Local Contaminants Polluting Your Water in Tampa Bay

The EPA was created to protect the health and safety of Americans. Their goal is not to eliminate every contaminant or potential danger to people. This is just not economically feasible. Instead, the EPA regulates the potential of contaminants to cause harm and keeps the number of people harmed to few as possible. There are hundreds of unregulated contaminants.

On January 22, 2001, EPA adopted a new Maximum contaminate standard for arsenic in drinking water at 10 parts per billion (ppb), replacing the old standard of 50 ppb. However, this is not good enough yet. Arsenic is a known carcinogen, increasing the risk of cancer even at very low concentrations.

It is absorbed through the skin in nominal amounts when compared to oral exposure. An animal test showed 0.6–4.4% absorption in monkeys. Recent research with human subjects demonstrated that showering in water containing 100 ppb of arsenic resulted in significantly elevated levels of arsenic in urine for several days following exposure. Ingesting very high levels of arsenic can result in death. Exposure to lower levels can cause nausea and vomiting, decreased production of red and white blood cells, abnormal heart rhythm, damage to blood vessels, and a sensation of “pins and needles” in hands and feet.

Chlorine is a calcium antagonist, long-term consumption of chlorinated water has been linked to the loss of calcium in bones. Chlorinated tap water has also been linked to childhood and adult asthma and allergies. The EPA allows a higher chlorine level in tap water (4 parts per million/ppm) than the recommended chlorine levels for public swimming pools (1-3 ppm).

• Chlorine can cause many harmful effects when consumed through drinking water. Moderate to heavy consumption of chlorinated tap water by pregnant women has been linked with miscarriage, birth defects, heart problems, cleft palate, and significant brain defects.
• The presence of chlorine in tap water has also been linked to the dramatic rise of heart disease in the United States. Scientists argue that chlorine is a primary cause of the development of atherosclerosis or the hardening of the arteries.
• Studies show chlorinated water is toxic to human intestinal bacteria, the body’s natural flora that converts organic compounds in our food into necessary nutrients.
• The American Journal of Epidemiology contains one of several studies that report chlorine disinfection byproducts (DBPs) are responsible for the increase in rectal and bladder cancers.
• Several research journals, including Environmental Health Perspectives, call the chlorine disinfectant byproduct Mutagen X (or MX) one of the most deadly carcinogens in tap water.
• After large rainstorms, your municipal water center may add more chlorine to the water supply to treat the potentially more significant number of microorganisms due to runoff or sewage discharges.
• During the summer, surface water used for drinking contains more organic material, and, as a result, DBP levels are often higher than they are in the fall and other times of the year.
• Chlorinated water increases the number of heavy metals such as lead and copper leached from pipes into tap water.

Chloramines

Chloramine is mainly used as a secondary disinfectant. Secondary disinfectants are added to water that has already been disinfected with a primary disinfectant, often chlorine (chlorine can be both a primary and a secondary disinfectant.) Secondary disinfectants help protect treated water from recontamination with pathogens as it flows through the distribution network to the consumer.

• Chloramine is lethal to aquatic animals and, like chlorine, must be removed from tap water with treatment products readily available from pet stores.
• Like chlorine, chloramine must be removed from municipal water before it is used for kidney dialysis. Chlorine and chloramine can harm kidney dialysis patients during the dialysis process if they permeate the dialysis barrier and contact the blood of a dialysis patient.
• Chloramines are all respiratory irritants, with trichloramine being the most toxic (order of toxicity: monochloramine < dichloramine < trichloramine-most severe.)

There are Several Forms of Chromium, One Is Good & One Is Bad.
Chromium occurs in the environment primarily in one of two valences. Chromium(VI) and chromium(III) are used for chrome plating, dyes and pigments, leather tanning, and wood preserving. A less common form used for making steel is metallic chromium(Cr 0). The health hazards associated with exposure to chromium are dependent on its state of oxidation. Nearly 70 million Americans are believed to have hexavalent chromium in their drinking water. A study of U.S. tap water by the Environmental Working Group detected chromium-6 in the drinking water of 31 of 35 cities tested.

Our leaders have weighed the health factors against the costs of removing the Chromium(VI). You can still expect your water bills to increase significantly to meet the currently inadequate guidelines.

The Good: Trivalent Chromium (III)

Trivalent chromium occurs naturally and is an essential nutrient.
According to Web MD, “Drinking hard tap water supplies chromium to the body.” Web MD also states, “Chromium is a mineral our bodies use in small amounts for normal body functions, such as digesting food. It exists in many natural foods including brewer’s yeast, meats, potatoes (especially the skins), cheeses, molasses, spices, whole-grain bread and cereals, and fresh fruits and vegetables.” However, Web MD is referring to Chromium(III).

For most people, eating food that contains chromium(III) is the main route of intake because it occurs naturally in many vegetables, fruits, meats, yeasts, and grains. Chromium(III) is an essential nutrient for humans, and shortages may cause heart conditions, disruptions of metabolisms, and diabetes. However, too much chromium(III) uptake can cause health effects such as skin rashes and other problems.

Chromium (VI)/Hexavalent Chromium: A Danger to Human Health
The most important thing you can do is limit your exposure to contaminated water. Hexavalent Chromium is the same cancer-causing contaminant called the “safe” chromium by PG&E, and a judge ordered a settlement of 333 million dollars in 1993.

How does chromium(VI) get into my water supply?
Chromium(VI) can occur naturally and might be present in some groundwater aquifers. Most Chromium(VI) reaches water supplies from industrial uses such as metal plating, stainless steel production, etc. Chromium compounds have been released into the environment via leakage, poor storage, or improper disposal practices. In short, chromium(VI) occurs in nature, but it’s also a by-product of industry usages, such as chrome-plating.

According to article by ATSDR :
“It can be absorbed by the lungs and gastrointestinal tract, and even to a certain extent by intact skin. Human occupational experience indicates that, when inhaled, chromium compounds are respiratory tract irritants, resulting in airway irritation, airway obstruction, and lung, nasal, or sinus cancer. Dose, exposure duration, and the specific compound involved can determine chromium’s adverse health effects.” Dose, exposure duration, and general sensitivity of the individual involved can determine chromium’s adverse health effects.

Health Risks of Showering/Bathing in Chromium?
What are the health risks from bathing/showering in water contaminated with Chromium(VI)? Skin exposure to high levels of Chromium(VI) may cause skin irritation. In some individuals, skin exposure to Chromium(VI) may cause allergic contact dermatitis. A scientific study showed that a person is not exposed to a significant amount of Chromium(VI) from breathing steam while showering (Finley et al. 1996).

“The respiratory tract is the major target organ for chromium(VI) following inhalation exposure in humans. Shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing were reported in cases where an individual inhaled very high concentrations of chromium trioxide,” according to the ATSDR. “Other effects noted from acute inhalation exposure to very high concentrations of chromium(VI) include gastrointestinal and neurological effects, while dermal exposure causes skin burns in humans,” also stated by ATSDR.

Chromium can be measured in hair, urine, and blood. If you are experiencing any of the following, inform your doctor!

Chromium Allergic Dermatitis Is Characterized By:

• Dryness
• Erythema
• Fissuring
• Papules
• Scaling
• Small Vesicles
• Swelling
• Cancers: lung, nasal, sinus, respiratory, lung (if exposed greater than 20 years)
• Breathing problems, such as asthma, cough, shortness of breath, or wheezing.
• Pulmonary sensitization
• Severe dermatitis & painless skin ulcers
• Renal tubular damage
• Liver abnormalities
• Cardiovascular collapse

• Because lead can cross the placenta, an expectant mother who drinks tap water contaminated with lead places her fetus at risk for birth defects, premature birth, and even death. Even “normal” blood-lead levels in pregnant women can increase pregnancy risks.
• In a 2004 Washington Post investigation, it was found that several U.S. cities had tampered with water lead level results in order to avoid enforcing lead regulation and costly repairs to the water system.
• The EPA reports that 10-20% of human exposure to lead comes from tap water.
• According to the EPA, no amount of lead in drinking water can be considered safe.
• Even if municipal centers declare tap water lead-free, tap water can become contaminated with lead as it passes through the city and home piping. Lead pipes, copper pipes with lead solder, or bronze and brass faucets containing lead can contaminate tap water.
• Infants whose diets are made up of baby formula and other liquids made from tap water make up 40-60% of total lead exposure.
• Epidemiology studies show even low levels of lead can cause severe damage in children, including a lowered IQ, behavioral abnormalities, and kidney damage.
• Homes built before 1978 are likely to have lead pipes, fixtures, and solders. However, because lead can leach from new and legally “lead-free” faucets and fittings into tap water, new houses can pose a significant risk for lead contamination.
• The only safe way to remove lead from water in Texas and Florida is to invest in a lead removal water system.

Common Waterborne Bacteria & Viruses & Their Health Concerns
Various types of bacteria and viruses are categorized as pathogens or disease-causing organisms found in pre-treated and/or inadequately treated water. Here is a list of EPA regulated bacteria/viruses in drinking water and their health risks:

• Legionella, a bacteria found naturally in the environment — typically in water, thrives in warm waters; this bacteria in the water is a health risk if aerosolized (e.g., in a shower or air conditioning system) and inhaled, resulting in a type of pneumonia known as Legionnaires disease.
• Enteroviruses are small viruses, such as polioviruses, echoviruses and coxsackieviruses, living in the intestines of infected humans or animals and the three different polioviruses are 62-nonpolio enteroviruses that can cause disease in humans ranging from gastroenteritis to meningitis.

Bacteria and viruses can also be listed as “indicators,” which at a level outside of identified limits, may reflect “a problem in the treatment process or in the integrity of distribution system,” according to the EPA. Here is a list of EPA regulated viral/bacterial indicators and their potential problems:

• Turbidity refers to the cloudiness of water and, although not a bacterium/virus, can hinder disinfection, provide an environment for microbial growth, and indicate the presence of bacteria/viruses and other disease-causing organisms that can produce symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, cramps, and headaches.
• Coliforms are bacteria naturally present in the environment and used as indicators that other possibly harmful bacteria may be present (a warning sign is if coliforms are found in more samples than allowed).
• Fecal indicators, Enterococci or coliphage, are microbes that can indicate human or animal wastes in water. They can cause short-term health effects, including cramps, nausea, diarrhea, headaches, and more. They may pose a greater risk for people with severely weakened immune systems, including the elderly, young children, and infants.
• E. coli and fecal coliform are bacteria whose presence can indicate water contaminated by human or animal wastes, causing short-term health effects, including cramps, nausea, diarrhea, headaches, and more; they may also pose a greater risk for people with severely weakened immune systems, elderly, young children and infants