
“Erin Brocovich” Carcinogen in Tap Water of More Than 200M Americans - skolos
http://www.ewg.org/research/chromium-six-found-in-us-tap-water
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skolos
Long article. Here is synopsis:

\- In 2008, a two-year study found that drinking water with chromium-6 caused
cancer in laboratory rats and mice.

\- The California scientists set a public health goal of 0.02 parts per
billion in tap water, the level that would pose negligible risk over a
lifetime of consumption.

\- But in 2014, after aggressive lobbying by industry, state regulators
adopted a legal limit 500 times the public health goal. It is the only
enforceable drinking water standard at either the state or federal level.

\- The test data estimates that water supplies serving 218 million Americans –
more than two-thirds of the population – contain more chromium-6 than the
California scientists deemed safe.

\- The article has nice interactive map that lets you check if you are
drinking contaminated water (Phoenix is really bad).

\- EWG estimates that if left untreated, chromium-6 in tap water will cause
more than 12,000 excess cases of cancer by the end of the century.

\- The article then describes shenanigans the industry was involved to
sabotage raising this public health concern (like retracting a study of a dead
scientist), stalling EPA risk assessment, etc. Very entertaining read - worth
a movie or a documentary.

