[CPEO-MEF] California proposes 6 ppb perchlorate drinking water standard

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

California Department of Health Services	
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
NUMBER: 06-62 August 28, 2006
   	 	
State Health Department Announces ProposED
DRINKING WATER STANDARD FOR Perchlorate

SACRAMENTO - The California Department of Health Services (CDHS) has 
proposed a maximum contaminant level (MCL) for perchlorate in drinking 
water of 6 parts per billion, State Public Health Officer Dr. Mark 
Horton announced today. If the proposed standard is adopted, public 
water systems cannot provide drinking water that exceeds a MCL without 
notifying their customers and must take steps to bring their water 
supply into compliance with drinking water regulations.

CDHS’ announcement opens a public comment period that ends on Nov. 3. A 
public hearing will be held at 10 a.m. on Oct. 30 in CDHS’ auditorium, 
1500 Capitol Ave., Sacramento.

"Establishing the MCL allows CDHS to address a contaminant that, 
unfortunately, is quite common in certain areas of California," Horton 
said. "Perchlorate’s potential for harm is of concern to pregnant women 
and their developing fetuses, as well as children, so limiting exposure 
to this contaminant is important for protecting public health."

Perchlorate, primarily used in rocket fuel, explosives, fireworks, road 
flares and airbag inflation systems, is an inorganic chemical that is 
known to interfere with iodine uptake of the thyroid gland. A reduction 
in iodine uptake can result in decreased production of thyroid hormones, 
which are needed for prenatal and postnatal growth and development, as 
well as for normal metabolism and mental function in the adult.

State law requires CDHS to establish a MCL for perchlorate that protects 
public health, but also is as close to the Public Health Goal (PHG) as 
technically and economically feasible. PHGs are levels of contaminants 
in drinking water that would not be expected to pose a significant 
health risk to individuals consuming an average of two liters a day of 
water over a 70-year lifetime. A PHG for perchlorate was established in 
2004 by the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of 
Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA). OEHHA’s PHG for 
perchlorate is 6 ppb, the same as the MCL being proposed and consistent 
with the findings of a 2005 report on the chemical by the National 
Academy of Sciences.

CDHS began monitoring for perchlorate in 1997. In 1999, CDHS required 
water systems to monitor for the chemical as an "unregulated 
contaminant" to collect information on the extent of contamination 
throughout the state. Results from nearly 7,000 drinking water sources 
in California showed perchlorate to be present in approximately 450 
sources in approximately 110 public water systems. Perchlorate has been 
detected primarily in groundwater wells located in Los Angeles, Orange, 
Riverside, San Bernardino and Sacramento counties.  The chemical has 
also been detected in the Colorado River, an important source of water 
for drinking and irrigation in Southern California.

The proposed regulation, accompanying documents and information about 
submitting comments and the public hearing are on the CDHS Web site at 
http://www.dhs.ca.gov/ps/ddwem/chemicals/perchl/perchlindex.htm.

For the original release, go to
http://www.applications.dhs.ca.gov/pressreleases/store/pressreleases/06-62.html

--


Lenny Siegel
Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
c/o PSC, 278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org

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