Can I get you a not-so-refreshing glass of water?
Since the boom in bottled water, many people have taken safe water for granted, and while logic is pushing us back to our taps instead of filling landfills with plastic bottles, make sure you invest in a carbon-filter system when you do. Huffington Post did an in-depth investigative review including paying to obtain data through the Freedom of Information act "EPA Fails to Inform Public About Weed-Killer In Drinking Water" www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/23/epa-fails-to-inform-publi_n_266686.html
Atrazine is one of the most-commonly used herbicides in the US. It has been banned in the EU since 2004, but the EPA has labeled it as "not likely" to be a carcinogen since studies linking it to breast and prostate cancer have been inconclusive, but they do acknowledge that it is a "hormone disruptor". I'll say:
"In some studies, male frogs that were exposed to high levels of atrazine have been documented to grow eggs."
Probably not the safest thing to have in our drinking water.
But unfortunately you will find it all too often, as this herbicide is used on corn and most major crops, as well as on golf courses.
"Presently the EPA requires water systems to notify their customers if the quarterly state tests average higher than 3 parts per billion (ppb) annually. According to the EPA data obtained by the Investigative Fund, cities in four states -- Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Kansas -- had yearly averages of atrazine violating that standard from 2003 to 2008. In addition, more than 40 water systems in those states showed spikes of atrazine over 12 ppb - which if found in the state quarterly tests would have required the water system to notify the public within 30 days. In none of those cases were residents notified of the high levels. In fact, the brochures in their water bills - reviewed for this report -- contained misleading numbers based on the state testing."
"An analysis found that yearly average levels of atrazine in drinking water violated the federal standard at least ten times in communities in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Kansas, all states where farmers rely heavily on the herbicide. In addition, more than 40 water systems in those states showed spikes in atrazine levels that normally would have triggered automatic notification of customers. In none of those cases were residents alerted."
So why weren't people notified? Because national laws only require the results of 4 tests of water per year to be averaged then published and acknowledged. That's right, the EPA ordered atrazine's maker, Syngenta, to provide for testing on a weekly basis in 122 Community Water Systems in 10 states (Illinois, Ohio, Kansas, Indiana, Missouri, Louisiana, and Texas among others), and while the results of this testing was reported to the local and state water managers and regulators, it doesn't count. So these communities believe that the highest level of atrazine in their water is the highest of the 4 yearly collections, which clearly isn't an accurate reflection. In fact, most of the local managers don't even realize that the weekly testing was mandated by the EPA, so they largely ignore the numbers that result. Even better, according to one of the state EPA officers, he:
"looks at the weekly data. But he said he does not use it to determine violations, nor does he report any of it to the public, because he does not know if the data are reliable or accurate. "We are only required to report the state data," he said."
That's right. So for the 761 poor, unsuspecting citizens of McClure, Ohio, they are under the impression that the highest reading of their water in 2008 was 3.4 ppb, when in reality there was a spike in June 2008 reading 33.83 ppb, more than 10 times that amount. The article pulls the wool off the eyes for spikes in a number of communities, so I encourage you to check it out.
The EPA plans to revisit its rules for atrazine in 2011. Here's hoping that they come to their senses.
Atrazine is one of the most-commonly used herbicides in the US. It has been banned in the EU since 2004, but the EPA has labeled it as "not likely" to be a carcinogen since studies linking it to breast and prostate cancer have been inconclusive, but they do acknowledge that it is a "hormone disruptor". I'll say:
"In some studies, male frogs that were exposed to high levels of atrazine have been documented to grow eggs."
Probably not the safest thing to have in our drinking water.
But unfortunately you will find it all too often, as this herbicide is used on corn and most major crops, as well as on golf courses.
"Presently the EPA requires water systems to notify their customers if the quarterly state tests average higher than 3 parts per billion (ppb) annually. According to the EPA data obtained by the Investigative Fund, cities in four states -- Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Kansas -- had yearly averages of atrazine violating that standard from 2003 to 2008. In addition, more than 40 water systems in those states showed spikes of atrazine over 12 ppb - which if found in the state quarterly tests would have required the water system to notify the public within 30 days. In none of those cases were residents notified of the high levels. In fact, the brochures in their water bills - reviewed for this report -- contained misleading numbers based on the state testing."
"An analysis found that yearly average levels of atrazine in drinking water violated the federal standard at least ten times in communities in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Kansas, all states where farmers rely heavily on the herbicide. In addition, more than 40 water systems in those states showed spikes in atrazine levels that normally would have triggered automatic notification of customers. In none of those cases were residents alerted."
So why weren't people notified? Because national laws only require the results of 4 tests of water per year to be averaged then published and acknowledged. That's right, the EPA ordered atrazine's maker, Syngenta, to provide for testing on a weekly basis in 122 Community Water Systems in 10 states (Illinois, Ohio, Kansas, Indiana, Missouri, Louisiana, and Texas among others), and while the results of this testing was reported to the local and state water managers and regulators, it doesn't count. So these communities believe that the highest level of atrazine in their water is the highest of the 4 yearly collections, which clearly isn't an accurate reflection. In fact, most of the local managers don't even realize that the weekly testing was mandated by the EPA, so they largely ignore the numbers that result. Even better, according to one of the state EPA officers, he:
"looks at the weekly data. But he said he does not use it to determine violations, nor does he report any of it to the public, because he does not know if the data are reliable or accurate. "We are only required to report the state data," he said."
That's right. So for the 761 poor, unsuspecting citizens of McClure, Ohio, they are under the impression that the highest reading of their water in 2008 was 3.4 ppb, when in reality there was a spike in June 2008 reading 33.83 ppb, more than 10 times that amount. The article pulls the wool off the eyes for spikes in a number of communities, so I encourage you to check it out.
The EPA plans to revisit its rules for atrazine in 2011. Here's hoping that they come to their senses.