Site Remediation Markets Newsletter (Online)

Over Past Five Years, 49 Million People Have Been Drinking Water Contaminated by Elevated Levels of Arsenic, Radioactive Substances, Bacteria in US

The nation’s drinking water is not as clean as one would assume. Violations of the Safe Water Drinking Act of 1974 occur routinely with no regulatory repercussions. In analyzing federal data, the New York Times reports that more than 20 percent of the 54,700 water treatment systems in the U.S. have violated provisions of the law over the last five years. As a result, more than 49 million people across the U.S. have been drinking water contaminated by concentrations above the maximum permissible levels of chemicals (such as arsenic), radioactive substances like uranium, and bacteria. In some cases, the study reveals, the illegal contamination continued for years.  The Times points out that fewer than six percent of the water treatment systems violating the law have ever been held accountable.

Safe Drinking Water Act violations have occurred in parts of every state, according to the Times’  analysis of EPA data. In Ramsey, N.J., for example, drinking water tests over the past five years revealed illegal concentrations of arsenic and tetrachloroethylene (PCE), yet no penalties were ever levied. Most of the drinking water violations since 2004 have occurred at water systems serving fewer than 20,000 residents. These systems have fewer resources and less managerial expertise. In some areas of the U.S., EPA data showed that the amount of radium detected in drinking water was 2,000 percent higher than the legal limit.  It is not clear how many people have suffered adverse health effects from the violations.

Authorities have been hesitant to enforce the law against municipalities, because they are thought to be short on resources.  Local taxpayers would just end up paying the fines. At the same time, experts argue that some water systems won’t come into compliance unless required to do so by court order.

EPA is expected to announce new policies regarding the 54,700 water treatment systems in the U.S. and its enforcement of provisions of the Safe Water Act.