Report: Millions in U.S. Drink Dirty Water

(CBS)  An analysis of federal data shows that since 2004 violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act, which requires communities to provide safe tap water, have been found at 20 percent of U.S. water treatment systems, but only six percent of those systems were ever fined or punished by state or federal officials.

The New York Times' Charles Duhigg reports today that the violations - which include dangerous bacteria or illegal concentrations of toxic or radioactive substances - affected water delivered to more than 49 million people.

While many violations were one-time events, posing little risk, for hundreds of other systems illegal contamination persisted for years, with no penalty.

Created in 1974 to regulate the nation's public drinking water supply (and later amended in 1986 and 1996), the Safe Drinking Water Act mandates the Environmental Protection Agency to create water quality standards to be applied to more than 160,000 water systems nationwide. The EPA has ultimate authority in enforcing violations.

The law covers treatment and disinfection of water systems, and contaminants (including improperly disposed-of chemicals, pesticides, animal and human wastes, bacteria and naturally-occurring substances) that can contaminate drinking water sources, treatment or distribution systems.

Studies have linked contaminants in drinking water to millions of instances of illness each year.

The Times' analysis of EPA data (which included only situations where residents were exposed to contaminants, rather than, say, violations involving paperwork) showed that Safe Drinking Water Act violations have occurred in every state. The majority occurred at water systems which serve fewer than 20,000 residents.

For example, drinking water tests in Ramsey, N.J., have, since 2004, detected illegal concentrations of arsenic (a carcinogen) and the dry cleaning solvent tetrachloroethylene.

Data showed that since 2004 there have been 205 cases of water systems in New York State providing tap water containing illegal amounts of bacteria. Only three water systems were penalized, according to federal data.

Find Water Polluters Near You (New York Times Interactive)

In response to inquiries by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., EPA reported that, since 2005, more than three million Americans have been exposed to illegal concentrations of arsenic and radioactive elements in their drinking water.

Federal data showed that, in some areas, radium was detected at 2,000 percent the legal limit. But less that eight percent of water systems that violated EPA standards for arsenic and radioactive substances were fined or punished. The EPA said that in the majority of cases, state regulators offered help to violators (such as by providing technical assistance) but many systems were still out of compliance afterwards. And for more than a quarter of cases, paperwork notifying systems of violations were sent by regulators but never followed up.

In September an Associated Press investigation found drinking water at thousands of schools across the country had . Many of those schools had their own water supply, from wells, which are also subject to Safe Drinking Water Act protections.

Last year, the EPA refused to require the cleanup of at least 395 sites in 35 states and the District of Columbia where perchlorate, a toxic rocket fuel, was discovered to be contaminating water supplies.

On Tuesday, the Senate Environment and Public Works committee will hold an oversight hearing on the enforcement of federal drinking water quality laws. EPA officials are expected to announce new policies for overseeing water systems.

Earlier this year EPA administrator Lisa Jackson announced an overhaul of enforcement of the Clean Water Act (which regulates waterway pollution).

In interviews with the Times some current and past EPA enforcement officials said there was little support by their overseers for prosecuting drinking water violations.

"I proposed drinking water cases, but they got shut down so fast that I've pretty much stopped even looking at the violations," an anonymous EPA enforcement official told the Times. "The top people want big headlines and million-dollar settlements. That's not drinking-water cases."

"This administration has made it clear that clean water is a top priority," EPA spokeswoman Adora Andy told the Times. "The previous eight years provide a perfect example of what happens when political leadership fails to act to protect our health and the environment."

One mid-level EPA regulator was skeptical of change actually occurring, telling the Times, "The same people who told us to ignore Safe Drinking Water Act violations are still running the divisions. There's no accountability, and so nothing's going to change."

[Drtierno]

While the U.S. has one of the safest water supplies in the world, this article highlights the dangers of relying on the E.P.A. to enforce water regulations. It?s shocking how many water systems have violated the Safe Drinking Water Act, and even more astonishing that they often were not fined or punished. Concern regarding drinking water safety will only increase as the nation?s aging water infrastructure continues to deteriorate. The fact that the E.P.A. is announcing a new policy for how it regulates the nation?s drinking water is a positive step. In the meantime, consumers should be aware of the potential dangers in their tap water and explore their options for obtaining safe drinking water. In addtition to carcinogenic substances in potable water , ?19million Americans may become ill each year due to just parasites, viruses and bacteria in their drinking water?. UV light technology is proven to nearly eliminate harmful bacteria, viruses and microbial cysts in water. HoMedics Restore, which utilizes this technology, is a good option for the home use.

[nasadawg]

Not to worry!!
So we will have health care we don't need that will fix anything you catch.. right?

[bakeeling]

Hello I'm the owner of OrganiCare Fine GarmentCare Centers located in Phoenix, AZ. I agree with not using perc. and looking for a cleaners that uses alternatives to perc. Wet Cleaning is offered at both of my plants, we can clean any type of fabric in water! We will be changing out our DF 2000 or hydrocarbon dry cleaning machines for CO2 next summer. Co2 and Wet Cleaning are the only real organic green technologies of cleaning garments don't be fooled by your neighborhood cleaners saying that their Organic. I have had an alternative to Perc. called df2000 or hydrocarbon for years before co2 and wet cleaning were real options for garment care. My thoughts are to always stay on top of new technologies in the market place to be as green as possible. That's why we are implementing co2 and we have already implemented wet cleaning. Of course we are carbon neutral as well as our vans and we offer bio degradable poly bags, re useable garment bags, promote clients to recycle their hangers, use natural gas boilers, and all the other greener options that we can. That should be standard in your cleaners. Complementary delivery and pick-up of your garments from your home or office should be standard as well at your local cleaners. This lessens the amount of emissions of 100's of clients coming to your cleaners every week. Feel free to call or email for any questions that you might have. 480-585-3936 or [e-mail]. P.S. please don't be really fooled by any cleaners that say they use Green Earth solvent, this solvent number one doesn't clean anything on its best day and is made out of silicone. Canada is looking towards banning this solvent. It sounds really good but it doesn't work and is not a green alternative at all.
Thanks ?Brad Keeling ?President ?organiCare Fine GarmentCare Centers ?www.organicarecleaners.com

[nowhiningallowed]

...we're also consuming contaminated food...unpleasant, but if the situation were truly dire, millions would be dropping dead from the contaminants...not a good thing, but I'm still alive and if you're reading this, so are you...

[armyoftwelve]

Well I luv that diiirty wa-ter...da..da..da.....Ohhhhhhh Boston you're my hooome!

[DaVicar8]

I love dirty water...it proves I'm tough.

[bubbadubba]

Maybe we drink bad water because of the tens of billions of our tax money being spent in Iraq to make sure the Iraqis have clean water for the first time in history?
Yep.

[thesevenveils]

What this article doesn't mention are the wells in rural areas that have all become polluted from the coal companies practice of mountain top mining where a whole mountain will be practically bulldozed flat to get the coal. In the process all the heavy metals once locked deep underground leach out into the aquifers, creeks and streams and ultimately poisoning wells. And this kills fish and wildlife, leaving a barren desert landscape.

[starleo146]

I absolutely think it is a disgrace to blow off the tops of those beautiful mountains to get at coal. These people that have to live there are undergoing a terrible time all the way around. Why they go and vote for Byrd who for years has done nothing for the people there in West Virginia. There is a Interstate named after him. I wish we had term limits for the Senate and we can rid ourselves of a lot of waste.