原文報導 : http://www.khon2.com/news/local/story/Test-Shows-Possible-Carcinogen-In-Tap-Water/iO6IR0Iee0W6RouK5LLQ7w.cspx
The Environmental Working Group, a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., issued a report Monday showing Honolulu's water supply may contain high levels of hexavalent chromium, a chemical believed to cause cancer and made famous by California activist Erin Brockovich.
“The star of the body of evidence would be a National Toxicology Program study on rats and mice,” said Dr. Rebecca Sutton, EWG’s senior scientist. “This study indicates that there's a higher incidence of gastrointestinal tumors in animals that are exposed to this chemical.”
EWG tested tap water from 35 cities across the country and found 31 of the samples contained detectable levels of hexavalent chromium.
“We designed a sample kit which we sent out to all our volunteers and they follow a strict protocol and then mail the package overnight to the water quality lab,” explained Sutton.
A single sample taken from a home on Oahu showed hexavalent chromium contamination at two-parts per billion. California has proposed a safe level of hexavalent chromium, or chromium 6, to be .06 parts per billion.
“We certainly think this indicates the need for more thorough testing and really the water utility should be the one who conducts these sorts of tests,” said Sutton.
On Oahu the Honolulu Board of Water Supply does not specifically test for the presence of hexavalent chromium in tap water.
"We follow the regulations that are set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Health,” said BWS Spokesman Kurt Tsue. “Those are our regulatory agencies and we make sure to adhere to those standards.”
However BWS is not taking the report by the Environmental Working Group lightly.
The city agency will conduct its own testing to determine the true levels of hexavalent chromium in Oahu’s water supply.
“We're in the process of doing an analysis of initiating that study (and) we hope to have that data very soon,” Tsue told Khon2. “We hope to use that as a baseline for what's in the water quality.”
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is currently conducting a scientific assessment of hexavalent chromium on human health, but has not set a legal limit for its presence in tap water.
“When this scientific assessment is finalized in 2011, EPA will carefully review the conclusions and consider other relevant information, including the Environmental Working Group’s study, to determine if a new standard needs to be set,” said an EPA press releases issued Monday, in the wake of EWG’s report.
Hexavalent chromium is commonly discharged from steel and pulp mills as well as metal-plating and leather-tanning facilities. It can also pollute water through erosion of soil and rock.
THE ERIN BROCKOVICH CHEMICAL
Hexavalent chromium, or chromium-6, was made famous by Erin Brockovich in her crusade against Pacific Gas & Electric in the town of Hinkley, California. Through her extensive research the activist won $333 million in damages in 1996 to more than 600 Hinkley residents.
“These folks ended up suing and getting a huge settlement and Erin Brockovich basically led the charge to make this happen and of course then got a movie out of it,” explains Sutton.
According to EWG, Oahu residents who want to protect themselves against possible risks associated with hexavalent chromium should purchase a reverse osmosis water filtration system, which can cost several hundred dollars.
“I definitely encourage people not to assume bottled water is any safer or cleaner because it doesn't have to meet any higher safety standards then our tap water does,” said Sutton.
Sutton says EWG is funded mostly through grants and is not supported by any water filtration company or corporation.
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