10 things to know about 'Erin Brockovich' water contaminant
Drinking water with chromium-6 that exceeds California standards for a day or five years won't change your cancer risk that much, expert says.
Distressed by recent news of the "Erin Brockovich" contaminant in your drinking water?
Don't panic. Health recommendations are based on decades of exposure, so drinking water exceeding those goals for one day or even for the next five years statistically doesn't change your cancer risk that much, an Arizona State University scientist said.
A report, released by Environmental Working Group, found that more than 200 million Americans drink water that has more chromium-6 in it than California scientists recommend.
Chromium-6 gained national attention in the 1990s when then-legal clerk Erin Brockovich helped residents in Hinkley, Calif., settle a massive case against Pacific Gas and Electric Co. The electric utility had polluted the groundwater with cancer-causing chemicals, which Brockovich linked to illnesses in the town.
Report: 'Erin Brockovich' toxin found in metro Phoenix drinking water
Here are 10 things you should know about the ever-present contaminant:
1. The California Office of Health Hazard Assessment set a public health goal of .02 parts per billion.
That means if you drink water containing that amount of chromium-6 over 70 years, you have no more than a one-in-a-million chance of getting cancer. The office determines such goals on health alone — economic or technical feasibility not included.
2. California set its legal limit to 10 parts per billion.
That gives you a 500-in-a-million chance of getting cancer from chromium-6 ingestion. The state arrived at that number based on health, economical and technical feasibility.
3.The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency allows for chromium levels to reach 100 parts per billion.
That lumps together chromium-6 and its benign cousin, chromium-3, but assumes that all of those particles are of the harmful variety. The limit reflects up to a 5,000-in-a-million chance of getting cancer. The federal government set this standard in 2001 based on skin reactions and is considering lowering the limit. But don't expect a draft assessment until 2017. The EPA reported five years ago that chromium-6 is likely to cause cancer.
4. Chromium-6 leaches into water either naturally or from runoff from industries such as electroplating, leather tanning and textile.
Chromium is an abundant element in Earth's crust, found in rocks, plants, soil, volcanic dust, humans and animals. Chromium-6 is created when chromium oxidizes. Around here, the contaminant occurs naturally.
5. The contaminant is pervasive.
Environmental Working Group found that Americans drink water exceeding the California goal in all 50 states.
6. Your utility is most likely well within that federal standard, but also within the California standard, if your water system serves at least 10,000 people.
Most utilities in Arizona reported average chromium-6 levels below 10 parts per billion. The testing doesn't include everyone, though. The law required water utilities nationwide serving at least 10,000 people to test for chromium-6 from 2013 to 2015. A small fraction of small systems were required to test.
7. Home test kits for chromium-6 won't tell you if you're within California limits.
Consumer-testing products tend to detect chromium-6 in parts per million. In fact, it's only been about 10 to 12 years since the technology was developed to measure at the levels we do today. If you're worried about chromium in your well, you'll likely have to submit samples to a laboratory to find out if you're close to California's health goal, said Paul Westerhoff, senior sustainability scientist of Arizona State University's Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability.
8. Techniques to reduce your exposure can be expensive and water intensive.
Reverse osmosis is a method often recommended to reduce your exposure to chromium-6. These systems can cost hundreds of dollars and require vigilance on your part to make sure they're well maintained and updated with filter replacements on a strict schedule. The technology also wastes about 70 percent of the water it processes, Westerhoff said.
Standard carbon filters will not tackle chromium-6, but the Environmental Working Group has recommended one type of pour-through filter that does. It is unclear, however, whether the product by Zero Technologies filters chromium-6 down to the California standard. The company certifies the product to reduce chromium levels to less than 50 parts per billion.
MORE: Read the report | Learn about your water system on interactive map
9. Make sure the product you buy is certified by the National Sanitation Foundation.
The blue "NSF" label ensures that the product's claim has been validated.
10. ASU and other university researchers are working with private industry to develop another way to reduce chromium-6 exposure at home.
The team aims to release a technology in about a year that revamps the standard carbon-block filter to combat chromium-6. The work is partially funded by a $3.5 million National Science Foundation grant and membership fees from 15 industrial partners. The goal is to create a filter that is easier to use and less expensive than reverse osmosis, said Westerhoff, who is part of the team.
See Environmental Working Group's report here.
