Perchlorate, which appeared on the first Contaminant
Candidate List in 1999, is not currently regulated,
but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) is
continuing to look at available data in order to determine
whether a maximum contaminant level (MCL)
should be set. The occurrence of perchlorate is a key
factor that could affect the outcome of USEPA's regulatory
assessment.
Brandhuber and colleagues compiled data from existing
perchlorate surveys, those done for the first Unregulated
Contaminant Monitoring Rule as well as state
surveys done by Arizona, California, Massachusetts, and
Texas. They found that perchlorate was detected in 26
states, Puerto Rico, and the Mariana Islands and in at
least one source of approximately 5% of the large
(i.e., > 10,000 people) public water systems in the United
States. The results of a 2007 phone survey indicate that
some 50 mgd of potable water production has been
taken off line as a result of perchlorate contamination.
When detected, perchlorate was generally present in
low concentrations (< 12 µg/L). If the USEPA decided to
set an MCL for perchlorate, approximately 1% of all
systems would be affected by a 20-µg/L MCL and 4%
would be affected by a 2-µg/L MCL.
This study will help USEPA understand the extent of
perchlorate occurrence in U.S. drinking water, and could
reduce the likelihood that USEPA will set a national
MCL for perchlorate. Includes 42 references, tables, figures.
| Edition : | Vol. 101 - No. 11 |
| File Size : | 1
file
, 850 KB |
| Note : | This product is unavailable in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus |
| Number of Pages : | 11 |
| Published : | 11/01/2009 |
