kind of corrective action.
Long-term exposure to low concentrations of arsenic in drinking water can lead to skin, bladder, lung and prostate cancer, according to EPA. Other effects include cardiovascular disease, diabetes and anemia, as well as reproductive effects.
Arsenic occurs naturally in rocks, soil, water and air. Scientists say that most water sources in the United States contain levels less than 5 ppb, but the EPA cautions that ''there may be hot spots with...higher than the predicted occurrence.''
Specifically, the agency points to ``Western states, parts of the Midwest, and New England'' as regions that could potentially exceed the new standard.
Industries such as water utilities and mining operations would bear the brunt of the costs to monitor for arsenic and clean up the water to safe levels.
The EPA notes that the water bills for people living in communities requiring corrective action could have annual cost increases up to $60 per household. In addition ``financial and technical assistance is available to help small systems address the costs of this rule, primarily through the drinking water state revolving fund provided under the Clinton-Gore administration that has provided $3.6 billion to drinking water systems since 1997,'' according to the EPA. |
