|
|
REMOVING ARSENICARSENIC IS NOT A BAY AREA CONCERN. ARSENIC IS MAINLY AN ISSUE FOR RESIDENTS IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY OF CALIFORNIA.
|
The word ARSENIC, is all you have to say and people know it is bad! The fear is automatic. We have hall heard about it on the news and/or from our parents as children. The information is engrained. Most of us are aware it is used as a rat poison. It is common sense this is not something anyone wants in the water we drink. We don’t need much education regarding the health effects. Most people trust that government agency, the EPA, is taking care of this toxic contaminant from the water. We think if a Water treatment facility does not comply than facility will shut down or at least the residents will be notified.
The EPA was created to protect the health and safety of American. Their goal is not to eliminate every contaminant or potential danger to people. This is just not economically feasible. Rather the EPA regulates the potential of contaminants to cause harm and keep number of people harmed to few as possible. There are literally hundreds of unregulated contaminants.
On January 22, 2001 EPA adopted a new Maximum contaminate standard for arsenic in drinking water at 10 parts per billion (ppb), replacing the old standard of 50 ppb. However, this is not good enough yet.
The Environmental Work Group presents articles based on studies conducted. According to the EWG December of 2009 article there had been discovered over 300 contaminants found nationwide. They also stated of those contaminates 201 were unregulated contaminants by early 20 million drinking water tests conducted by water suppliers nationwide between 2004 and 2009.
I recommend reading the article, “On arsenic and apple juice: Is the EPA’s drinking water limit even safe?”
The EPA was created to protect the health and safety of American. Their goal is not to eliminate every contaminant or potential danger to people. This is just not economically feasible. Rather the EPA regulates the potential of contaminants to cause harm and keep number of people harmed to few as possible. There are literally hundreds of unregulated contaminants.
On January 22, 2001 EPA adopted a new Maximum contaminate standard for arsenic in drinking water at 10 parts per billion (ppb), replacing the old standard of 50 ppb. However, this is not good enough yet.
The Environmental Work Group presents articles based on studies conducted. According to the EWG December of 2009 article there had been discovered over 300 contaminants found nationwide. They also stated of those contaminates 201 were unregulated contaminants by early 20 million drinking water tests conducted by water suppliers nationwide between 2004 and 2009.
I recommend reading the article, “On arsenic and apple juice: Is the EPA’s drinking water limit even safe?”
It provides an eye opening point of view to the EPA guidelines. The author states the EPA goals are for “one person in 100,000 to develop cancer as a result of drinking that water daily” The current EPA guide lines for Arsenic violate their own memorandum by 50 times! “one out of every 2,000 of those Americans is likely to develop cancer because of the arsenic in their tap water”. That mean the guidelines should be 200 parts per Million, to achieve end stage toxicity goal within their standards. This does not take into account all the people suffering from other medical conditions caused by toxic injury.
According to another political article titled, “How politics derailed the EPA science on arsenic, endangering public health.” The EPA “Women are especially vulnerable. Agency scientists calculated that if 100,000 women consumed the legal limit of arsenic every day, 730 of them would eventually get bladder or lung cancer from it.” .
Prolific American author Upton Sinclair said it best. “It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.” There is funding to support the EPA efforts. However, the funding to stop it is greater. Then the money gets redirected to other agendas. Please take the time look into the matter further.
When you put the pieced together it is suddenly clear. The government is NOT doing a good job at protecting U.S. citizens from toxins.
According to another political article titled, “How politics derailed the EPA science on arsenic, endangering public health.” The EPA “Women are especially vulnerable. Agency scientists calculated that if 100,000 women consumed the legal limit of arsenic every day, 730 of them would eventually get bladder or lung cancer from it.” .
Prolific American author Upton Sinclair said it best. “It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.” There is funding to support the EPA efforts. However, the funding to stop it is greater. Then the money gets redirected to other agendas. Please take the time look into the matter further.
When you put the pieced together it is suddenly clear. The government is NOT doing a good job at protecting U.S. citizens from toxins.
