Durbin, Kirk to Meet With EPA Administrator Tomorrow to Discuss Tribune Report on Chromium In Chicago Drinking Water
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Stressing the importance of Lake Michigan as a vital resource to the millions of Illinoisans who rely on it for drinking water, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) announced that they will be meeting with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson tomorrow to discuss their concerns over a Chicago Tribune article on high levels of Chromium-6 in Chicago area drinking water. The Tribune referenced a study by the Environmental Working Group that found the amount of Chromium-6 in treated drinking water to be at 0.18 parts per billion, three times higher than a safety limit proposed by the state of California last year.
The Senators wrote: “We look forward to meeting with you to discuss the presence of the chemical and the potential impact on public health in the Chicago region. To the extent that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can identify the source of the chemical, we are interested in understanding how chromium came to be in Lake Michigan, and where and how water is tested for substances such as these. We would like to discuss how the EPA intends to address this issue and how testing for chromium-6 in water treatment facilities could provide further information about where contamination takes place.”
The text of the letter appears below:
December 20, 2010
The Honorable Lisa P. Jackson
Administrator
US Environmental Protection Agency
Dear Administrator Jackson:
We are concerned about this morning’s report revealing the presence of chromium-6, also known as hexavalent chromium, at a level of 0.18 parts per billion (ppb) in Chicago area drinking water. We look forward to meeting with you to discuss the presence of the chemical and the potential impact on public health in the Chicago region.
To the extent that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can identify the source of the chemical, we are interested in understanding how chromium came to be in Lake Michigan, and where and how water is tested for substances such as these. We would like to discuss how the EPA intends to address this issue and how testing for chromium-6 in water treatment facilities could provide further information about where contamination takes place.
While the levels reported today register well below the 100 ppb federal limit for total chromium in tap water, mounting evidence suggests that chromium-6 ingestion may be harmful to human health. The federal standard, established in 1992, fails to distinguish between chromium-3 (trivalent chromium) and the more toxic chromium-6 (hexavalent chromium). The EPA has an important role to play in reviewing these results and in using sound science to determine the best approach to protecting the quality of drinking water in Illinois and across the country.
Lake Michigan is a vital resource and a national treasure. Millions of Illinoisans rely on Lake Michigan for their drinking water. We look forward to working with you on this important issue to improve the quality of our nation’s drinking water for future generations.
Sincerely,
Dick Durbin
U.S. Senator
Mark Kirk
U.S. Senator
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