Water Utilities Lack Proper Filters for Weed-Killer

[ensho]

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/08/27-8


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As the Huffington Post Investigative Fund reported earlier this week, the Environmental Protection Agency has failed to notify the public about data showing that the herbicide atrazine has been found at levels above the federal safety limit in drinking water in at least four states. Atrazine has been studied for its potential link to breast cancer, prostate cancer, and birth defects, and the EPA considers it to be a potential endocrine disruptor. It is banned in the European Union.

But the EPA’s data also reveals that many public water filtration systems are not removing the herbicide. In many places, atrazine levels in untreated water sources such as rivers directly match the levels that come out of the tap.

A carbon filter with granular activated carbon — in other words, a giant Brita-like filter — should absorb all or most of the atrazine. But the EPA’s atrazine monitoring data shows that many water utilities in the Corn Belt do not use carbon filtration. Many use rapid sand filters instead. They are cheaper and last longer, but are unable to remove organic compounds such as PCBs, phthalates, pharmaceuticals, and pesticides such as atrazine.

-long snip telling some of the cities and that they don't have the money for removal)

However, atrazine is heavily used in the Maryland area, according to data from the U.S. Geological Survey. The Washington Aqueduct, which treats water from the Potomac River for about 1 million in the DC area, does not filter for atrazine.

Water systems in 57 cities are preparing a lawsuit against the atrazine manufacturer, the Swiss company Syngenta, to recover the cost of filtering the chemical out of drinking water. Utilities in Illinois, Ohio, Kansas, Indiana, Missouri, and Iowa are preparing to file suits in state courts. A hearing in Illinois is scheduled for Monday.

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[HopeHoops]

1. The stuff is disgusting - DO NOT USE LAWN POISONS!

My yard has been full of honey bees all summer! I've got the only one full of clover and it is beautiful. The poisoned yards are all browning and sterile. Mine is full of pretty flowers and literally buzzing with life. There are bees, birds, butterflies, and dragonflies everywhere. It is a small oasis in a wasteland.

[ensho]

2. kick

nt

[kestrel91316]

3. I have been carbon-filtering all my drinking water for 10-12 years.

Our water TASTES terrible from all the chlorine and Gawd-knows what else.