A new report shows that the deterioration of infrastructure and pollution caused by toxic “permanent chemicals” are causing tens of millions of Americans to drink contaminated water, increasing the risk of cancer and other diseases.
How Water Quality is Affected
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) reported on Wednesday that 56 new pollutants, including pesticides and radioactive substances, have been found in American tap water in the past two years. Researchers from a non-profit organization in Washington, DC analyzed data from nearly 50,000 water supply systems across the United States and came to their conclusions. David Andrews, a senior scientist at EWG, told Al Jazeera: “It’s shocking and frustrating that little work has been done to improve water quality across the country.” “Our scientific understanding of health has improved, but our Drinking water standards have not been updated in accordance with the most modern science.”
Andrews said, for example, the US National Water Regulations do not include standards for a new type of chemical called PFAS, which are used to make non-stick coatings, Teflon, fire-fighting membranes, and other products.
Health Issues caused by contaminated water
The EWG reported that small doses of PFAS are called “forever chemicals” because they accumulate in the human body and will not be decomposed in the environment, and have a weakened immune system response to kidney cancer, liver cancer, and pancreatic cancer, and other serious problems.
“There is no federal drinking water standard to test these PFAS chemicals,” Andrews said. Earlier this month, the administration of US President Joe Biden announced a strategy to regulate PFAS chemicals, but it has not yet implemented it. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the US government agency responsible for setting and enforcing chemical exposure standards, did not immediately respond to Al Jazeera’s calls or emails requesting comments. More than 25,000 people in Flint, Michigan have been harmed by exposure to lead and other toxins in drinking water.
with information from: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/3/dangerous-forever-chemicals-contaminate-us-tap-water-report