The EPA made a large announcement Wednesday morning. The water supply standards, federally, are receiving an update. This announcement comes just a couple years late. In 2008, the EPA petitioned to update drinking water specifications, but the Bush administration disallowed it. These brand new rules deal with 17 individual chemicals. The biggest headline chemical is perchlorate. People hopefully won’t need to take out a pay day loan to purchase their drinking water filtered. This should help every person have healthy drinking water. Resource for this article – EPA drinking water standards to get a 2011 update by MoneyBlogNewz.
Environmental Protection Agency water supply standards
The EPA is responsible for setting specifications of allowable contaminants in drinking water. Almost all drinking water contains something other than pure hydrogen dioxide — minerals, dissolved solids and thousands of chemicals can be in water. The EPA regulates how much of a wide variety of chemicals and bacterial contaminants can be in water before further purification steps have to be taken.
Perchlorate within the EPA drinking water standards
There is a naturally happening chemical called perchlorate. It’s used in rocket fuel, bleach, fertilizers and fireworks when manufactured. The iodine uptake in the thyroid can be affected by the perchlorate although it isn't dangerous to human health otherwise. Clinical depression, neurological disorders, preterm births and obesity are all things that less iodine does. Perchlorate is limited by many states already; however, perchlorate contamination might be what 4 percent of municipal water has in it, which 17 million people drink.
The specifications the Environmental Protection Agency have for water supply with VOC compounds
The new 2011 EPA regulations for water supply contain limits on more than just perchlorate. Volatile organic compounds, otherwise known as VOC compounds, are also going to be regulated. There will be brand new limits on 17 chemicals, including perchlorate. Volatile organic compounds are usually found in industrial manufacturing and solvents and can have a wide variety of detrimental effects. In general, VOC compounds are considered dangerous. The brand new Environmental Protection Agency regulations are set to take impact this year.
Information from
CNN
cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/02/02/epa.water.chemical/index.html?npt=NP1
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thyroid_hormones#Related_diseases
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