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From: [email protected] (Nigel Allen)
Subject: Water supplies vulnerable to Milwaukee-type disease outbreak
Here is a press release from the Natural Resources Defense Council.
New Data Show About 100 Major U.S. Water Supplies Vulnerable To
Milwaukee-Type Disease Outbreak
To: National Desk, Environment Writer
Contact: Erik Olson or Sarah Silver, 202-783-7800, both
of the Natural Resources Defense Council
WASHINGTON, April 14 -- Internal EPA data released
today by the Natural Resources Defense Council reveals that about
100 large water systems -- serving cities from Boston to San
Francisco -- do not filter to remove disease-carrying organisms
leaving those communities potentially vulnerable to a disease
outbreak similar to the one affecting Milwaukee.
The EPA list is attached.
"These internal EPA documents reveal that the safety of water
supplies in many American cities is threatened by inadequate
pollution controls or filtration," said Erik Olson, a senior
attorney with NRDC. "Water contamination isn't just a problem in
Bangladesh, it's also a problem in Bozeman and Boston."
"As of June 29, 1993, about 100 large surface water systems on
EPA's list probably will be breaking the law. The 1986 Safe
Drinking Water Act requires all surface water systems to either
filter their water or fully protect the rivers or lakes they use
from pollution," Olson continued. Some systems are moving
towards eventually implementing filtration systems but are
expected to miss the law's deadline.
Olson pointed out that the threat of contamination is already
a reality in other cities. A 1991 survey of 66 U.S. surface
water systems by water utility scientists found that 87 percent
of raw water samples contained the Milwaukee organism
cryptosporidium, and 81 percent contained a similar parasite
called giardia.
Adding to the level of concern, a General Accounting Office
study released today by House Health and Environment Subcommittee
Chairman Henry Waxman indicates serious deficiencies in the
nation's system for conducting and following through on sanitary
surveys of water systems.
"This new information raises a huge warning sign that millions
of Americans can no longer simply turn on their taps and be
assured that their water is safe to drink. We must immediately
put into place programs to protect water sources from
contamination and where this is not assured, filtration equipment
must be installed to protect the public," Olson noted. "The time
has come for many of the nation's water utilities to stop
dragging their feet and to aggressively protect their water from
contamination; consumers are prepared to pay the modest costs
needed to assure their water is safe to drink."
NRDC is a national non-profit environmental advocacy organization.
Systems EPA Indicates Require Filtration and Do Not Adequately
Protect Watersheds
CONNECTICUT
Bridgeport Bridgeport Hydraulic Co.
MASSACHUSETTS
Boston H2O Resource Author (MWRA)
Medford MWRA-Medford Water Dept
Melrose MWRA-Melrose Water Dept
Hilton MWRA-Hilton Water Dept
Needham MWRA-Needham Water Division
Newtoncenter MWRA-Newton Water Dept.
Marblehead MWRA-Marblehead Water Dept
Quincy MWRA-Quincy Water Dept
Norwood MWRA-Norwood Water Dept
Framingham MWRA-Framingham Water Div
Cambridge MWRA-Cambridge Water Dept
Canton MWRA-Canton Water Div-DPW
Chelsea MWRA-Chelsea Water Dept
Everett MWRA-Everett Water Dept
Lexington MWRA-201 Bedford (PUO WRKS)
Lynn MWRA-Lynn Water & Sewer Co
Malden MWRA-Malden Water Division
Revere MWRA-Revere Water Dept
Woburn MWRA-Woburn Water Dept
Swampscott MWRA-Swampscott Water Dept
Saugus MWRA-Saugus Water Dept
Somerville MWRA-Somerville Water Dept
Stoneman MWRA-Stoneman Water Dept
Brookline MWRA-Brookline Water Dept
Wakefield MWRA-Same as Above
Waltham MWRA-Waltham Water Division
Watertown MWRA-Watertown Water Division
Weston MWRA-Weston Water Dept
Dedham MWRA-Dedham-Westwood District
Winchester MWRA-Winchester Water & Sewer
Winthrop MWRA-Winthrop Water Dept
Boston MWRA-Boston Water & Sewer Co
S. Hadley MWRA-South Hadley Fire Dist
Arlington MWRA-Arlington Water Dept
Belmont MWRA-Belmont Water Dept
Clinton MWRA-Clinton Water Dept
Attleboro Attleboro Water Dept
Fitchburg Fitchburg Water Dept
Northampton Northampton Water Dept
North Adams North Adams Water Dept
Amherst Amherst Water Division DPW
Gardner Gardner Water Dept
Worcester Worcester DPW, Water Oper
Westboro Westboro Water Dept
Southbridge Southbridge Water Supply Co
Newburyport Newburyport Water Dept
Hingham Hingham Water Co
Brockton Brockton Water Dept
MAINE
Rockland Camden & Rockland Water Co
Bath Bath Water District
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Keene City of Keene
Salem Salem Water Dept
VERMONT
Barre City Barre City Water System
Rutland City Rutland City Water Dept
NEW YORK
Glens Falls Glens Falls City
Yorktown Hts Yorktown Water Storage & Dist
Rochester Rochester City
Henrietta Henrietta WD
Rochester MCWA Upland System
Rochester Greece Consolidated
New York NYC-Aquaduct Sys (Croton)
Chappaqua New Castle/Stanwood WD
Beacon Beacon City
Mamaronek Westchester Joint Water Works
PENNSYLVANIA
Bethlehem Bethlehem Public Water Sys
Johnstown Greater Johnstown Water Auth
Lock Haven City of Lock Haven-Water Dept
Shamokin Roaring Creek Water Comp
Harrisburg Harrisburg City
Hazleton Hazleton City Water Dept
Wind Gap Blue Mt Consolidated
Apollo Westmoreland Auth
Fayettville Guilford Water Auth
Humlock Creek PG&W-Ceasetown Reservoir
Springbrook PG&W-Waters Reservoir
Wilkes Barre PG&W-Gardners Creek
Wilkes Barre PG&W-Hill Creek
Wilkes Barre PG&W-Plymouth Relief
Altoona Altoona City Auth
Tamaqua Tamaqua Municipal water
Waynesboro Waynesboro Borough Auth
Pottsville Schuykill Co Mun Auth
VIRGINIA
Covington City of Covington
Fishersville South River Sa Dist-ACSA
SOUTH CAROLINA
Greenville Greenville Water Sys
MICHIGAN
Sault Ste Marie Sault Ste Marie
Marquette Marquette
MONTANA
Butte Butte Water Co
Bozeman Bozeman City
CALIFORNIA
San Francisco City & County of San Fran
NEVADA
Reno Westpac
IDAHO
Twin Falls Twin Falls City
WASHINGTON
Aberdeen Aberdeen Water Dept
Centralia Centralia Water Dept
-30-
--
Nigel Allen, Toronto, Ontario, Canada [email protected]