Lead:
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, 40 million Americans are exposed to potentially dangerous levels of lead in their drinking water. Lead is a toxic metal that can accumulate in the human body. Even small amounts of lead can be a serious health concern, especially for vulnerable populations including children, pregnant and nursing women.
If you are concerned about lead in your drinking water please click here to read a fact sheet containing information about the health effects of lead exposure, regulation of lead in drinking water and simple actions you can take to protect yourself.
Members of the Campaign for Safe and Affordable Drinking Water have been actively working on the lead issue by providing testimony at Congressional hearings.
House Committee on Government Reform Hearing--May 21, 2004
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee--April 7, 2004
House Committee on Government Reform Hearing--March 5, 2004
Arsenic:
On October 31, 2001 the EPA announced a 10 ppb standard for arsenic in drinking water. The decision followed a suspension of the Clinton Administration's standard of 10 ppb in March 2001 and completion of a seven-month review of the science, which included a study by the National Academy of Sciences. The new standard of 10 ppb goes into effect in 2006.
On January 16, 2004 New Jersey Governor James McGreevey moved forward his “Build a Better New Jersey” initiative by proposing a 5 ppb standard for arsenic in drinking water. New Jersey is the first state to propose the adoption of a stricter standard than the federal government.
Other Contaminants of Concerns:
The Campaign for Safe and Affordable Drinking Water is in the process of creating a series of fact sheets on existing and emerging contaminants of concern, please check back.
In June 2003 the Campaign participated in the release of the Natural Resources Defense Council's report “What's on Tap?: Grading Drinking Water in US Cities.” The report utilized public information to grade water quality in 19 US cities including, Albuquerque, Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Fresno, Houston, Los Angeles, Manchester, New Orleans, Newark, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, DC. Please click here to view the full report and find out more information about contaminants of concern found in these cities.
