Yesterday PBS published a study* that found potentially unsafe levels of chromium-6, a known carcinogen, in the tap water of 31 of the 35 cities that were tested. Bend is on the list as nearly .78 parts per billion were found in Bend water provided by Avion Water. In 2011 California set a public-health goal at .20ppb. The EPA is still trying to determine what’s an acceptable amount. In 1991 the federal agency set the limit at 100 ppb.
- PBS
So while it may be alarming to see a cancer-causing compound in our drinking water, science-folk say we shouldn’t fret. From an ABC report in 2010:
“No one has really established what is a carcinogenic level for drinking water,” said Alfred Aleguas, managing director at the Northern Ohio Poison Control Center in Cleveland. “We need to establish what is a limit we have to be concerned about.”
…Other scientists say that’s an extremely small amount. One part per billion is equivalent to about a drop in 250 gallon drums of water, or three seconds in a century. Even if a city such as Norman has the highest concentration of chromium-6 of all the cities tested, that doesn’t mean it places the residents at a higher risk for developing cancer than in other cities.
*the study was completed by the Environmental Working Group
This article appears in Mar 14-20, 2013.
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The fact that we don’t know what level of these compounds in water causes cancer is not a reason to not worry. It IS, however, a great example of how our government SUCKS at doing its job.
Bend having one of the highest amounts of ch-6 and us knowing that it DOES cause cancer should be enough to worry anyone with half a brain.
The added fact that we pay extremely high rates for water service, the City forges ahead with a stupid, very expensive water plan despite public opposition, and even after we pay astronomical rates for water service they still can’t meet the extremely weak federal water quality standards or even begin to tell us whether their service poses us life-threatening is a great example of how OUR CITY GOVERNMENT SUCKS.
With all due respect are we certain it came from the City of Bend’s public water supply? The last time hexavalent chromium was found in the water supply it was actually from one of Avion’s private wells…
http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf…
Thanks for the heads up – hope you’ll stay on this story and write more in the weeks to come.
Also, be sure to talk about how citizens can help in any needed processes to take care of this. We wouldn’t want folks like DJ Hurricane to just complain without having the opportunity to take action and exercise his civic duty.
Yeah if this was the study from 2010 we’ve already been through this:
http://www.hackbend.com/2010/12/21/hexavalent-chromium.php
It was found in the Avion water, not the City of Bend water. The City of Bend water is was reported to not have hexavalent chromium detected in it at all.
Hey DJ…know your facts. the city’s water project is not for groundwater, which is what this study is about. Its for surface water, which doesn’t contain the chemical referenced. Are you saying we should abandon surface water and only use groundwater, which allegedly has this cancer-causing chemical in it? Again, know your facts before you type STUPID COMMENTS IN ALL CAPS.
Please note: The study referenced here tested water from Avion Water, it did not test wells or water provided by the city of Bend. We regret any confusion.
I stand by my comments that the EPA ought to have already (long ago) established what levels of compounds like ch-6 cause cancer in drinking water. It’s fundamental to the agency’s mission.
And I stand by my comments that the City ought to have already (long ago) met the weak standards that the EPA has set for drinking water, especially in light of the fact that they are spending ridiculous amounts of money to upgrade water facilities.
In both cases, the priority of government ought to be the health and safety of its citizens. And that applied REGARDLESS of whether the water is coming from the ground or the creek, smart guy.