Water Quality and Arsenic

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The Results Are In -Arsenic Exposure Leads to Increased Cancer Risk
In September, the NAS, a private organization that includes 190 Nobel Prize laureates, produced a cumulative study on the health effects associated with exposure to arsenic - one of three EPA - commissioned reports. The NAS concluded that the cancer risk associated with arsenic exposure is higher than previously thought, stating that people who drink water with arsenic levels of 3 ppb have a one in 1,000 risk of developing cancer. At 10 ppb, the risk is three in 1,000.

For the past two decades, the EPA's maximum acceptable level of risk for all drinking water contaminants has been one in 10,000. Due to the results of this report, the EPA is seriously considering levels lower than the proposed 10 ppb, including 3 and 5 ppb.

Scientists and government agencies have studied the health effects of exposure to arsenic for years. According to a 1999 report published by the NAS, one out of every 100 individuals who regularly drinks water that contains 50 ppb of arsenic will fall ill with a potentially fatal form of cancer. Studies have indicated that children are at a much greater risk than adults.

Non-cancer health effects include gangrene, limb loss, keratosis, neurological effects, cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, immunological and endocrine disorders, hematological disorders and reproductive/developmental problems.

In addition, arsenic is an accumulative enabler, meaning that people who are pre-disposed to various cancers, diabetes, high blood pressure and other ailments, are more likely to fall ill. Studies have also shown that arsenic may pass through the placenta, causing birth defects, and that exposure to it may negatively affect children's intelligence levels and ability to learn.

Interest in Solutions to Problem Growing Rapidly
Based on data provided by the EPA, the National Resources Defense Council estimates that as many as 56 million people in the United States drink water with arsenic at unsafe levels. U.S. citizens living in New England and the western regions of the country -especially in Arizona, California, Maine, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Wisconsin, and Michigan -are the most affected by high levels of arsenic.

As revision of the current national standard remains in limbo, consumer demand for an affordable solution is rapidly rising. In fact, according to the 2001 National Consumer Water Quality Survey, 9 out of 10 Americans have concerns about the quality of their tap water with 65% of respondents indicating that they would pay for a home water treatment device to reduce arsenic if it were present in their drinking water.

There is some concern regarding the cost associated with lowering the arsenic standard. Recently, the National Drinking Water Advisory Council (NDWAC) completed its EPA-commissioned cost analysis. Although the NDWAC acknowledged that a lowered standard will prove to be expensive for water systems nationwide, the council also suggested that Point-of-Use (POU) applications- filtration devices attached under a household's sink to treat the water that comes from the faucet -be given greater consideration as a method of tackling arsenic contamination. The council's cost evaluations show that communities as large as 10,000 can benefit financially from this approach.

"We agree with the NDWAC - POU applications, especially high-perfomance adsorptive technology, will provide individual consumers as well as small to mid-sized communities with the most successful and cost-effective way to remove dangerous levels of arsenic from drinking water," says Rich Cavagnaro of Apyron. "In the past several years, we have helped hundreds of people to treat their water, and with the imminent new standard, we stand poised to provide additional information and solutions."

A New Standard Does Not Mean Immediate Relief
Currently, the national standard for arsenic in drinking water is 50 ppb, a level that has stood since 1942. The Clinton administration proposed anew standard of 10 ppb in January 2001, but the EPA overturned it in March and commissioned three studies to examine the overall benefits of a lowered standard for arsenic, the potential cost of implementation and the health effects associated with exposure.

The EPA has publicly recognized that the desired Maximum Contaminant Level for arsenic is 0 ppb. However, due to the high costs associated with bringing the standard down to this level, the agency is considering levels of 3, 5, 10 and 20 ppb. Recently, the EPA received the results of the three studies, as well as public commentary on the issue.

Although the EPA is likely to issue a new standard by February, municipal water systems will have until 2006 to comply with the new law. That means that many Arizona citizens will be exposed to high levels of arsenic for another five years, which could potentially threaten the health of many families.

In addition, many citizens in suburban and rural areas surrounding Phoenix and Tucson obtain their drinking water from private wells. These water supplies are not tested and regulated by the state, and therefore they often have high levels of naturally occurring arsenic.

To have your tap and drinking water tested for FREE call 800-989-5652 or click here for a free water test in San Diego county.

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