[CPEO-MEF] Feinstein to seek funds for toxic water woes

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

The Press-Enterprise requires registration to view the following
article.  Registration is free and quick.

California
Feinstein to seek funds for toxic water woes
INLAND: The chemical perchlorate is polluting wells in Rialto, Colton
and Fontana areas.
12/20/2002
By SHARON McNARY
THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE

LOS ANGELES - Sen. Dianne Feinstein pledged Thursday to help find
federal money to attack the problem of perchlorate that is polluting
drinking water wells in Rialto, Colton and Fontana areas.

Feinstein, a California Democrat, spoke about the Inland area's water
pollution after a meeting she called to bring federal military and
environmental officials together with local water utility executives and
state water regulators.

Perchlorate pollution has caused four water utilities in the San
Bernardino Valley to shut down or restrict 20 area wells, representing
15 percent to 25 percent of their water supplies. Perchlorate can
interfere with the thyroid gland, which affects growth and metabolism.

The primary source of perchlorate contamination of water in Riverside
and San Bernardino counties is from military and defense uses, according
to research by the Regional Water Quality Control Board, Santa Ana
Region.

"We have a major problem in California, and it is perchlorate,"
Feinstein said.

This article can be viewed at:
http://www.pe.com/localnews/stories/PE_NEWS_naperch20.58194.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~